Tempers flare, OPP called as Alnwick/Haldimand council eyes short-term rental bylaw expansion

Northumberland OPP were called to help resolve a heated session between residents and Alnwick/Haldimand Township council over plans for short-term rentals (STRs) on Tuesday evening.

The regular council meeting at the town hall in Grafton ended abruptly after a group of residents began voicing their disapproval over proposed expansion and amendments to a short-term rental bylaw first passed by the former council in May 2022 which focused on new STRs in commercial zones.

The proposed new bylaw would encompass all existing buildings used as STRs.

Among the proposals include a licensing fee of $750 ($500 renewal per calendar year) and a property inspection review. Fines for infractions, such as operating without a licence, noise complaints and trespassing, could reach up to $2,000.

If approved, the new bylaw would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

An ad hoc committee — which included Deputy Mayor Joan Stover and Coun. Mike Ainsworth — was launched in February to advise council on possible amendments to the existing bylaw for all STRs in the township east of Cobourg.

During Tuesday’s discussion of the plan, which was prepared by fire chief Dave Dawson, Coun. Mary Catherine O’Neill suggested the motion to vote on the bylaw be deferred until the end of the cottage season to gather more input and public feedback.

Ainsworth supported the suggestion but asked not to defer the vote for too long given the time and resources already invested.

Video of the council meeting then shows Stover, who said based on the proposed bylaw, they were “close.” That comment prompted a man in the gallery of 50 to 60 people to begin yelling. His comments aren’t clearly heard.

Stover in reaction begins to yell “order” and then states “Sir you will leave, yes you will.”

A man’s voice in the rear of the gallery is heard to which Stover replies “That is enough” multiple times.

“We will bring the information back and have the bylaw in place and let the process take its course and that is how we going to get through this…” Stover said.

That’s when a number of people stood up. Mayor John Logel, who was attending the meeting via Zoom, asked that the meeting be recessed.

Stover is seen declaring the meeting is over and the video feed is cut.

Stover tells Global News Peterborough on Thursday that she and staff went to another upstairs room “for safety” where they called police.

Two OPP officers attended and asked the group to leave the town hall. No arrests were made.

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Stover says she was worried about council and staff’s safety as the yelling increased.

“I just had a feeling things were not going to settle down so I closed the meeting down,” she said. “There were a few people that were being vocal. And they just would not stop. Then the yelling started. That’s when I knew this was not going to end well.

“For safety concerns and the well-being of everybody, I closed the meeting down.”

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Stover notes there were no delegations who spoke during the meeting to express any concerns and a vote would have been held to allow residents to speak.

She says the goal of the changes is to be “fair to everybody” — users and non-users. She said the fees cover paperwork, licensing and costs for bylaw officers to conduct inspections.

“We want to know where they are, are they renting a safe short-term rental?” she explained. “We want to make sure they are in compliance with things like smoke alarms, potable water, septic systems, because you’re in the country in a lot of these places.”

Global News Peterborough has been unable to speak with anyone who was in the gallery on July 18. However, on a number of Facebook groups, the proposed STR bylaw remains divisive.

Tim Annis in the public “Grafton Ontario Residents” group says allowing the bylaw would set “a very dangerous precedent” for the township.

“Any business that someone found annoying could be the next target,” he said. “The thing that really burns me is that the proposed bylaw actually favours the problem STRs because they are the only ones that could afford to continue operating. Complete and total failure no matter which way you slice it.”

Ginnette Campbell calls the proposed licensing fees “ridiculous” and a “cash grab.”

“Appears like these owners are being penalized with those figures,” stated Campbell. “Don’t chase investors away. You should be welcoming these business opportunities that will benefit local businesses and local citizens by keeping businesses afloat during quieter months. They will take their business elsewhere.”

However, some residents such as Lynn Hilborn support the bylaw including its “zero tolerance” for any property owner that contravenes the bylaw. An operator can have their licence revoked if they rent to more than two people per guest room or if they fail to allow a land inspection.

“I like the Code of Conduct and the consequences if broken,” she said. “I’ve seen first-hand the lack of regulation and enforcement.”

Kris Pasternack-Williams also praises the bylaw, endorsing the building and fire code inspections.

“This bylaw is not stopping anyone from operating a short-term rental, it simply ensures safety for renters and accountability for those offering rooms or their home,” he said. “$500 a year will not limit your opportunity. Tourists will be able to book with confidence. Grafton is doing the right thing.”

Stover says “some” people have apologized for the incident at the council chambers, noting the group had a mix of proponents and opponents to the bylaw changes. She says she’s not sure when the bylaw will return to council for a vote. Council’s next meeting is July 25.

“I think the group that will show up will be a more respectful group,” she said.