Who doesn’t love a summer pool party? Well, if you’re a next-door neighbour to a particularly raucous one looking for some peace and quiet, they may not be your favourite thing.
The issue of vacation rentals remains a hot topic in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and one resident is calling for a specific change to the short-term rental landscape: a ban on rentals with pools.
Murray Weaver, who lives in Old Town, spoke at council’s committee of the whole meeting Tuesday to share his concerns about a short-term rental near his home that has a pool. He said the property is frequently used for loud parties and has made it difficult for him to enjoy his retirement.
“It’s the pool that is the problem,” said Weaver, arguing that without a pool, the property wouldn’t attract large, noisy outdoor gatherings. He noted another short-term rental nearby, which doesn’t have a pool, has never caused similar issues.
Weaver described the rental near his home as a commercial operation running like a hotel without rules in a residential neighbourhood.
His concerns tie into the broader debate over short-term rentals in NOTL, which has been ongoing since council introduced regulations in 2021. That bylaw requires operators to obtain a municipal licence.
Since last December, a moratorium has capped the number of licences at 231.
Particular attention has focused on cottage rentals and villas, which are typically not owner-occupied and have gained a reputation for attracting the kind of disruptive parties Weaver described.
Council is grappling with whether to tighten, loosen or maintain current regulations, including rules around amenities like pools. Residents such as Weaver have raised concerns about the impact short-term rentals are having on neighbourhood quality of life.
One of the recurring issues is how the rules are enforced, or rather, if they are: Weaver said he has had difficulty getting bylaw officers to act on his complaints.
“I’ve laid some complaints with bylaw, really to no avail,” he said.
NOTL’s current noise bylaw prohibits excessive noise from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., and until 9 a.m. on Sundays. However, as Coun. Andrew Niven pointed out, noise restrictions during the day aren’t something the town can enforce.
“There’s not much that we can do,” said Niven. He added that it may be worth investigating whether pools at short-term rental properties could be regulated through bylaw amendments.
Coun. Wendy Cheropita also called for a review of the bylaw process related to pools to assess whether it is working properly.
Weaver raised another concern about Granicus, an AI platform used to navigate municipal governance. Coun. Gary Burroughs disagreed with the criticism.
“I thought Granicus was doing a good job,” he said.
Coun. Sandra O’Connor questioned why pools are allowed under the town’s bylaws. Chief administrative officer Nick Ruller said he did not have an answer but would follow up.
O’Connor added she needed to understand “all of the aspects” before deciding whether to support Weaver’s proposal.
Coun. Tim Balasiuk said he wanted more data on the number of complaints related to pools.
Concerns like Weaver’s will likely be central to council’s discussion when it reviews potential bylaw amendments on July 22. Once those changes are finalized, the town will lift its licence moratorium.
