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Solvang council directs staff to draft short‑term rental rules focused on downtown VMU; sets limits, notifications and enforcement priorities
Summary
After months of review, councilmembers told staff to draft a revised vacation‑rental ordinance that would limit new short‑term rental permits to the Village Mixed Use (VMU) zone, add neighborhood notification, require on‑site parking and a minimum stay, and strengthen enforcement tools and permit monitoring.
City planning staff returned to the Solvang City Council with two draft approaches for updating the city’s 2015 vacation rental rules: one that would allow short‑term rentals only in the Village Mixed Use (VMU) district, and another that would permit them more broadly with restrictions. Rafael Castillo, the staff presenter, said permitted short‑term rentals are concentrated in the VMU and that advertised but unpermitted listings appear citywide.
The council discussed tradeoffs including housing preservation, neighborhood impacts and businesses’ concerns. Rafael Castillo summarized options and implementation details: neighborhood notification handled by staff, property‑line minimum distances, permit caps, minimum stay requirements, and handling of homestays. He noted the 2015 code treated some multi‑unit properties inconsistently and that the proposed drafts would clarify definitions so…
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