Proposed Ordinance:
On a 6-0 vote Wednesday night, the Planning Commission recommended a package of zoning rules to regulate short-term rentals. The City Council will have final say, possibly at a meeting May 3.
The proposed zoning package identifies four areas – sections of San Clemente’s North Beach, downtown, Pier Bowl and South El Camino Real Corridor – as sites where property owners could apply for city permits to operate short-term rentals.
In low-density residential zones, existing vacation rentals would be given a two-year amortization period to cease operation. Maximum occupancy for short-term rentals anywhere would be based on the number of legal on-premises parking spaces, with a maximum occupancy of 12 people.
The commission’s debate was inconclusive over whether minimum stay should be three days or five days and whether there should be a 90-day maximum per year.
A flurry of people buying or leasing homes near the beach in San Clemente to convert into vacation rentals drew a backlash in recent months. The City Council imposed a 45-day freeze on new ones to draft rules designed to crack down on short-term rental locations that were drawing repeated complaints about noise, partying, overcrowding, parking problems or other grievances.
Reports:
04/06/2016: Staff Report – Specific Plan to Establish Regulations Related to Short-Term and Other Transitory Lodging Issues (City of San Clemente)
02/02/2016: Proposed Changes to Short Term Lodging Unit Ordinance (City of San Clemente)
02/02/2016: Review of Requirements to Place the Short Term Lodging Unit Ordinance on the November 8, 2016 Ballot (City of San Clemente)
01/05/2016: An Interim Urgency Ordinance of the City Council of the City of San Clemente, California Establishing a Moratorium on the Establishment, Permitting, and Approval of Short-Term Lodging (City of San Clemente)
News:
05/18/2016: San Clemente OKs zoning restrictions on vacation rental businesses (Orange County Register)
04/12/2016: San Clemente Planning Commission suggests vacation-rental zoning limits (Orange County Register)
02/04/2016: City Council Approves Short-Term Rental Provisions (San Clemente Times)
02/03/2016: San Clemente to slap rules on vacation rentals (Orange County Register)
01/22/2016: No resolution to vacation rental issue (Orange County Register)
01/17/2016: No vacation rental moratorium in San Clemente (Orange County Register)
12/04/2015: Local vacation rentals facing further scrutiny (Orange County Register)
04/20/2010: San Clemente goes after tax from vacation rentals (Orange County Register)