An Upper Mission property owner has lost his bid to keep a short-term rental business licence for a home that has been the subject of dozens of complaints to bylaw and the RCMP over the past two years.
At Monday’s (Mar. 31) meeting, city council heard that more than 50 complaints have been received about the property at 381 Viewcrest Court since the home was purchased by the current owners in 2021. The business licence was obtained in 2022 and has been renewed annually. However, it was cancelled on March 1. Owner Peter Drummond made a detailed presentation to council in a bid to keep his licence.
“We haven’t had any founded complaints in over two years,” Drummond said.
He added the only warnings he received from bylaw was to ensure fire safety plans were posted in every bedroom of the home, and the property description could not list more than six bedrooms. Drummond said those issues were corrected. Drummond noted that a few years ago a former property manager had let too many people rent the home and there was a party.
“The bylaw team informed us of what the rules were and we came into compliance immediately. Our business licence is being cancelled for noise and complaints, but none of the evidence is about noised and complaints,” he added.
However, Planning and Development Manager, Ryan Smith, told council that the cancellation of the licence was necessary.
“After reviewing a large accumulation of complaints from neighbours in this area related to this short-term rental,” Smith noted. Obviously staff have been at this property many, many times over the last several years, and it didn’t seem like there was any improvement.”
Drummond said that he and his family are being targeted by neighbours over the use of his home as a short-term rental. He said that on occasion, 13 complaints were filed with bylaw in one day, all of which he claimed were unfounded. He added that he and his family are living in fear due to comments made on social media about his business.
“People threatening to burn our house down, and threatening to smash our windows,” he said.
He also suggested a connection between media attention about his property and the cancellation of the business licence.
“I didn’t want to responded to the media, and then it’s like more media, more media and all of a sudden our business licence is cancelled. How am I supposed to think that those two things aren’t related.”
Council did not ask questions of staff or Drummond and voted unanimously to uphold the cancellation of the licence. Councillor Maxine DeHart recused herself from the discussion and vote as she owns short-term rentals and works for Ramada Hotels.
Drummond did not speak to media after the vote, stating only that he felt the outcome was “pre-determined.”
Mayor Tom Dyas noted that council received the staff report and Drummond’s information on March 26.
“When we come into a council meeting, and there is an opportunity for the public to speak, what we look for is there something additional which is different than the information we’re receiving at that time,” he added. “And there really wasn’t any new information.”
The mayor said council can only make a decision based on the information it’s presented.
