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Whittier council approves first reading of amended short-term rental ordinance after heated public hearing
Summary
After hours of public testimony and council debate, the Whittier City Council voted to introduce Ordinance No. 3175 (ZCA 24-3) on first reading, setting a 300-foot buffer between short-term rentals, allowing up to two STR units per parcel, and requiring one off-street parking space per STR unit; high and very high fire severity zones remain excluded.
The Whittier City Council on Feb. 10 introduced and adopted on first reading an amended ordinance regulating short-term rentals, following a lengthy staff presentation, more than two dozen public commenters and extended council debate.
Ben Pongetti, the city’s director of community development, told the council the ordinance package has evolved over multiple meetings since March 2023 and identified three issues for reconsideration: the required buffer distance between STRs, the off‑street parking standard and whether to allow more than one STR unit per parcel. Pongetti said the city’s research identified roughly 140 short-term rentals currently operating in Whittier and reiterated that accessory dwelling units and junior ADUs would remain ineligible for short-term rental use under the proposed code changes.
The public hearing drew sustained turnout from…
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