'Short-term party house and ghost hotel' a problem says Oro-Medonte mayor

Barrie -

The issue of “party houses” continues to be a major concern for some Oro-Medonte residents, ever since a by-law aimed at limiting short-term rentals in the area was revoked.

"The short-term party house and ghost hotel is a problem," says Oro-Medonte Mayor Harry Hughes.

A problem the township will have to find another solution for now that its amended by-law to control short-term rentals has been revoked.

"The by-law was all about was simply adding a definition to the existing by-law that defined commercial," says Hughes.

He adds that they wanted to prohibit temporary accommodation of 28 days or less in a residential zone, to prevent out-of-town partiers from disturbing locals.

"We want to make sure that we have some authority in place so we can deal with them. Our issue was never with what we call the mom and pop operation, who come on a regular basis and rent their cottage for a week or two a year," Hughes says.

A few months ago, the locals created the Oro-Medonte Good Neighbours Alliance, a group pushing the town to enforce its short-term rental by-law on disruptive tenants.

"The residents that we know of who have these types of operations next to them are frightened. They're frightened for their health and safety, they're frightened for their children, and they're frightened that every weekend is going to be more of the same," says Alliance president Peter Lavoie.

On the other hand, homeowners in the area are pleased with a decision by the Ontario Land Tribunal that Oro-Medonte's amended by-law went too far.

"For most people, I know it's a way of keeping the cottage in the family, it's a way of paying taxes and the costs of maintenance and upkeep which was gone up and up," says Barry Sookman, the president of the Short Term Rentals Association.

The association says it's fully supportive of finding a middle ground to target the problem.

"My association does not condone disruptive party houses and has offered to work with Oro (Medonte) on a new and reasonable and proportionate by law," says Sookman.

Mayor Hughes says with summer quickly approaching, he hopes to find a solution before the rental season picks up.