Public Hearing on Rental Suite Business License Tonight
Prince George, B.C. – The Residential rental business license bylaw is back before City Council this evening as a public hearing will be held on the matter.
Council had approved first two readings to rescind the bylaw which required property owners with secondary suites to pay for a business license. Any changes to a bylaw must go through a public hearing process.
The idea of the business license is the City’s attempt to have some control over bad landlords. It would allow the City the option of removing a license if rental units are not up to building code or livable standards.
Councillor Frank Everitt argued the license is simply a cash grab and brought the matter back to Council with hopes the bylaw would be rescinded.
The issue has caused a split in Council with Councillors Frank Everitt, Lyn Hall, Brian Skakun, Murry Krause and Garth Frizzell all supporting a rescinding of the bylaw. Councillors Cameron Stolz, Dave Wilbur, Albert Koehler and Mayor Shari Green are on the opposite side of the issue.
Attendance of the 5 who support dumping the bylaw will be critical for the 3rd and fourth readings if they are to achieve their goal.
The rescinding of the bylaw will mean those who have already purchased a business license will get a refund from the City.
Comments
Stand your ground, you called it for what it is a cash grab.
Frank Everitt is right. This is a thinly disquised cash grab.
We have other ways to deal with bad landlords such as complaints from neibours, Hydro, etc;
What has been lacking over the years is the City’s will do to anything.
They can bring in a bylaw to increase taxes or services faster than you can blink your eye, however when it comes to dealing with complaints they seem to have a piano tied to their butts.
They say it is so that they can then remove the business license of bad landlords? If they are bad landlords they probably won’t get a business license or won’t care if it gets removed. So what if they remove their business license what more control does that give them than they already have?
It’s definitely a cash grab because why would they want a landlord to get a business license for each and every property. That’s like telling the guy with 3logging trucks he needs 3 business licenses instead of just 1 for the business.
You want to see cash grab…wait until Lynn hall and the NDP get elected to council.
OzenonO.
There are some NDP’ers on Council however I seriously doubt that Lynn Hall is one of them.
OzenonO
Wow, you slam others for bashing on another post from this website yet you are allowed? Where is the right in that? lol
My first impression of this bylaw was a desperate cash grab. I haven’t changed my view and am very disappointed in the direction this council is headed.
The consequences of this bylaw have not been thought through at all. If there are so many bad landlords and illegal suites, where are all those people supposed to go?
I say deal with the problems when they arise and leave the rest alone.
I still say city should be looking into who is actually running this city when planning and bylaws administration cannot do their homework…. When a bylaws person says he will investigate at his discretion?
This city allows so many infractions. What about the property by Gauthier road that has had numerous complaints in regards to the owner of the property running a trucking firm on an Agriculture piece of property and the city says they do not know what to do with him? There have been complaints for over 4 years about this property and the city does not know what to do??? Here is a simple way city hall – shut him down as you did with the Christensen trucks.
I think it is a very good idea.Question is who will be appointed to enforce it.
I feel the only people apposed to it would be the ones who stand to pay a little extra money each year for their rental units.Life is all about choices!
Oh my, I forgot. This city is exempt from their own bylaws. Silly me…
There are still road bans on some of the rural side streets where they are putting the used asphalt – “Amalgamation Paving”.
So can someone tell me why they are allowing 100% hauling of this stuff instead of the 70%?
I called city hall and cannot seem to get a reply from them.
They should try managing the money they already get. Cant even manage snow removal , all they have to do is copy whats been done before,no brainer,dont need high priced help for that.We sure need people who have manager skills.Some have it,if they donthave now they never will. Just cant organize,in wrong job,Need to be transfered till you get right one. Save millions
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