Niagara Falls councillor says vacation rental units showing up in residential areas, prompting complaints
A Niagara Falls city councillor says better guidelines are needed for where Air Bed and Breakfasts are allowed to exist, especially as the summer approaches.
Lori Lococo tells us they are allowed in commercial, commercial/business and commercial/tourist zoning areas, but some are showing in residential.
She says people are calling and emailing her with complaints about noise, garbage, parking and too many people in an area. "You have people walking around your neighbourhood, it's not a commercially zoned area. So, the Air B&B vacation rental units should not be there. So we do have a lot of concerns from residents, they talk about value of their property, they talk about safety."
The councillor adds if a business is to be shut down, the legal process can take some time.
She also says some are showing in high rise condo buildings, which are in commercial areas, so that's legal for zoning.
But, she says there's a problem with that. "A lot of these condos or apartments can't be a vacation rental unit because of the parking requirement, you need two spaces per unit. So, if the condo unit only has one space, legally it can't be a vacation rental unit."
The councillor adds this conversation, discussion, is something council and the city has been dealing with for a long time.
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