Laguna Beach City Council to discuss short-term lodging ordinance

In its first meeting in just over a month, the Laguna Beach City Council will consider a short-term lodging ordinance.

The council will review the ordinance, a plan approved by the California Coastal Commission in October, and it will decide whether to adopt a resolution that approves modifications to a local coastal program amendment.

Provisions set forth by the commission allow for up to 20% of units in commercial and mixed-use districts to become short-term rentals. The maximum number of such units citywide is 300.

The city currently has 117 permitted units that stand to be grandfathered in as legal nonconforming units, having been approved prior to the October meeting

Beyond the short-term lodging units, 165 home-share units could operate in single-family, duplex and triplex residential dwellings within permitted districts. To promote low-cost accommodations for visitors, the use permit application fee would also be waived for home-share units.

Conversion of property to short-term lodging would be subjected to a rate cap of 20% of the total number of units on the premises. A maximum of one unit could become short-term lodging for properties with five units or less.

The city would have to report back to the commission to provide updates on new housing and hotel units and their costs. The report would also address the number of dwellings in permitted districts and the number of permits issued for short-term lodging.

With the coronavirus continuing to be classified as an active pandemic that is affecting the operations of both the public and private sectors, city staff is recommending that the council extend the local emergency resolution related to the virus for another 60-day period.

Such a resolution, allowing for emergency orders, rules and regulations, was first adopted by the council on March 17 and subsequently extended on four separate occasions, the last on Sept. 22.

The scheduled meeting for Tuesday begins at 5 p.m., and members of the public can participate over Zoom (lagunabeachcity.zoom.us/j/95981482536) or call into the meeting at 669-900-9128. It can also be viewed live on Cox cable channel 852.

Comments may be submitted to the city clerk by email at LcheL@lagunabeachcity.net. It is requested that comments be sent to the city clerk by 3 p.m. on Monday to give council members time to review them.

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