On March 5, the Santa Barbara Planning Commission voted 4-2 to move forward with plans for a short-term rental ordinance, with a laundry list of suggestions for the city’s Ordinance Committee to consider during its upcoming review. Several commissioners questioned whether the short-term rental program should be focused on zoning, or by another method like a density cap or lottery system.
Members of the Planning Commission had questions about waivers for parking requirements, and wanted city staff to return with details about impacts on Transient Occupancy Taxes, enforcement, plans for issues with homeshares or “underground” vacation rentals, and data about the number of permitted short-term rentals versus operational illegal vacation rentals. Commissioners also requested assurances that platforms would work with the city to implement new policies, and for concrete plans for regular reporting on compliance and the impacts of short-term rentals on housing and taxes.
City Attorney John Doimas said that it would be “unrealistic” for city staff and the finance department — which is in the midst of budget-planning season — to conduct the research necessary to return to the Planning Commission and meet the city’s goal of bringing an ordinance to the City Council before June. “What we’re hearing can be done, it’s just that the deadline is not attainable,” Doimas said.
Four of the commissioners present voted to move the ordinance forward to the Ordinance Committee with the list of suggestions. Commissioners John Baucke and Benjamin Peterson voted against the motion, with both concerned that the Planning Commission might not get another chance to weigh in if the Ordinance Committee chooses to forward the issue directly to the City Council.
