Santa Cruz County to discuss proposed vacation rental regulations

UPDATE 11/13/14: Wednesday the Santa Cruz County Planning Commission voted to send some of the proposed regulations through to supervisors for final approval, but held off on others until they get more public input.

Requirements like signage to mark all vacation rentals, as well as an online contact list of vacation rental property owners, and 5 year permit renewal were all approved.

The number of vacation rentals allowed in a given area or neighborhood is still up for discussion. The planning commission would like more public input before deciding on this part. It will have another public input session at the beginning of 2015, then make a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.

11/11/14: The busy tourist season may be over, but it’s still on the minds of homeowners who rent to vacationers in part of Santa Cruz County. That’s because more regulations could be coming to vacation rentals in Aptos/Seacliff area.

One of the proposals the planning commission will discuss at their meeting Wednesday is to limit the number of vacation rentals allowed in certain neighborhoods. This has some owners worried the cost of rent will go up.
“The less supply there is, they’re going to limit the number of permits, that’s less supply. Anything within supply and demand causes prices to go up,” said Ken Martz.

Martz has owned a vacation rental in Rio Del Mar for twelve years. Located right on Beach Drive he said finding renters has never been an issue. But now Martz fears if the amount of rentals is capped, the prices will go up and renters won’t want to come back.

“It’s the only way I can afford the property, and most of the owners here are the same way. They need to rent the property in order to make the payments,” said Martz.

And local businesses tell us they worry this will mean less tourist dollars in the restaurants and shops if people can’t afford a place to stay.

Santa Cruz County Supervisor Zach Friend said he’s tasked with keeping both vacation rental owners and residents happy.

“How do we meet that balance of the neighborhood needs, the individual home owner needs that already have vacation rentals but still not allow over the course of time the overall character of that area to change?” said Friend.

Outlined by the planning commission the proposed changes would limit the number of vacation rentals. For example, if currently permitted vacation rentals on the same block total 20 percent or more of the total parcels on the block, now new vacation rentals will be permitted. But that also means that some areas would have the opportunity to increase the number of vacation rentals.

The possible amendment would also require more signage, a list of property owner contacts online, and all permits would need to be renewed every five years.