STR White Paper

Councilmember Worden has authored a white paper, “A Reasonable Approach for Managing Short Term Rentals (STRs) in Del Mar,” outlining an approach to short term rentals that he believes is consistent with the Community Plan. He also updates what has happened with respect to STRs in Del Mar since 2016. Key points in his White Paper:

• The City should focus on a program that allows STRs in the Visitor, Commercial, Beach Commercial, and RC zones, in the Specific Plans Areas for L’Auberge and the 941 project, and for the timeshares at Wave Crest.

• The City can consider allowing very limited STR use in residential areas consistent with the historical transient rentals documented in the Community Plan, i.e. the historical rentals in the beach area for Summer race season rentals; 2nd home owners who rent long-term for the off season and visit for the summer, and limited STRs in the RM Zones where most STRs have historically occurred.

• The city should continue to prohibit full time STRS in the R zones (except RC) and allow limited STR use in the RM zones, allow an updated version of the 28-7 program for the R zones, where the owner or a long-term tenant occupies the property most of the year, require good neighbor policies for all STRs, enforceable and with teeth; require a permit for all STR use; require TOT payment from all STRs, limit the number, density, and location of STRs to avoid over-concentration in any neighborhood, and require all STRs to meet basic safety standards, to have adequate parking, and to post Neighbor Friendly rules and a 24 hour contact number for neighbors to address problems.

The full White Paper is online at bit.ly/worden-strs-2023.