Tuesday: first hearing on STR proposal

After the final meeting (Jan. 29) of the Planning Commission’s ad-hoc committee (AHC) on Short-Term Rentals, the AHC’s proposal will be the subject of several hearings before it goes before the city council:

• Tuesday February 26 (6:15 p.m.): the Housing Commission
• Tuesday March 12 (3 p.m.): the Economic Development Commission
• Monday April 8 (6 p.m.): the Planning Commission
• Wednesday May 22 (6 p.m.): the City Council

For Tuesday’s meeting, the Planning Department has a staff report summarizing the AHC findings. These proposals are intended to address the explosion of STR offerings, made possible by online listing sites such as Airbnb, VRBO and North County’s Beachfront Only.

Ad-Hoc Committee Recommendations

The report summarizes these 14 points of the AHC recommendations:

1. Ministerial Operating Permit and GNP required for all STRs unless the unit is exempt.
2. Exempt units include hosted units where the STR operator lives on-site; and STR locations where all of the following conditions exist:
   1. Property is governed by an HOA
   2. Property where the STR is located is self-contained (i.e., gated)
   3. Property provides 24-hour on-site management.
3. Payment of Transient Occupancy Tax (10%) and Oceanside Tourism Marketing District assessment (1.5%) for all STRs-no exemptions.
4. 24-hour contact information for all STRs provided on a sign posted on the property and in an online City directory of all registered STRs.
5. Maximum occupancy of two people per bedroom, plus two people.
6. Two-night minimum consecutive night stay.
7. Maximum number of daytime guests (allowed between 7am-1Opm) is 10 guests.
8. All garage, driveway and designated on-site parking spaces shall be made available for vehicle parking.
9. One-hour inspection warning for code enforcement violations.
10. Initial property inspection conducted by Fire Department staff at time of STR registration with regular inspections to occur every three years if no complaints or violations.
11. Three strikes policy (three citations within 12 months or five citations within 24 months may result in STR revocation of 36 months. Some violations may result with immediate revocation.)
12. Annual permit fee of $300 to $400 used to fund enhanced enforcement.
13. Distinguish corporate ownership from home ownership and further regulate or cap the corporate ownerships.
14. STRs be prohibited in any Mobile Home Park.

The staff proposed watering down #9, #11, and #13, and also monitoring the ongoing enforcement of the ordinance.

Future Hearings

The Housing Commission is concerned with affordable housing, while the Economic Development Commission focuses on economic growth.

The recommended form of the STR ordinance will be developed by the full 7-member Planning Commission. As on other issues, the city staff may support, contradict or ignore the PC’s recommendations.

The council will make the actual decision what to implement. It’s hard to predict what will get three votes on the council. Oceanside (like other California cities) is under pressure from the state to increase housing availability, and (in most cases) Short-Term Rentals reducing housing availability. The Coastal Commission has an opinion about STRs in the Coastal Zone (West of Coast Highway), but that record is disputed.

Some residents own STRs — but the owner-occupied STRs are (mostly) exempt from the new regulations. Many more are adversely affected by how whole-house rentals can transform residential neighborhoods into tourist districts.