May I lodge a complaint? It seems that these Fawlty Towers are competing with our local hotels without the same regulations or taxes. Shurely some mistake - likely Tofino Council is already on top of the problem.
In order to compete fairly with the resorts that were given millions of dollars worth of free water Fawlty Towers has been allowed to operate without the proper zoning and has been exempt from property tax . Somewhat like South Chesterman's and The Shore but at least they pay residential property taxes. Don't mention the war.
What's the problem? All businessmen and politicians use the tax laws to their advantage. They have a responsibility (to themselves) to pay as little tax as possible.....just like you, me, and everyone else does. It's not their fault, they didn't make the laws. (I'll remind you all that this loophole existed, and was used to avoid taxation, long before the current mayor was elected)...... and always in plain sight, as a matter of public record. Seems it was never a problem until someone went looking for a place to point fingers and someone to point them at.The mayor was acclaimed. No one else would take the job. No wonder. Would you prefer to have of our previous superstars return to the office, and re-instate the free water giveaway? Better yet, let's just blame everything that's wrong, in the entire town of Tofino, on the 38 units at South Chesterman's (None of which, by the way, will EVER be available for monthly rentals, regardless of the outcome of the current "crackdown". The large majority of the units there are used by their owners as you would use your cottage on the lake, or as their full time home, only a few are vacation rentals.They'll never be open for monthly rental.) Look elsewhere for a solution to the lack of staff accomodations, the party is not moving into South Chestermans.
What we have now is the town being full of people who do not spend money here. They bring their food, might do one activity for which they have to shell out but otherwise they do not spend. Then the out of town owners of these illegal accommodations take the money away as well. Meanwhile those who live here have to put up with them all if and when they can somehow find some place to live other than a tent.
Good thinking by 10:44AM!! Yeah, We gotta figure out some way to get more money out of these "tourists'. We must find a way to get them to "shell out"! Maybe we could slap a special tax on their hotel rooms, or soak them $17.50 for a hamburger, or $40.00 for a "surf lesson". How about $65.00 for a short boat ride to nowhere? Or $350.00 a night for a room. Or $12.00 a load to wash and dry their laundry. Maybe a gate at the edge of town and they could just hand over their wallets and credit cards when they arrive, and then pick them up, emptied, when they leave. Actually, it would probably be better if all of these visitors, who don't live here, could be driven away permanently and then the "locals" could support themselves with good paying jobs in the forestry and fishing industries. Those fools in Ucluelet can have the tourists, Tofino can look out for itself. ...... and perhaps gate those "surf beaches", and charge $25.00 per person to use them, along with a $10,000.00 annual "surf school permit" for the commercial users who currently pay NOTHING, but cause most of the lack of space and services, since they attract all of these unwanted "surfers" ...... solely so they can "take the money away" and then not provide accomodations for their staff.
Re: 10:57PM South Chesterman condos are allowed by zoning to do monthly rentals, should they wish to do so. The problem lies with those units that are doing nightly rentals, thereby not complying with zoning and without a business license. The strata council has not done anything to disallow nightly rentals, hopefully Tofino Council will. The same situation applies to the Shore and possibly Jensens Bay. I believe South Chestermans and the Shore are going to apply for re-zoning (again!) to allow nightly rentals. Hopefully our Council has the balls to say no again. They are just interested in making more money for themselves to take out of the town . They have ignored the rules for 10 years or more and it has to stop.
5:17...... You deliberately misunderstand my statement regarding South Chesterman's..... Yes, they're ZONED to permit monthly rentals...... but they'll never be AVAILABLE for monthly rentals. The owners of those condos are not going to allow a bunch of yahoos to move in there, full time, and turn the place into a surfer party crash pad, protected by the anti-landlord provisions of the residential tenancy act. If, once the battle of the lawyers is over, (and that's going to cost the District a fortune in legal fees) the property remains not zoned for vacation rental.... then expect to see the places sit vacant when the owners are not using them. Look elsewhere for your solution to the lack of staff accomodations.
Hi there. I own one of the surf school shops here in town, and I've got a small problem. I have three "surf instructors", one receptionist, and two sales clerks, all of who are looking for a place to live next summer from May until September. A nice four bedroom house, on the beach, would be suitable.....as long as it would be "affordable" to people working for fifteen dollars per hour. A hot tub would be a great feature as well, if someone could keep it serviced for them. The house would need to be "pet friendly", as they collectively own three large dogs (all very well behaved), and their friends who come to "visit" every day will have their dogs there as well.(also very well behaved). Parking for eight or ten vehicles would be cool, and an area for weekend guests to put up a tent would be handy too. So, if you're looking for some really rad and chill people to live in your beach house next summer, this could be the opportunity you're looking for. Of course, we'd be willing to put down a "security deposit" to cover any damages, cleaning that probably won't be done, legal fees, loss from tenants skipping out of town next fall, and the constant general hassle of dealing with tenants that are "entitled" to use your property any way they choose to. Strange, it seems like no one wants to build any cheap rental housing here in this town. Why is that?
From booking.com
ReplyDeleteEcolodge - Tofino has been welcoming Booking.com guests since Sept 7, 2011
Lodge: 10 rooms
May I lodge a complaint? It seems that these Fawlty Towers are competing with our local hotels without the same regulations or taxes. Shurely some mistake - likely Tofino Council is already on top of the problem.
ReplyDeleteIn order to compete fairly with the resorts that were given millions of dollars worth of free water Fawlty Towers has been allowed to operate without the proper zoning and has been exempt from property tax . Somewhat like South Chesterman's and The Shore but at least they pay residential property taxes. Don't mention the war.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of water.... at what rate does the ecolodge pay for water and has its meter been checked?
ReplyDeleteNobody mention the words c------- of I-------. According to the Bylaws it is illegal to speak these words at council. How convenient.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the problem? All businessmen and politicians use the tax laws to their advantage. They have a responsibility (to themselves) to pay as little tax as possible.....just like you, me, and everyone else does. It's not their fault, they didn't make the laws. (I'll remind you all that this loophole existed, and was used to avoid taxation, long before the current mayor was elected)...... and always in plain sight, as a matter of public record. Seems it was never a problem until someone went looking for a place to point fingers and someone to point them at.The mayor was acclaimed. No one else would take the job. No wonder. Would you prefer to have of our previous superstars return to the office, and re-instate the free water giveaway?
ReplyDeleteBetter yet, let's just blame everything that's wrong, in the entire town of Tofino, on the 38 units at South Chesterman's (None of which, by the way, will EVER be available for monthly rentals, regardless of the outcome of the current "crackdown". The large majority of the units there are used by their owners as you would use your cottage on the lake, or as their full time home, only a few are vacation rentals.They'll never be open for monthly rental.) Look elsewhere for a solution to the lack of staff accomodations, the party is not moving into South Chestermans.
What we have now is the town being full of people who do not spend money here. They bring their food, might do one activity for which they have to shell out but otherwise they do not spend. Then the out of town owners of these illegal accommodations take the money away as well. Meanwhile those who live here have to put up with them all if and when they can somehow find some place to live other than a tent.
ReplyDeleteGood thinking by 10:44AM!! Yeah, We gotta figure out some way to get more money out of these "tourists'. We must find a way to get them to "shell out"! Maybe we could slap a special tax on their hotel rooms, or soak them $17.50 for a hamburger, or $40.00 for a "surf lesson". How about $65.00 for a short boat ride to nowhere? Or $350.00 a night for a room. Or $12.00 a load to wash and dry their laundry. Maybe a gate at the edge of town and they could just hand over their wallets and credit cards when they arrive, and then pick them up, emptied, when they leave. Actually, it would probably be better if all of these visitors, who don't live here, could be driven away permanently and then the "locals" could support themselves with good paying jobs in the forestry and fishing industries. Those fools in Ucluelet can have the tourists, Tofino can look out for itself. ...... and perhaps gate those "surf beaches", and charge $25.00 per person to use them, along with a $10,000.00 annual "surf school permit" for the commercial users who currently pay NOTHING, but cause most of the lack of space and services, since they attract all of these unwanted "surfers" ...... solely so they can "take the money away" and then not provide accomodations for their staff.
ReplyDeleteRe: 10:57PM South Chesterman condos are allowed by zoning to do monthly rentals, should they wish to do so. The problem lies with those units that are doing nightly rentals, thereby not complying with zoning and without a business license. The strata council has not done anything to disallow nightly rentals, hopefully Tofino Council will. The same situation applies to the Shore and possibly Jensens Bay.
ReplyDeleteI believe South Chestermans and the Shore are going to apply for re-zoning (again!) to allow nightly rentals. Hopefully our Council has the balls to say no again. They are just interested in making more money for themselves to take out of the town . They have ignored the rules for 10 years or more and it has to stop.
5:17...... You deliberately misunderstand my statement regarding South Chesterman's..... Yes, they're ZONED to permit monthly rentals...... but they'll never be AVAILABLE for monthly rentals. The owners of those condos are not going to allow a bunch of yahoos to move in there, full time, and turn the place into a surfer party crash pad, protected by the anti-landlord provisions of the residential tenancy act. If, once the battle of the lawyers is over, (and that's going to cost the District a fortune in legal fees) the property remains not zoned for vacation rental.... then expect to see the places sit vacant when the owners are not using them. Look elsewhere for your solution to the lack of staff accomodations.
ReplyDeleteHi there. I own one of the surf school shops here in town, and I've got a small problem. I have three "surf instructors", one receptionist, and two sales clerks, all of who are looking for a place to live next summer from May until September. A nice four bedroom house, on the beach, would be suitable.....as long as it would be "affordable" to people working for fifteen dollars per hour. A hot tub would be a great feature as well, if someone could keep it serviced for them. The house would need to be "pet friendly", as they collectively own three large dogs (all very well behaved), and their friends who come to "visit" every day will have their dogs there as well.(also very well behaved). Parking for eight or ten vehicles would be cool, and an area for weekend guests to put up a tent would be handy too. So, if you're looking for some really rad and chill people to live in your beach house next summer, this could be the opportunity you're looking for. Of course, we'd be willing to put down a "security deposit" to cover any damages, cleaning that probably won't be done, legal fees, loss from tenants skipping out of town next fall, and the constant general hassle of dealing with tenants that are "entitled" to use your property any way they choose to. Strange, it seems like no one wants to build any cheap rental housing here in this town. Why is that?
ReplyDelete"never let the facts get in the way of a good story"
ReplyDeleteTypical biased media reporting
ReplyDelete