Council Vote 6/23/20: Short Term Rental Ordinance

Many of our members have shown interest and concern regarding the city's Short Term Rental ordinance, and we wanted to share the following information. The Long Beach City Council Agenda scheduled for Tuesday, June 23, 2020, at 5:00 PM, includes a final reading of the Short Term Rental (STR) ordinance. It is item #24 on the Agenda. Residents have an opportunity to comment on the ordinance before the meeting via email or e-comment; telephone comment is available during the session but is required to be scheduled in advance.

STR ORDINANCE SUMMARY

The ordinance was discussed at the June 16th council meeting with changes made to the ordinance based on COVID-19, the current economic situation, and guidelines from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

Here is a summary of the highlights of the STR ordinance:

• Hosted (owner-occupied) STRs are permitted; rental days are not limited.

• Un-hosted STRs are prohibited for at least six (6) months. They will not be authorized until the City staff presents a report to the City Council to reconsider amending the ordinance to permit the operation of un-hosted STRs. Residents will have an opportunity for comment/input at that time.

• Accessory Dwelling Units (AUDs) can not be used as an STR.

• Large-scale events such as commercial parties, weddings, fundraisers, and conferences, are permitted, up to six (6) times per year. However, an STR occasional event permit must be issued.

Additionally, a June 5, 2020 directive from the CDPH, states that to control the spread of COVID-19, hosted STRs shall have an exterior entrance/exit and no shared facilities.

Since this ordinance affects the Local Coastal Plan, it must be reviewed and approved by the Coastal Commission. According to staff, that process could take 3 to 12 months. No date has been set for this hearing.

MEETING RESOURCES & LINKS

• Here is the link to the entire City Council Agenda - Item #24

• Here is the link to the staff report with the Short Term Rental Draft Ordinance.

• Here is the link to make an E-Comment for this meeting. Go to Agenda item #24.

• Here is a link to sign up for a Telephonic Comment.

• Here is a link to send an email comment to Councilwoman Price: suzie.price@longbeach.gov

• The meeting can be viewed on Long Beach TV or the Legistar Platform. The link will become active under the video tab as soon as the meeting starts.