District of Invermere Council’s direction regarding Short-Term Rental Accommodation Units

Posted February 2, 2024

Invermere Council has given third reading to Business Licencing Bylaw No. 1647, 2023 (the Bylaw). If adopted, the Bylaw will replace the District’s current business licensing bylaw and include provisions to help regulate the operation of Short-Term Rental Accommodation Units (STRs) in Invermere. Council also directed staff to prepare to regulate STR operations in Invermere’s single-family residential and low-density residential areas with Temporary Use Permits (TUPs) combined with business licences. Otherwise STR operations are not permitted in Invermere’s single-family residential and low-density residential areas.

At Council’s direction amendments to the District’s Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning Bylaw will be prepared to support the following restrictions to help regulate the operation of STRs in Invermere:

Not more than eight guests will be allowed to stay in an STR at any time.
Not more than four bedrooms, and not more than two persons per bedroom, will be allowed in an STR.
Not more than one business licence or TUP will be issued per STR owner.
Noise monitoring system will be a licencing requirement for each STR unit.
One dedicated off-street parking stall must be provided on-site for 1-4 guests in an STR, and two dedicated off-street parking stalls must be provided for 5-8 guests in the STR.
Off-site parking (i.e., parking of guests’ vehicles on the street) will not be permitted.
No outdoor pool/s will be allowed in any STR operation unless permitted by TUP.

Council intends to establish a set of escalating fines to help regulate STR operations that will address bylaw and TUP violations through pending amendments to Invermere’s Municipal Ticketing Information Bylaw No. 1130.

The District of Invermere is currently developing a set of application guidelines for Short-Term Rental Temporary Use Permit (STR TUP) applications to help streamline application processing using delegated and non-delegated approval criteria. If Bylaw No. 1647 is adopted by Council, then the provisions to regulate STRs would come into effect on May 1, 2024.

Council may consider adoption of Business Licencing Bylaw No. 1647, 2023 at the February 27, 2024, Regular Meeting of Council or at a subsequent meeting.

A timeline describing the anticipated steps ahead for Business Licencing Bylaw No. 1647, 2023 as well as the other work described above is attached to this News Release.

Media Contact:
District of Invermere
250-342-9281
info@invermere.net