The plan change allows smaller holiday rental accommodation to operate without resource consent in residential and rural zones and requires resource consent for larger holiday rental accommodation in these zones.

Council has accepted the commissioners’ recommendations on the plan change and the submissions.

The key changes to the District Plan as a result of these decisions are:

• Inclusion of a new defined term of holiday rental accommodation and amendments to the definitions of bed and breakfast and tourist accommodation;
• Addition of holiday rental accommodation in the activity status table;
• Inclusion of performance standards and assessment criteria for holiday rental accommodation;
• Default status for holiday rental accommodation that does not comply with the performance standards; and
• Inclusion of parking standards for holiday rental accommodation.

This notice is given pursuant to Clause 10 and 11 of the First Schedule of the Resource Management Act 1991.

What is the Plan Change 6: Holiday Rentals?

Council proposed to include new provisions in the District Plan relating to Holiday Rentals (this includes houses that are used for short-term holiday accommodation, e.g. houses let on Book-a-Bach, Air BnB and other similar sites).

The plan change will affect Holiday Rentals within the Residential and Rural Zones.

Recent issues related to the impact of holiday rentals on surrounding neighbourhoods has prompted proposed changes to Rotorua’s District Plan.

Holiday rentals are houses that are let out for short term holiday accommodation, typically on websites such as Book-a-Bach, Air BnB and Holiday Houses. The proposed changes would require holiday rental operators to apply for resource consent if:

• More than 12 people stay on site per night;
• If there is inadequate car parking (one car park needs to be provided for every four guests).

The intention of the plan change is to address issues with houses being let to large groups and causing problems relating to noise and parking and changing the character of an area.

Properties will need to continue to comply with current District Plan noise standards and the Regional Council’s on-site effluent treatment where required.

Most holiday rentals will not require resource consent as they cater for 12 or fewer guests and have not prompted complaints to Council.

If the plan change is approved in its current form, property owners catering for more than 12 guests will have the option of either reducing their guest numbers to meet the District Plan Standards or applying for resource consent.

The plan change will affect holiday rental operators within Rotorua’s residential and rural zones. No changes are proposed for properties within the Lakes A Zone (including lakes Okareka and Tarawera) because the Lakes A rules of the District Plan will be reviewed in future.

Any changes adopted will apply to both existing and new holiday rental operators.