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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report Agenda Item #5.A 02/23/2015 (2)11111 Aft� Id;;rth Ba'r A;;naation of RCALTOFS Mayor Glass and Councilmembers 1 I English Street Petaluma, CA 94952 RE: Vacation Rental Ordinance Dear Mayor Glass and Councilmembers: Document Recd. After Agenda Distribution - Item 5.A Headquarters 2235 Challenger Way, Suite 100 Santa Rasa, CA 95407 (707) 542-1579 Fax(707)542-1008 Service Center. 625 Imperial Way, Suite 2 Napa, CA 94556 (707) 255-1040 Fax (707) 252-5330 February 19, 2015 The North Bay Association of REALTORS© (NorBAR) has been active in providing information to cities across our area on vacation rentals, including to the City of Petaluma. Our experience in examining vacation rental ordinances in multiple cities has given us a unique position to contribute valuable input to city and county governments. Our organization, the North Bay Association of REALTORSOO is a four -county trade association representing roughly 3.000 members, many of which live in Petaluma. Our members are engaged in the community and advocate for the interest of homeowners. We support the City of Petaluma passing the current draft vacation rental ordinance, with one exception. We are concerned about the restriction that vacation rental homes can only be rented for short-term use of 90 days per calendar year, when the owner is not present in the home. We believe that the concerns that the Planning Commission noted for including this language are currently unwarranted and this section is, therefore, unnecessary. The Planning Commission expressed concern that vacation rentals may have an adverse impact on affordable Housing. Most affordable housing is within multifamily units, duplexes, second units or units built with government subsidies by nonprofit affordable housing developers. The concern that vacation rentals are impacting affordable housing can be addressed by excluding any vacation rentals from being rented in these types of units. The Planning Commissioners also expressed concern over the impact to neighborhoods if speculators bought homes, took them off the rental market and rented them as vacation rentals throughout the year. There is no evidence that this is currently taking place. Currently, there is nothing stopping investors from buying properties and renting them as vacation rentals year around. Yet this is not happening, nor is there any evidence this will happen. We are concerned about how this requirement will be enforced. The City of Petaluma should only pass regulations which they can properly enforce. We are also unsure whether it is worth dedicating valuable staff resources to address an issue that is not even a problem. Please feel free to contact Daniel Sanchez (707) 324-6610 or daniels a norbarrealtor.com, with the North Bay Association of REALTORSO to further discuss vacation rentals in Petaluma. Stephen Liebling Chair, Local Government Relations Committee North Bay Association of REALTORS®