PROPERTY owners within the Noosa local government area (LGA) have until June 30 to apply for short-stay letting and home-hosted accommodation approval without incurring application fees.
With fees being set as part of Noosa council’s budget deliberations, acting Environment and Sustainable Development Director, Leo Jensen, said the current fee waiver will end on June 30. Fees will apply to all applications lodged after June 30.
“The fee waiver has been in place since the new local law for short-stay accommodation took effect on February 1, and so far, we’ve received more than 650 applications,” Mr Jensen said.
“We’re reminding those owners using properties for short-stay or home-hosted accommodation to apply now if they’d like to save on the cost of the application fee.”
Applications can be made online at noosa.qld.gov.au under ‘Planning and Development’.
Under Noosa’s new Short-Stay Local Law, all Noosa Shire properties used for short-stay and home-hosted accommodation must be approved and be renewed annually.
Mr Jensen said property owners should check council’s website for detailed information about what to provide with their applications.
“Generally, they’ll need to provide a site plan showing the location of buildings and outdoor areas, plus a floorplan showing the number of people accommodated in each bedroom. The website provides examples of the sorts of simple plans required,” Mr Jensen said.
Applications will need to include confirmation the property is lawful for short-stay or home hosted accommodation use, such as where existing use rights apply, a development approval exists, or the use is permitted under the Noosa Plan.
In addition to the application process, Noosa’s new Local Law requires short-stay property owners to nominate a contact person to swiftly deal with problems, which can now be reported via the new 24-hour hotline – (07) 5329 6466.
The new local law introduces a code of conduct for guest behaviour and minimum safety standards for short-term-let properties to help protect guests in the absence of state government regulation.
“All of these measures are a response to calls from the local community to ensure Noosa’s short-stay properties are being good neighbours and that the property owners – the majority of which live outside of the shire – are taking responsibility for dealing with problem guests.”
For more information, visit noosa.qld.gov.au