When is a holiday home not a holiday home?
That's the question being pondered by a rather perplexed group of Fiordland motel owners as they continue to lobby the Southland District Council to bring home owners using their dwellings as short term paid accommodation into line with commercial fees and ratings.
Last month council announced the status quo was to remain, but concerned moteliers were encouraged to voice their concerns in a more formal capacity if they wished to do so.
Fiordland Motel Association president Carmel McDowall is one concerned owner to take that path, frustrated at the SDC's decision and a continued flouting of the rules by holiday home owners.
"The District Plan states that the council must monitor and enforce its own rules," she said.
"Maybe the SDC should adopt the old saying ‘What's good for the goose is good for the gander'."
In the submission Mrs McDowall argues there is not a level playing field for accommodation providers offering bed nights for purchase or those willing to go through the appropriate channels.
She pointed to an example of one Te Anau home owner who went though the appropriate resource management requirements for houses that may sleep more than five guests and was charged $3000 for water and sewerage, and was asked to resurface the access from the kerb to the existing driveway before they started the activity. Others were not doing this, she said, and getting away with it.
"People first is the SDC motto. Is this correct when there are rules for some and not for others?"
Another concerned motel owner, Peter Gardiner argued why a submission should have to be made when the rules were already in place.
"If they can't administer the rules then they need to step aside and have other people do it."
Mr Gardiner said the decision to retain the status quo was a "whitewash" despite efforts to alert the council to those who were flouting the rules.
"We gave them a list of places, the names of the occupants and they still don't want to do anything."
SDC manager of resource management Bruce Halligan reiterated council's current stance, but acknowledged there had been a number of concerns raised.
Mr Halligan said council's main concern was the adverse environmental effects a larger scale operation with exterior signage like a motel or bed and breakfast might have as opposed to the commercial effects of small scale accommodation advertised on websites like Trade Me.
"It might have a commercial effect, but we don't consider it has an environmental effect.
"Large scale bed and breakfast facilities can account for a significant number of people.
"With 4, 6, or 8 rooms the amount of traffic coming and going is significantly higher than a residential dwelling."
