Malibu To Adopt STR Rules Aimed At Outside B and B Entrepreneurs
Written by 991KBU on October 29, 2019
Malibu will regulate overnight rentals … by banning overnight rentals owned by outside parties.
The city council voted last night to adopt the same type of regulations that already exist in Santa Monica … with a Malibu twist.
The decision came after more than two hours of testimony … mostly … criticism of the city’s inability to enact a B and B ordinance.
And criticism of the city’s financial study … which showed a 30 million dollar hit on city finances if B and Bs are banned.
That financial study was blasted by local residents in general … and by planning commissioner … Kraig Hill
NEWSCART 75330 KRAIG KELLER LUSTIG
“They look only at a small part of the picture to create an artificial doomsday scenario.
“They didn’t put a figure on the negative impacts to neighbors’ property values: how STRs will reduce tax revenues.”
LUCILLE KELLER: “We agree with the planning commission … short term rentals are prohibited on residentially-zoned property.”
MICHAEL LUSTIG: “And you now it is serious … when Sharon Barovsky and John Mazza are on the same side of something…” [LAUGHTER OUTCUE]
Those were malibu resident Kraig Hill … Lucille Keller and Michael Lustig … speaking in favor of regulating the rental of houses and apartment houses as hotel rooms.
In the end … the city council went with the same type of plan that has already been upheld by the courts … from Santa Monica.
In essence … Santa Monica bans B and Bs … overnight rentals … unless they are locally hosted by an on-site resident.
Malibu will adopt that … but modify it to allow family trusts … that own houses out here that are shared by relatives during the year … to also be rented out as overnight rentals.
Mayor Karen Farrer last night said the problem rentals … those party houses owned by companies… have to go.
NEWSCART 75328 BANDB FARRER
“Nobody wants to live next door to a property like that.
“I’m the first person to say that.
“Corporate owners for the sole purpose of short term rental and making a profit are not welcome in this city … as far as I am concerned.”
The overnight rental ordinance still has to be drafted by city staff.
But the concept would be to allow primary owners to rent out their own houses to others on an overnight basis … during summer months only .
Multifamily units could have a maximum of two units rented overnights.
And the city could yank the overnight rental permit after two violations … of noise or nuisance ordinances.
The cut in overnight rentals will mean a cut in city tax revenue.
And that will be of a city budget … that is reeling from the sudden expenditures of the Woolsey Fire.
But city council members said they are confidant that they will get back the money they spent on the fire … in 3 to 5 years … when the lawsuits against Southern California Edison are paid off.
The city council will start the long process of changing the zoning plan … and goign to the Coastal Commission for permission … a process that may take years.
Michael Lustig … the Malibu road activist who has worked fopr the ordinance… says he’s happy.
And in the meantime … an ordinance will be drafted to enact the regulations on a short term basis.
