By Brooklynn Wong
The future of short term rental properties in Buena Park is still somewhat unclear. The topic came up again at this week’s City Council Meeting, as it has a few times over the last few months, following numerous complaints submitted to the city about these Airbnb-type properties.
The city adopted a moratorium on short term rentals (STRs) on May 14, extended it on June 25 and extended it again this week through May 14 of next year, or until an ordinance is agreed upon.
City Attorney Chris Cardinale said, “the public has been significantly engaged” on this, even going so far as to form a Buena Park Short Term Rental Coalition, a group of STR owners that has shown up to speak at Council Meetings and petitioned the city in an attempt to be able to keep operating their STRs.
City staff has expressed a desire to exclusively allow owner-occupied STRs, though they admitted that the definition of that is subjective.
But the city is hard at work to strike an agreement. Per the staff report, since June 25, “planning staff has prepared an initial draft of a permanent ordinance….The ordinance is still being developed, but in its current form would allow limited short term rental operations subject to a permit from the City, and various location, operating, and development standards. Once staff has completed their internal review and draft of the ordinance, staff anticipates further feedback from members of the public, other stakeholders, and industry professionals, prior to finalizing the ordinance for presentation to the Planning Commission and City Council.”
Staff said they expect this process to get underway well ahead of the time allotted, and hope to have significant progress made by the end of this year.
Resident Debra Leazenby spoke on behalf of the Buena Park STR Coalition, asking that the city give STR owners “the benefit of the doubt” and lift the moratorium while they figure out what they’re going to do. She invited the city to regulate and tax them if that would allow them to continue renting out their properties and making money.
In the end, the Council voted 5-0 to continue the moratorium while city staff works on the ordinance.
