One more mega home operating as a hotel on Richmond鈥檚 agricultural land is getting attention after a council meeting presentation last week.
Operating on Steveston Highway near No. 3 Road, the 鈥淩ichmond Fancy Guesthouse鈥� boasts rooms with 鈥渋ndividual climate control, an in-room safe, pay TV, a wardrobe and high ceiling for a comfortable stay in Richmond. Bedroom facilities include pillow-top mattresses, down comforters and down pillows,鈥� according to a post on booked.net.
Richmond resident Judie Schneider was at last Monday鈥檚 council meeting to deliver a petition to limit home sizes on the city鈥檚 ALR with fellow residents and activists, Kelly Greene and Jack Trovato. Schneider found the guesthouse on a Facebook community group and presented it to council.
鈥淚 saw it, and right away I thought 鈥榳hat鈥檚 going on with this house,鈥欌�� Schneider told the Richmond News. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 look like a house. It looks like a hotel.鈥�
Schneider said that while the house does have a building permit and was allowed to be that size, its operation as a hotel is problematic.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 happening is people are justifying the need for these homes by saying that they鈥檙e large families,鈥� Schneider said.
鈥淵ou couldn鈥檛 possibly need that many family members working the land or that many farm workers hired and living with you to farm that small tract of land. And yet, the city gave them the permit.鈥�
According to city bylaws, short term rentals are permissible with a bed and breakfast license. To qualify, the rental must be a single-family home, the principal residence of the homeowner, 500 metres away from existing bed and breakfasts and to not have more than three rooms rented at a time, with a maximum of two guests per room. Bed and breakfasts are not permitted in homes that have secondary suites or suites with separate cooking facilities.
Schneider said that following her presentation, city staff said they would follow up on the property.
鈥淭hese houses that are being illegally run as hotels and Airbnbs without getting their license are taking away the rental stock and we鈥檙e having a housing crisis right now,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 would like these to be an example to city council that this is exactly why we cannot have these large homes allowed because this is what they turn into.鈥�
Recently, the city underwent its own public consultation process to review options to further limit home sizes on the ALR. The city is in the process of compiling that feedback for review.
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