OJAI : Hearing Slated on Guest-House Permits

The Ojai City Council will hold a public hearing Tuesday to consider extending a temporary ban on guest-house building permits for 10 1/2 months.

Planning Director William Prince said his staff needs more time to research how to prevent illegal guest-house rentals.

Complaints from residents about increased density in their neighborhoods led the council to adopt a 45-day moratorium last month. The temporary ban was established to allow city planners to determine how many guest homes are in the city, begin a public information program on their proper use and consider a zoning amendment or other ways to crack down on illegal conversions.

“We think that getting out the proper information is laying the groundwork for enforcement,” Prince said. “At this point, we’re still brainstorming ideas on how to deal with this.”

Although guest-house applicants have to agree that they will not install a kitchen or allow the structure to be occupied for more than 30 days at a time, city officials said it is fairly easy to convert the units to permanent rentals. Prince said records show that the city has granted about 50 permits in the past 20 years for guest houses or accessory dwellings with plumbing. Eleven were issued in the past year. “We’re preparing a letter to all the owners reminding them of the appropriate use of the structures,” he said.

The city has also started running a classified advertisement in a local newspaper to alert potential renters that it is against the law for homeowners to rent guest houses.

“A lot of people who rent these do not appreciate that it’s not a bona fide rental,” Prince said. “The sewers or septic systems may not be designed for the additional load, or the electrical system may not be able to carry more appliances.”