Last Chance for Public Input on Short-Term Rental Ordinance

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The revised draft Short-Term Rental Ordinance will be presented to the Humboldt County Planning Commission on Thursday, Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. This is one of the last opportunities for the public to share their thoughts and concerns regarding short-term rentals (STRs) in Humboldt County before it moves on in the process of being adopted.

The Humboldt County Planning & Building Department has been actively working on a draft Short-Term Rental ordinance to allow residences to be used as short-term rentals in unincorporated Humboldt County. The purpose of the draft STR Ordinance is to protect the character of the neighborhoods where they are located, to preserve residential units for people and families who live and work in Humboldt County, and to allow for economic gain.

 Public Outreach

The County of Humboldt acknowledges that people are sometimes disappointed with ordinances adopted by the county and feel left out of the decision-making process, even when the county has invited the public to share their input.

To ensure Humboldt County residents are provided with the opportunity to share feedback on the draft ordinance, county staff have hosted five public meetings where 400 community members have attended. Additionally, over 60 written public comments have been received and the county’s Short-Term Rental Ordinance webpage has been visited over 3,000 times.

The input received has been valuable and given shape to the current draft ordinance. However, county staff have noted that most of the feedback received has come from individuals who own and operate existing short-term rentals. A limited number of people have expressed concern about the impact of short-term rentals in their neighborhoods or how STRs could affect their ability to find affordable housing in Humboldt County. The Planning & Building Department desires balanced input and encourages participation if you have concerns or thoughts about short-term rentals that you have not yet shared with staff.

Planning Commission Workshop

The draft Short-Term Rental Ordinance will be presented to the Planning Commission on Thursday, Sept. 21. Community members are invited to attend this workshop in person at the Board of Supervisors Chamber, located at 825 Fifth St. in Eureka, or on Zoom. The meeting will start at 6 p.m. To review the meeting agenda, please visit: https://humboldt.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx.

If you wish to participate in the process of crafting this ordinance, this is the time to do so. Following this meeting, the draft STR ordinance will enter the public hearing stage. The Planning Commission will make a recommendation to the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors and the Board will decide to approve or deny the ordinance as it is written. It is anticipated that this process will conclude before the end of the year.

The revisions in the most recent draft include permitting for all existing short-term rentals, and the expansion of what is allowed with an Administrative Permit to include sites on category 3 roadways. To learn more and review the revised draft ordinance, please visit the county’s Short-Term Rental Ordinance web page.

How to Watch or Listen to the Planning Commission Meeting

• Join online at https://zoom.us/j/87544807065 and enter the password: 200525.
• Call in via telephone at (346) 248-7799, enter the meeting id: 875 4480 7065 and password: 200525.
• A live stream of the meeting can be found by using the following link:  https://humboldt.legistar.com or by watching Access Humboldt on cable.

The County of Humboldt is committed to providing equal access to all county programs, services and activities through the provision of accommodations for individuals with qualified disabilities as required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). With 72 hours prior notice, a request for reasonable accommodation for this meeting can be made by calling (707) 268-3722.

For more information, please call (707) 268-3722, email [email protected], or visit the Planning & Building Department office located at 3015 H St. in Eureka.