Soon, it’ll be completely illegal to rent out your home to vacationers in Buellton.
On Nov. 5, the city planning commission voted to send a recommendation to City Council that it ban short-term vacation rentals.
The ban will affect San Francisco-based Airbnb and other short-term rental companies, banning them from operating in Buellton.
According to Buellton City Manager Marc Bierdzinski, the issue arose when resident and sole Airbnb operator Brian Kuykendall appealed the commissioners’ decision to ban short-term rentals in June.
The region is a popular tourist attraction because of its wineries, but Bierdzinski said residential neighborhoods in Buellton are for families, not tourists.
“We’re a small town and our single family neighborhoods are for the enjoyment of single families,” Bierdzinski said. “We’ve had complaints on the one that led to the appeal.”
Bierdzinski said that all it takes is for someone to complain for the city to find out who is renting houses to vacationers. Penalties can run an owner $100 per day and can escalate for multiple citations, Bierdzinski said.
There is a way for an owner to use their house for short-term rentals, but only in mixed-use or commercial zoning districts and on a case-by-case basis.
The City Council is expected to formally adopt the measure next month, Bierdzinski said.
County planning commissioners are also expected to consider restrictions on short-term rentals in the coming months.
This article appears in Nov 12-19, 2015.
