Correspondence - Item 25 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Adopting a 45-day moratorium on short term rentals.). Public comments from residents expressed their positive experiences with short terms rentals and how the income derived for short term rentals provided them with financial stability. The city staff report (planning commission), noted the current provisions of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC) do not clearly define or identify short term rentals as permitted use in a residential zone. The purpose of the moratorium would allow staff (planning commission) time to analyze the Santa Ana Municipal code to review, study and revise the existing code in order to respond to recent concerns relating the impacts of short-term rentals in the city. Agenda item # 50B - The Emergency Ordinance Adopting a 45-day moratorium on short term rentals was passed. However, a study on short term rentals was requested by city council with the planning commission being directed to come back with options and/or code changes (be specific on short-term rentals) on October 20, 2015. Not once during stth the Sept 1 or Sept. 15 city council meetings was the code ever referred to a permissive or prescriptive code. During the October 20, 2015 city council meeting, planning commission requested an extension of the moratorium, Agenda Item #75A. Councilmembers reiterated their support for the shared economy, they did not want to be “’prohibitive, restrictive or overreach.” As one councilmember stated “… we do need to address the shared economy, our ordinances and resolutions that are in place right now are very archaic, they’re not into the 21st century there's lots of changes that we need to make and you're nodding in your head Mr. Director.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5D-7arCZQc&t=6217s, 1:50:03). City councilmember agreed to allow the moratorium to expire. What has changed since October 2015? Nothing. The study requested by city council in October 2015 never materialized. The city municipal zoning codes has not been updated to address short term rentals. Somehow between 2015 and now, the code is now being referred to as a permissive code. But the problem remains the same; the code still lacks clarity as it pertains to short term rentals. Seven years later, September 26, 2022, the planning commission agenda included zoning code amendments (Agenda Item#4). Items listed in the zoning code amendments included short term rental prohibition, (Zoning Ordinance Amendment 2