Agenda — Pacifica City Council, September 8, 2026

CITY OF PACIFICA

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
Council Chambers
2212 Beach Blvd
Pacifica, CA 94044
Mayor Christine Boles
Vice Mayor Greg Wright
Councilmember Sue Beckmeyer
Councilmember Mary Bier
Councilmember Mayra Espinosa
City Council Special Meeting 1 September 08, 2026

SPECIAL MEETING
September 08, 2026 (Tuesday) – 6:00 PM (PDT)
Note: British Summer Time (BST) Equivalent = Sept. 9, 2026 at 2:00 AM www.cityofpacifica.org
One Councilmember will participate in this meeting at the teleconference site listed below. The teleconference location is accessible to the public. The public teleconference site for this meeting is as follows:

Ladbroke Apartments
3 Welbeck Street
Greater London, England W1G 0AR
(Mayor Christine Boles)
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PLEASE SILENCE CELL PHONES DURING MEETING
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Please note that remote access platforms for participation are subject to underlying technology functionality; any disruption of the remote access will be addressed pursuant to Administrative Policy No. 85, a copy of which is available on the City’s website at https://www.cityofpacifica.org/government/citycouncil/city-council-agendas . • Written Public Comments:

BEFORE THE MEETING: Written public comments may be submitted in advance by 12:00 p.m. on the meeting date by email to: [email protected]. Written public comments submitted by email City Council Special Meeting 2 September 08, 2026
should adhere to the following:
• Clearly indicate the Meeting Date and Agenda Item No. in the Subject Line • Include the submitter’s full name
Written public comments received by 12:00 p.m. on the meeting date will be provided in their entirety to the City Council and posted to the City’s website prior to the meeting but will not be read verbally at the meeting.

AT THE MEETING: Materials in writing provided at the meeting should provide seven (7) copies to provide for each Councilmember, City Clerk and City staff.

NOTE: Anyone requiring assistance or reasonable accommodations pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act for access to the meeting, related materials and/or ability to comment should provide at least 24 hours advance notice to the City Manager’s Office (650) 738-7409, or send request via email to: [email protected]. All meeting rooms are accessible to the disabled.
6:00 PM - OPEN SESSION
Call to Order
Roll Call
Reading of Land Acknowledgment
The City of Pacifica acknowledges that we occupy the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramaytush Ohlone peoples, who are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula. We honor the Ramaytush Ohlone peoples for their enduring commitment to Mother Earth. As the Indigenous protectors of this land and in accordance with their traditions, the Ramaytush Ohlone have never ceded, lost, nor forgotten their responsibilities as the caretakers of this place, as well as for all peoples who reside in their traditional territory. We affirm their sovereign rights as First Peoples and wish to pay our respects to the ancestors, elders, and relatives of the Ramaytush Ohlone peoples.

Salute to the Flag led by Councilmember Beckmeyer

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
A. Special Presentation by San Mateo County Resource Conservation District and Caltrans re: Highway 1 and Pedro Point Headlands Wildfire Resiliency Project

PUBLIC HEARINGS

1. Public Hearing on a proposed ordinance to amend Article 49 “Short Term Rentals” of Chapter 4 of Title 9 of the Pacifica Municipal Code, including Sections 9-4.4901(m), 9-

4.4903(c), 9-4.4904(a), 9-4905(t), and 9-4905(v), as necessary to implement certain provisions of the city's local coastal program as certified, with suggested modifications, by the California Coastal Commission at their meeting on August 12, 2026.

PROPOSED ACTION: Conduct a public hearing and introduce an Ordinance of the City of Pacifica amending Article 49 “Short Term Rentals” of Chapter 4 of Title 9 of the Pacifica Municipal Code, including Sections 9-4.4901(m), 9-4.4903(c), 9-4.4904(a), 9- City Council Special Meeting 3 September 08, 2026
4905(t), and 9-4905(v); and finding the adoption of the Ordinance exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act.

PUBLIC COMMENTS ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS
CLOSED SESSION:
00a.CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS. Property: Pacifica Pier2100 Beach Boulevard, Pacifica, California 94044. Agency negotiator: Sean Charpentier, City Manager and Michelle Marchetta Kenyon, City Attorney. Negotiating parties: Marlene Schroeder for State Lands Commission. Under negotiation: Price and terms of payment. 00b.CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL—ANTICIPATED LITIGATION. Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 54956.9 and paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) of Section 54956.9: One Case. 00c. CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS. Property: 2212 Beach Boulevard, Pacifica, California 94044. Agency negotiator: Sean Charpentier, City Manager and Michelle Marchetta Kenyon, City Attorney. Negotiating parties: Pravin Punjiya for Paramount Investor Group. Under negotiation: Price and terms of payment.

CLOSED SESSION REPORT

ADJOURN
NOTICE: If you challenge a city's zoning, planning or other decision in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council at, or prior to, the public hearing. Judicial review of any city administrative decision may be had only if a petition is filed with the court not later than the 90th day following the date upon which the decision becomes final. Judicial review of environmental determinations may be subject to a shorter time period for litigation, in certain cases 30 days following the date of the final decision The Pacifica Municipal Code is available online at the City’s website (www.cityofpacifica.org/municode);

HOW TO OBTAIN CITY COUNCIL AGENDAS
Posted agendas:

Agendas are posted no later than Friday prior to the City Council meeting date, at the entrance to the City Hall location at 170 Santa Maria Avenue, Pacifica.

View on the Internet:

Follow the link to Council agenda, at www.cityofpacifica.org E-mail subscription:

Send a request to Sarah Coffey, at [email protected] City Clerk’s Office/City Manager’s Office
City Hall, 170 Santa Maria Ave.

Council meetings:

Agendas are available at the City Council meeting
City Council Special Meeting 4 September 08, 2026

HOW TO REACH YOUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
• San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller, District 3, 500 County Center, Redwood City CA 94063 (650) 363-4569
• Governor Gavin Newsom, State Capitol Building, Sacramento CA 95814 (916) 445-2841 • State Senator Josh Becker, 1528 So. El Camino Real, Suite 303, San Mateo CA 94402 (650) 212-3313 • Assembly Member Marc Berman, 721 Colorado Ave, Suite 101, Palo Alto CA 94303 (650) 324-0224 • Congressman Sam Liccardo, 1117 Longworth House Office Building, Washington DC 20515 (202) 225-8104
• Senator Alex Padilla, 331 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington DC 20510 (202) 224-3553 • Senator Adam Schiff, SD-B40B Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington DC 20510 (202) 224-3841 • President Donald J. Trump, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington DC 20500

CITY COUNCIL
• Mayor Christine Boles, [email protected]
• Vice Mayor Greg Wright, [email protected]
• Councilmember Sue Beckmeyer, [email protected]
• Councilmember Mary Bier, [email protected]
• Councilmember Mayra Espinosa, [email protected]

CITY OF PACIFICA

COUNCIL AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
9/8/2026
1 SUBJECT:

Public Hearing on a proposed ordinance to amend Article 49 “Short Term Rentals” of Chapter 4 of Title 9 of the Pacifica Municipal Code, including Sections 9-4.4901(m), 9-4.4903(c), 9-

4.4904(a), 9-4905(t), and 9-4905(v), as necessary to implement certain provisions of the city's local coastal program as certified, with suggested modifications, by the California Coastal Commission at their meeting on August 12, 2026.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Conduct a public hearing and introduce an Ordinance of the City of Pacifica amending Article 49 “Short Term Rentals” of Chapter 4 of Title 9 of the Pacifica Municipal Code, including Sections 9-4.4901(m), 9-4.4903(c), 9-4.4904(a), 9-4905(t), and 9-4905(v); and finding the adoption of the Ordinance exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act.

STAFF CONTACT:

Samantha Updegrave, Community Development Director
650.738.7341
[email protected]
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:

On December 29, 2025, the City of Pacifica submitted a Local Coastal Program (LCP) Amendment (LCP-2-PАС-25-0079-2) to effectuate its Short Term Rental (STR) regulations, adopted by City Council as Ordinance No. 901-C.S. on August 11, 2025, within the Coastal Zone. The STR Ordinance included additional regulatory and permitting requirements to address operational impacts on residential uses while maintaining a viable STR program, including allowances for STRs within the Coastal Zone, continuing to provide important visitor serving accommodations which increases public access to the coast, while preserving the character of the City ’s coastal neighborhoods. The proposed LCP Amendment was driven by the community and is the culmination of an expansive and thoughtful multi-year public process.

The LCP Amendment was initially scheduled for a California Coastal Commission hearing on February 4, 20261, with a Coastal staff recommendation to “approve as submitted.” However, as a result of public comments, Coastal Commission staff continued the item to allow time for additional analysis.

When the item was rescheduled for August 12, 20262, Coastal staff had changed their recommendations to include suggested modifications that would eliminate the primary residency requirement for operators and eliminate the 60-night rental maximum for unhosted STRs. As a final action, the Coastal Commission voted to certify the LCP Amendment with the following suggested modifications:
1 Coastal Commission Agenda and linked documents, February 4, 2026 (see Item No. 15a):
https://www.coastal.ca.gov/meetings/agenda/#/2026/2
2 Coastal Commission Agenda and linked documents, August 12, 2026 (see Item No. 13b):
https://www.coastal.ca.gov/meetings/agenda/#/2026/8
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(1) Removal of the primary residency requirement, as recommended by Coastal Commission staff; and
(2) Increase the maximum number of rental nights for unhosted STRs from 60 to 120 nights, amending Coastal Commission staff’s recommendation to eliminate the maximum.

A copy of the Coastal Commission staff report from the August 12, 2026, is provided as Attachment A, however, the minutes reflecting the Commission’s final action was not available at the time of publishing. The LCP Amendment process is summarized in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Coastal Commission Review of STR LCP Amendment

DATE ACTION
08/11/25 STR Ordinance adopted by City Council
12/29/25 LCP Amendment submitted to Coastal Commission
02/04/26 Coastal Commission hearing scheduled – continued without hearing 08/12/26 Coastal Commission hearing – certified with suggested modifications California Public Resources Code section 30513(c) provides that the Coastal Commission may suggest modifications in the rejected zoning ordinances, zoning district maps, or other implementing actions, which, if adopted by the local government and transmitted to the commission, shall be deemed approved upon confirmation by the executive director.

Alternatively, section 30513 (d) provides that the local government may elect to meet the commission's rejection in a manner other than as suggested by the commission and may then resubmit its revised zoning ordinances, zoning district maps, and other implementing actions to the commission. (Cal. Pub. Res. Code § 30513).

STR Permit Renewals
When the City was developing comprehensive updates to the STR Ordinance in 2025, the public, Planning Commission, and City Council expressed a desire to have the new ordinance take effect in the Coastal Zone prior to the 2026/2027 renewal period. Permits to operate STRs must be renewed annually during the month of October. The only option for applying the current STR Ordinance to areas within the Coastal Zone for the coming year (November 2026-October 2027) is to accept, agree, and adopt the modifications as conditionally certified by the Coastal Commission. Any changes would require resubmittal of the LCP Amendment, which essentially restarts the Coastal Commission review.

If the City chooses to accept the modifications, in order for the STR Ordinance to be effective in areas within the coastal zone in time for permit renewals, the text amendment must complete the legislative process and be confirmed by the Coastal Commission before the end of October.

The tentative timeline shown in Table 2 below outlines the tentative legislative approval and certification process that would need to occur for that to happen. Coastal Commission staff has indicated that, if the City can provide the adopted ordinance accepting the modifications on September 15, the matter could be included in the Commission’s Executive Director report out at their October hearing. Please note that this timeline is tentative and subject to change. 1 Packet Pg. 6
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Table 2: Tentative Timeline for Legislative Action & Coastal Commission Certification

DATE ACTION
8/12 California Coastal Commission hearing
8/25
(6pm)
Joint City Council / PC study session to receive public comments 8/25
(7pm)
Special PC hearing: ACTION adopting recommendations to City Council 9/08 Special CC meeting: ACTION to Introduce Modifications Ordinance 9/14 Regular CC meeting: ACTION for second reading / adopt Modifications Ordinance
9/15 Submit to California Coastal Commission’s Executive Director 10/01 Permit Renewal period begins
10/07-
10/9
Coastal Commission’s October hearing / Executive Director report out 10/31 End of Permit Renewal period
Planning Commission Action.

On August 25, 2026, the City Council and Planning Commission held a joint study session to hear from members of the public and discuss the Coastal Commission modifications. After listening to public comments, the four Council members who were present (Wright, Beckmeyer, Bier, Espinosa) expressed support for an ordinance that would apply the Coastal Commission modifications in the Coastal Zone only, as described below. Immediately following that meeting, the Planning Commission held a public hearing to consider the modifications and adopted Resolution No. 2026-008 (Attachment B) by a vote of 6-0, with 1 absence, initiating the text amendment and recommending that City Council approve an ordinance that applies the Coastal Commission’s modifications solely within the Coastal Zone.

The proposed text amendment would add language specifying that the Coastal Commission’s modifications to the primary residency requirement and maximum number of unhosted rental nights would only apply within the Coastal Zone. The primary residency requirement and the 60- night maximum for unhosted rental nights would remain in place for STRs that are outside of the Coastal Zone, thereby making no changes to the current regulations that are in place in those areas. The primary residency requirement would be removed and the maximum number of unhosted rental nights would double from 60 to 120 nights within the Coastal Zone only. Coastal Commission staff confirmed that this approach of specifying that the modifications only apply within the Coastal Zone, which is the only area subject to Coastal Commission’s jurisdiction, would be eligible for processing as a modification and would not require resubmittal of the LCP Amendment. This means that the modifications could be accepted by the Coastal Commission pursuant to Public Resources Code section 30513(c), via a report provided by the 1 Packet Pg. 7
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Commission’s Executive Director at a public hearing as opposed to requiring additional review and a public hearing. City and Coastal Commission staff will coordinate the modification process as the ordinance moves through the City’s legislative process.

Primary residency requirements and more limited restrictions on the number of unhosted rental nights were important tools in the 2025 STR Ordinance updates to balance the negative impacts on surrounding residential uses provisions. The recommendation to accept the modifications to these provisions in the Coastal Zones was a compromise to ensure that the other positive aspects of the STR Ordinance apply within the Coastal Zone as soon as possible. These include, but are not limited to the following, which are already in place in the rest of the City:
• Responsible party to respond to complaints, reachable 24/7 and able to respond in person in 30 minutes
• STR Permit Number required in all advertising
• Exterior signage with the operator and responsible party contact info and a link to Code Enforcement website
• Hosted operator on-site 11 pm – 6 am
• Max occupancy: two renters per bedroom
• Visitor hours: 8 am – 10 pm
• Outdoor pools, hot tubs, spa: use prohibited 10 pm – 7 am • Noise monitors required
• Parking one space per rental bedroom
• Unhosted rental nights have a two-night minimum stay and 120 max rental nights (per CCC Mod); 60 days outside of Coastal Zone
• Unhosted in multi-family units prohibited (including duplex and attached single-family) • Inspections for life, safety, and health
• Revocation upon second violation of ordinance
In addition to recommending that the City Council adopt the Ordinance accepting the Coastal Commission modifications, the Planning Commission had the following comments and recommendations to Council:
• Consider future amendments to the STR Ordinance, taking into account additional data, that could (1) support restoring primary residency and 60 night unhosted maximum rental nights within the Coastal Zone as a potential future amendment, and (2) consider neighborhood caps/quotas to reduce the concentration of STRs, particularly in areas that are heavily impacted as a potential future amendment; • Recommend that as part of the monitoring and enforcement process, staff include tracking and reporting on the percentage of housing units used as STRs in Coastal Zone and Non-Coastal Zone in data that is collected to inform future amendments.

CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
Staff recommend that the City Council find the proposed zoning text amendment to be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The text amendment would be exempt from CEQA pursuant to the “General Rule” exemption in CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3).

The General Rule exemption provides that “the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to 1 Packet Pg. 8
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CEQA. The text amendment would make amendments to the existing STR Ordinance to remove the primary residency requirement and modify the number of rental nights from 60 to 120 nights. These amendments and regulations governing STRs would not have a significant effect on the environment.

Additionally, the Ordinance is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15301(Class 1-Existing Facilities) as the proposed text amendment makes amendments to the City’s current short-term rental permitting program for existing residential dwelling units. The text amendment involves negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. The City’s STR Ordinance is an exercise of the City’s police power to reduce the adverse effects of short-term rentals. As a result, the text amendment will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment and is not subject to CEQA.

ALTERNATIVE ACTION:

There are three alternative actions that the City Council could consider:
(1) Accept the Coastal Commission modifications without separating the non-coastal areas and Coastal Zones, thereby applying the elimination of the primary residency requirement and allowing up to 120 unhosted rental nights Citywide; or (2) Pursue additional changes to the STR Ordinance and resubmit an LCP Amendment at a later date; or
(3) Take no action on the modifications, thereby maintain the status quo of applying the current ordinance to STRs outside of the Coastal Zone and the prior ordinance to STRs within the Coastal Zone.

Applying the Coastal Commission modifications Citywide was not received favorably by the majority of the public who commented, or by the Planning Commissioners and Councilmembers that attended the joint study session. Applying the modifications beyond the area of the Coastal Commission’s jurisdictional authority is unnecessary, particularly in light of Coastal staff’s conformation that splitting the applicability of the modifications would still be considered under the modification process in Public Resources Code section 30513(c).

Additional and new STR amendments would be time and resource-intensive for the community and staff, and it would delay the application of the other positive STR operational and permitting standards in the Coastal Zone for at least another two permit renewal cycles, if not more. It would also require shifting other Council priority work plan items, including those related to Housing Element implementation and sea level rise planning. Additionally, the City may pursue updates to the STR Ordinance at any time, and can continue to collect data about the benefits and impacts of STRs to inform future amendments.

Taking no action would maintain the status quo, applying the 2025 STR Ordinance outside of the Coastal Zone, and the prior ordinance within the Coastal Zone. The other positive STR operational and permitting standards would not be applicable in the Coastal Zone and would not provide any relief from current impacts to surrounding residential uses.

RELATION TO CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND WORK PLAN:

The public hearing introducing the draft ordinance is directly related to City Council’s Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Strategic Plan and Priority Workplan.
• Goal #3 Prioritize protection and development of affordable housing o Strategy 3B: “Fully implement the STR Ordinance”
The proposed ordinance would implement the STR Ordinance by making it applicable within the Coastal Zone.
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FISCAL IMPACT:

Estimating the precise fiscal impact of the modifications is challenging. The adoption and implementation of the 2025 STR Ordinance outside of the Coastal Zone increased administrative costs and contributed to a reduction in Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) collections. However, the number of STRs in the Coastal Zone decreased during the most recent permit renewal cycle prior to the implementation of the ordinance, indicating that there are multiple factors impacting the STR market that are outside of the City’s regulatory reach.

ORIGINATED BY:

Community Development Department
ATTACHMENT LIST:

Attachment A_W13b-8-2026-report - CCC STR Staff Report (PDF) Att B_PC Reso No. 2026-008_STR-Coastal Commission Modifications_executed (PDF) 1 Packet Pg. 10
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ORDINANCE NO. (ID # 6288)
ORDINANCE NO. __________

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PACIFICA TEXT AMENDMENT TA-131-26 AND RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE 49 “SHORT-TERM RENTALS” OF CHAPTER 4 OF TITLE 9 OF THE CITY OF PACIFICA MUNICIPAL CODE (PMC) INCLUDING TO SECTIONS, 9-4.4901(m), 9-

4.4903(c), 9-4.4904(a), 9-4905(t), AND 9-4905(v), AS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT

CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF ITS LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM AS CERTIFIED,

WITH SUGGESTED MODIFICATIONS, BY THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION AT THE COASTAL COMMISSION HEARING ON AUGUST 12TH, 2026; AND FINDING ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) (FILE NO. 2026-024) WHEREAS, on June 11, 2018, the City Council of the City of Pacifica adopted Ordinance 835-C.S. adding Article 49 "Short-Term Rentals" ("STRs") to Chapter 4 of Title 9 of the Pacifica Municipal Code to establish regulations governing the short-term rental of residential property within the City of Pacifica; and WHEREAS, on February 27, 2023, the City Council adopted Ordinance 888-C.S. repealing and replacing Article 49 "Short-term Rentals" of Chapter 4 of Title 9 of the Pacifica Municipal Code relating to the regulation and permitting of short- term rentals; and
WHEREAS, during 2024, the City Council advanced Goal 3: prioritize protection and development of affordable housing, Strategy 3.2: Update the Short-Term Rental Ordinance of the City’s Strategic Plan 2023 to 2030; and WHEREAS, advancement of Goal 3, Strategy 3.2 of the City’s Strategic Plan included a comprehensive evaluation of the program’s status and enforcement activity; and
WHEREAS, the California State Legislature has declared that housing is statewide concern; and
WHEREAS, preservation of existing housing is an integral component of the City of Pacifica Housing Element; and
WHEREAS, the stock of naturally affordable housing that comes from multifamily complexes is being impacted by short-term rentals, reducing affordable housing; and
WHEREAS, the City Council held a Study Session on June 24, 2024, to receive information on the Short-Term Rental Program and provide direction on potential 1 Packet Pg. 11
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ordinance provisions for City staff to research and analyze and bring back to Council; and
WHEREAS, the City Council held a Study Session on August 26, 2024, with continued deliberations occurring on September 8, 2024, to consider implementation impacts for each of the policy and regulatory compliance topics discussed at the June Study Session, and to provide direction on provisions for the updated Short-Term Rental Ordinance; and
WHEREAS, on November 5, 2024, city staff consulted with California Coastal Commission staff to discuss feasibility of the proposed text amendments; and WHEREAS, during the November 5, 2024, consultation between City staff and CCC staff, four areas of potential concern were identified and feedback was provided, including parking requirements, short-term rental density limitations, use of multi-family dwellings as short-term rentals, and minimum rental duration requirements; and WHEREAS, on December 4, 2024, the City Council held a Special Council Meeting to receive updates regarding the November 5, 2024, consultation meeting between City staff and California Coastal Commission discuss the four topics of concern and provide feedback and direction to staff on ordinance provisions and amendments; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing on the proposed amendments contained in Text Amendment TA-127-25 (File No. 2025-001) (“Draft Ordinance”) on January 21, 2025, and adopted Resolution No. 2025-001 by a vote of 6 to 0 with 0 of absences, initiating and recommending City Council approval of Text Amendment TA127-25.

WHEREAS, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing on the proposed ordinance on February 24, 2025, provided additional direction to the City Manager on revisions to the draft Ordinance, and adjourned the meeting to a future date to continue deliberations; and
WHEREAS, the City Council continued deliberations on April 14, 2025, at a duly noticed public hearing, provided final direction to the City Manager for revisions to the draft Ordinance, and directed the City Manager to refer the revisions back to the Planning Commission for review and recommendation; and
WHEREAS, on June 16, 2025, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing on the proposed amendments contained in Text Amendment TA-157-25 (File No. 2025-001) and adopted Resolution No. 2025-006 by a vote of 6-0 initiating and recommending to the City Council adoption of Text Amendment TA-157-25 (File No. 2025-001); and
WHEREAS, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing on the proposed ordinance on July 14, 2025, and introduced Ordinance No. 901-C.S. on the same day; and
WHEREAS, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing on the proposed ordinance on August 11, 2025, and adopted Ordinance No. 901-C.S. on the same day; and
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WHEREAS, Public Resources Code Section 30514 provides that any ordinance enacted by the City Council which amends the City's zoning standards or zoning map shall not take effect within the Coastal Zone until the California Coastal Commission certifies an amendment to the City's Local Coastal Program; and WHEREAS, the City of Pacifica submitted an application for a Local Coastal Program Amendments which included the STR zoning text amendments of Ordinance No. 901-C.S., to the California Coastal Commission on December29, 2025 (LCP-2- PАС-25-0079-2); and
WHEREAS, LCP-2-PАС-25-0079-2 was agendized for a duly noticed California Coastal Commission public hearing on February 4, 2026 with a staff recommenation to approve the LCP Amendment “as submitted” but was continued to a date uncertain at the request of Coastal Commission staff; and
WHEREAS, LCP-2-PАС-25-0079-2 was again agendized for a duly noticed California Coastal Commission public hearing on August 12, 2026, but the Coastal Commission staff recommendation had changed to include approval with modifications; and
WHEREAS, on that same date, the California Coastal Commission certified the proposed amendments to the Local Coastal Program Amendment, with modifications suggested by the Coastal Commission that would eliminate the primary residency requirement for STRs in areas within the Coastal Zone and increase the maximum number of nights an unhosted STR in areas within the Coastal Zone can be rented from 60 to 120 nights; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to California Public Resources Code section 30513(c), the City of Pacifica may accept, agree, and adopt the modifications to the zoning text certified by the California Coastal Commission and as reflected in Text Amendment TA131-26 in order to effectuate the STR zoning text amendments in the Coastal Zone; and WHEREAS, on August 25, 2026, the City Council and Planning Commission held a joint meeting to receive public input and discuss Coastal Commission Modifications to City of Pacifica LCP Amendment Number 2-PAC-25-0079-2; and WHEREAS, following the special joint meeting, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing at a special meeting on August 25, 2026, on the proposed amendments contained in Text Amendment TA-131-26, and adopted Resolution No. 2026-008 by a vote of 6-0 with 1 absence initiating and recommending City Council approval of Text Amendment TA-131-26.

WHEREAS, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing on the proposed ordinance on September 8, 2026, and introduced Ordinance No. ### on the same day; and
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Pacifica does ordain as follows:
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Section 1. Recitals. The City Council of the City of Pacifica does hereby find that the above referenced recitals are true and correct and material to the adoption of this Ordinance.

Primary Residence requirements shall apply outside of the Coastal Zone pursuant to section 9-4.4903(c).”
Section 3. Amendment. Section 9-4.4903, Article 49, “Short-Term Rentals” of Chapter 4, “Zoning” within Title 9, “Planning and Zoning” is amended as follows, with additions identified in underline and deletions identified in strikethrough:
“Sec. 9-4.4903. Standards applicable to Short-term Rental Sites.

The following standards shall apply to any Site offered as a Short-term Rental.

No Short-term Rental Permit shall be issued if the Site is not compliant with the following:
(a) In accordance with Section 9-4.453(a)(6) and 9-4.454(a)(6), no Person may Operate a Short-term Rental in any accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit.
(b) No Person shall Operate or allow a Short-term Rental in any location not approved for use as a permanent dwelling unit (received Certificate of Occupancy or equivalent final inspection), including, but not limited to, any vehicle, trailer, tent, storage shed or garage;
(c) In areas outside of the Coastal Zone, each Each Operator Operating a Short-term Rental shall have their Primary Residence at the Site of the Short-term Rental. To prove Primary Residency, the Operator Person must provide at least three forms of documentation to the Administrator evidencing that the Site of the Short-term Rental is their Primary Residence for more than six months of the year. A State or Federally issued identification card must be one of the documents provided, and others may include, but are not limited to, proof of homeowner's tax exemption, voter registration card or certificate, or proof of vehicle registration.
(d) An Operator shall Operate only one Short-term Rental at any given time; 1 Packet Pg. 14
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(e) For a single-family residential unit or a residential condominium dwelling unit, one Short-term Rental may Operate as an accessory use on the Site; and
(f) For a Multi-family development, only Hosted Short-term Rentals may be Operated as an accessory use to an individual unit within the Multi-family development.”
Section 4. Amendment. Section 9-4.4904, Article 49, “Short-Term Rentals” of Chapter 4, “Zoning” within Title 9, “Planning and Zoning” is amended as follows, with additions identified in underline and deletions identified in strikethrough:
“Sec. 9-4.4904. - Short-term Rental Permit required.

Subject to those requirements in Section 9-4.4903 and subject to the Short-term Rental Permit cap specified in Section 9-4.4902, a Short-term Rental Permit along with a Short-Term Rental Permit number may be approved and issued by the Administrator, provided that the Administrator determines the applicant has met the following requirements:
(a) Application. Any Person seeking to Operate a Short-term Rental must complete an application on a form provided by the City, accompanied with the fees established by resolution of the City Council. The application form will include, at a minimum, the following information:
i. Name and contact information of the Operator;
ii. All adults for whom the property is a permanent residence shall be listed;
iii. The name and contact information of the authorized Responsible Party. Any change in the Responsible Party’s address or telephone number shall be promptly furnished to the City within 48 hours of such change;
iv. Site plan showing location, dimensions, and use of all existing buildings on the Site, and on-Site parking;
v. Floor plan showing the use of all rooms per the California Building Code, and identifying Legally Permitted Bedrooms Rooms, rooms and doors to be used for the Short-term Rental;
vi. If the Operator is not the property owner, the property owner’s written consent to the Short-term Rental use;
vii. In areas outside of the Coastal Zone, the The Operator shall provide documentation required by section 9-4.4903(c) that the Site is the Operator’s Primary Residence;
viii. Identification of whether the Short-term Rental shall be a Hosted or Unhosted Short-term Rental or combination of both, and the estimated number of nights per year the Short-term Rental will be rented;
ix. Advertising platform(s) used by the Operator to advertise the Shortterm Rental; x. Proof that the Operator has installed a Noise Monitor on the exterior of the Short-term Rental in a location to ensure that accurate noise levels can be taken by the Noise Monitor; xi. Proof of insurance or insurance certificate for the Site. 1 Packet Pg. 15
Pacifica City Council 12 September 08, 2026
xii. The permit application and any associated business licenses shall include an affidavit signed by the owner under penalty of perjury stating that all the information in the application is correct and that the owner maintains full responsibility that the Short-term Rental shall be advertised, rented, operated, and maintained in compliance with this article and all other relevant municipal codes.

Failure to sign the affidavit shall be grounds for denial of a Shortterm Rental Permit. (b) The permit application shall be accompanied by an application fee in an amount established by City Council resolution. Applications for a Shortterm Rental Permit shall not be deemed complete until all information required by this article is provided and the Short-term Rental application fee, as set by City Council resolution, is paid to the City. (c) The permit application shall be accompanied by a signed safety declaration, under penalty of perjury, in a form prepared by the Administrator, to be kept in the property file at the City, self-certifying that the Short -term Rental is in a safe and habitable condition and contains working smoke detector(s), carbon monoxide detector(s), and fire extinguishers have been installed and maintained consistent with the requirements of and in compliance with the California Fire Code, as adopted by the City in Title 4, Chapter 3, Article 1 of this Code and the California Building Code, International Property Maintenance Code and Residential Code, as adopted by the City in Title 8 of this Code. (d) Inspection of Short-term Rentals. For Short-term Rentals, the City shall conduct a life, safety and health inspection of the proposed Short-term Rental unit, prior to issuing a Short-term Rental Permit. (i) A life, safety, and health and safety inspection shall include verification of the number of Legally Permitted Bedrooms, the presence and operation of working smoke detector(s), carbon monoxide detector(s), fire extinguishers, pools/spas, and lighted ingress/egress. The City shall also verify that no space has been converted into a bedroom or living space without permits required by the California Building Code, International Property Maintenance Code and Residential Code, as adopted by the City in Title 8, or any other provision of this Code. (ii) The permit application shall be accompanied by a separate STR inspection fee in an amount established by City Council resolution. (e) Consent to Inspection and Production of Records. For all Short-term Rentals, the permit application shall be accompanied by a consent to inspection in a form prepared by the Administrator, which shall be signed by the Operator and if the Operator is not the owner of the Site, the owner of the Site consenting to (i) physical inspection(s) by city staff, contractors, or representatives for the purpose of verifying compliance with this article during regular business hours (7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) upon forty-eight (48) hours’ notice and (ii) that if said inspection is deemed necessary by the Administrator because of complaints received by the City of noncompliance, the Operator will produce records demonstrating compliance with all provisions of this article within seven (7) calendar days of the request.
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(f) Compliance with the Municipal Code. No Short-term Rental Permit shall be issued if there are any unresolved or outstanding building, electrical, plumbing, fire, health, housing, police, or planning violations or enforcement actions issued by the City or other enforcement agency, including but not limited to, any administrative citations, notices of violation, notices to cure, orders of abatement, cease and desist orders, or correction notices related to the Site.
(g) Compliance with Operation Requirements. No Short-term Rental Permit shall be issued if the Site has had two or more violations of this article within twelve months prior to application submittal. No Short-term Rental Permit shall be issued if the Operator has had a Short-term Rental Permit revoked within twelve months of the application date by the City of Pacifica.
(h) Waitlist. The Administrator will maintain a waiting list when the number of Short-term Rental applicants exceeds the Short-term Rental Permit cap identified in Section 9-4.4902. The Administrator will continually maintain the Short-term Rental Permit cap inventory as Permits are not renewed or revoked. Persons wishing to be placed on the waitlist shall submit a waitlist application on a form provided by the City accompanied by the completed Short-term Rental Permit application required by Section 9-

4.4904(a). A nonrefundable waitlist application fee in an amount established by resolution of the City Council shall be remitted with the application. Short-term Rental applications for qualifying properties on the waitlist will be processed bi-annually between October 31 and November 30 of each year and between April 30 and May 31 of each year based on the date of receipt of the application, starting with the oldest date. The Administrator, in their discretion, may require an Applicant placed on the waitlist to provide updated information at the time a Short-Term Rental Permit becomes available, in accordance with requirements in place at the time the application is being considered.
(i) Appeals of Determination of Administrator. Any decision of an Administrator relating to an application or the waitlist may be appealed within ten (10) days of the decision of the Administrator to an administrative hearing officer, pursuant to the process specified in section 9-4.4908(d).
(j) All Operators and their respective Sites, authorized by the City for the Operation of a Short-term Rental pursuant to this article, shall be listed on a registry created by the City and updated periodically by the City. The City shall publish the registry on the City’s website, and a copy shall be sent electronically to any Person or Hosting Platform upon request.” Section 5. Amendment. Section 9-4.4905, Article 49, “Short-Term Rentals” of Chapter 4, “Zoning” within Title 9, “Planning and Zoning” is amended as follows, with additions identified in underline and deletions identified in strikethrough:
“Sec. 9-4.4905. Operation Requirements.
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Pacifica City Council 14 September 08, 2026
A Short-term Rental must comply with the following operation requirements at all times that the Short-term Rental Permit is issued:
(a) Permit required. The Short-term Rental must be operated under a valid Short-term Rental Permit issued by the City in accordance with Section 9-

4.4904;
(b) The Operator shall, during the term of the Short-term Rental Permit, promptly inform the Administrator regarding any changes to the information provided in the application, including contact information and Advertising platform(s) used by the Operator to advertise the Short-term Rental;
(c) The Operator shall, at all times while the Site is being used as a Shortterm Rental, maintain a Responsible Party that can be reached via telephone twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week, to respond to complaints regarding the use of the Short-term Rental. The Operator can be identified as the Responsible Party. The Responsible Party shall be a local contact person who shall meet all of the following requirements: 1) be available 24 hours per day and seven days a week when the Short-term Rental is in Operation and 2) be accessible and able to respond in person at the Short-term Rental within a reasonable time of 30 minutes to any complaint regarding condition, operation, or conduct of occupants of the dwelling and 3) be responsive to take remedial action necessary to resolve any violation of the requirements of this article; (d) The Operator must provide the following materials electronically to any Short-term Renters before arrival and make available printed materials at the Site for the guest with the following information:
i. A diagram of exits, fire extinguisher locations, and fire and police contact numbers;
ii. The Short-term Rental Operator’s contact information; iii The Responsible Party’s contact information;
iv. Information on the maximum allowed number of occupants, parking capacity and location of parking spaces, noise regulations, disclosure that the property is equipped with a noise monitoring device, quiet hours, and trash, composting, and recycling disposal requirements including collection time and date and instructions on collection and use of the collection containers;
v. The City's noise regulations (Chapter 10 of Title 5 of this Code); and
vi. The City's Social Host Liability Ordinance (Chapter 28 of Title 5 of this Code);
(e) The Operator shall include the City-issued Short-term Rental Permit number in any Advertising platform or any other advertisement appearing in any newspaper, magazine, brochure, television trade paper, internet website, etc., that promotes the availability or existence of a Short-term Rental on the Site. The Short-term Rental Permit number must also be 1 Packet Pg. 18
Pacifica City Council 15 September 08, 2026
prominently and legibly included in the first line of the property description text in any advertisement in the following format: “City of Pacifica Shortterm Rental Permit No. ####;” (f) Each Short-term Rental Site shall be identified with a single, weatherproof exterior sign, not more than two (2) square feet in total area, posted either at the front of the Site and visible from the right-of-way for single family dwellings, or on the door if it is a hosted Multi-family dwelling unit or condominium, indicating the Site is being utilized as a Short-term Rental.

The property address shall be clearly marked;
(h) A Short-term Rental shall comply with all provisions of the Pacifica Municipal Code, including, but not limited to the City’s noise regulations (Chapter 10 of Title 5 of this Code) and the Loud and Unruly Gatherings and Social Host Liability Ordinance (Chapter 28 of Title 5 of this Code), Garbage, Collection and Recycling (Chapter 5 of Title 6 of this Code), and the Building Regulations (Chapters 1-17 of Title 8 of this Code); (i) A Short-term Rental shall comply with all applicable state and local laws and orders, including any public health order;
(j) Each Person Operating a Short-term Rental shall comply with the transient occupancy tax requirements set forth in Chapter 7 of Title 3 (Transient Occupancy Tax) of this Code, and shall obtain a Transient Occupancy Registration Certificate pursuant to Section 3.7-06 for the entire period of time the Site is used as a Short-term Rental; (k) Each Person Operating a Short-term Rental shall obtain a business license and pay the business license tax required pursuant to Chapter 1 of Title 3 (Business Licenses) of this Code for the entire period of time the Site is used as a Short-term Rental;
(l) The Operator of a Hosted Short-term Rental must be on-Site between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. when the Site is being utilized as a Short-term Rental;
(m) Maximum overnight occupancy for all Short-term Rentals shall not exceed two (2) Short-term Renters per Legally Permitted Bedroom. Children under the age of six (6) shall not count towards these occupancy limits; 1 Packet Pg. 19
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(n) In addition to the maximum number of Short-term Renters allowed, the number of Visitors allowed at any time in a Short-term Rental shall not exceed one half of the maximum Short-term Renters allowed, and visitor hours are limited to 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.;
(o) Short-term Renters shall not make any excessive or loud noise during Quiet Hours from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. daily;
(p) Use of all outdoor pools, spas and hot tubs shall be prohibited between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.;
(q) In addition to the noise standards identified in Chapter 10 of Title 5 and Chapter 28 of Title 5 of this Code, no radio receiver, musical instrument, phonograph, compact disk player, loudspeaker, karaoke machine, sound amplifier, or any machine, device or equipment that produces or reproduces any sound shall be used outside or be audible from the outside of any Short-term Rental. Any machine, device or equipment that amplifies music inside any Short-term Rental shall not be heard beyond the property line of the Short-term Rental at all times; (r) Each Operator shall install and maintain in continuous operation a Noise Monitor on the exterior of the Short-term Rental to ensure compliance with the City’s noise regulations (Chapter 10 of Title 5 of this Code). The Operator shall retain a record of the Noise Monitor readings for a period of thirty (30) days after each Rental of the Short-term Rental; (s) The Short-term Rental must provide at least one off-street parking space per Legally Permitted Bedroom that is being utilized as a Short-term Rental, which shall be dedicated and available to Short-term Renters during the period of the Rental;
(t) Short-term Rentals shall not be concurrently used for any commercial Event (such as a corporate retreat or conference), and shall not be used for any non-commercial Event that is likely to result in a violation of traffic, parking, noise, or other standards regulating the residential use and character of the neighborhood. Home occupations conducted by the operator primary resident compliant with the City’s home occupation ordinance are allowed; provided that parking and all other requirements for both the Short-term Rental and the home occupation are met; (u) Short-term Rental use shall comply with trash and recycling requirements and scheduled solid waste pick-up days at least once per week. Trash and recycling containers shall be located to be readily accessible for servicing, but shall not be placed within the limits of any street, road, avenue, way, alley, public place, or any other places as to constitute a nuisance; and (v) Unhosted Short-Term Rentals. The following additional operation requirements shall apply only to Unhosted Short-term Rentals:
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i. In areas outside of the Coastal Zone, an An Unhosted Short-term Rental shall be Operated no more than 60 nights per year, commencing on October 31st of each year and ending October 30th of each year.
ii. In areas within the Coastal Zone, unhosted short-term rental shall be operated no more than 120 nights per year, commencing on October 31 of each year and ending October 30 of each year. iiiii. Minimum Stay. Unhosted Short-term Rentals shall have a minimum two consecutive night stay for Short-term Renters.
iviii. Unhosted Short-term Rentals are prohibited in Multi-family development units.”
Except as specifically modified herein, all other provisions of Article 49 shall remain unchanged.

Section 6. Compliance with CEQA. The City Council hereby finds that the action to adopt this Ordinance is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to the CEQA Guidelines (14 Cal. Code Regs. 15000 et seq.), including without limitation under Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility the adoption of this Ordinance may have a significant effect on the environment. The revised ordinance will continue to allow a maximum of 150 Short-term rentals in the City, the same number as the existing ordinance and will primarily establish operational requirements for existing short-term rentals that are designed to address community concerns and ensure responsible Short-term rental operations. The revisions to the ordinance also do not involve any physical changes to the environment or the construction of new facilities or infrastructure.

Additionally, the Ordinance is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15301(Class 1-Existing Facilities) as the Ordinance makes amendments to the City’s current short-term rental permitting program for existing residential dwelling units. The Ordinance involves negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. The text amendment would make amendments to the existing Short-term Rental STR Ordinance to, among other things, revise provisions related to Short-term rental operation and enforcement actions for non-compliance. The exceptions to the exception in CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2(a)-(f) do not apply to the draft Ordinance. The City Clerk shall file a Notice of Exemption with the San Mateo County Clerk.

Section 7. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it should have adopted the Ordinance and each section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentence, clauses or phrases be declared unconstitutional. 1 Packet Pg. 21
Pacifica City Council 18 September 08, 2026
Section 8. Publication. The City Clerk is hereby ordered and directed to certify to the passage of this Ordinance by the City Council of the City of Pacifica, California, and cause the same to be published in accordance with State law.

Section 9. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall be in full force and effective thirty (30) days after its adoption and shall be published and posted as required by law. For areas within the Coastal Zone, this Ordinance shall not become effective until the California Coastal Commission certifies an amendment to the City’s local coastal program. *****
Section 9. PASSED AND ADOPTED this __ day of 2026 by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSTAIN:

ABSENT:
____________________________
Christine Boles, Mayor
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
____________________________ ____________________________ Sarah Coffey, City Clerk Michelle Kenyon, City Attorney 1 Packet Pg. 22
Pacifica City Council 19 September 08, 2026
* * * * *
(ID # 6288) at 9/8/2026 6:00 PM City Council Special Meeting 1 Packet Pg. 23
STATE OF CALIFORNIA — NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY GAVIN NEWSOM, GOVERNOR

CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION NORTH CENTRAL COAST DISTRICT 455 MARKET STREET, SUITE 300
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105
PHONE: (415) 904-5260
WEB: WWW.COASTAL.CA.GOV
W13b
Prepared July 30, 2026 for August 12, 2026 Hearing
To: Commissioners and Interested Persons
From: Stephanie Rexing, North Central Coast District Manager Oceane Ringuette, North Central Coast District Supervisor Subject: City of Pacifica LCP Amendment Number 2-PAC-25-0079-2 (Short-Term Rentals)

SUMMARY OF STAFF RECOMMENDATION
The City of Pacifica proposes to amend its Local Coastal Program (LCP) Implementation Plan (IP) to provide additional regulations for short-term rentals (STRs) (also known as vacation rentals) within residential dwellings in the City’s coastal zone.

Since 2018 the City has regulated STRs in the coastal zone via certified LCP provisions that require compliance around potential use issues (e.g., related to noise and guest safety, otherwise known as ‘good neighbor’ policies) and the collection of transient occupancy tax (TOT). More recently, in 2024 the City proposed, and the Commission certified, changes to the LCP’s STR provisions to add a maximum numerical STR cap, allowing up to 150 citywide (i.e., roughly 1% of total housing stock in the City, both in and out of the coastal zone); to prohibit STRs in junior accessory dwelling units (junior ADUs, or JADUs) (where STRs in ADUs were already prohibited previously); and to establish new permitting provisions (e.g., annual renewal requirements, revocation procedures, waitlisting once cap has been reached, etc.). The 150 unit STR cap was meant to capture the market equilibrium that had established by that time, where the number of STRs in the City had vacillated between roughly 100 and 150 in the preceding years, where both unhosted (i.e., whole house rentals where the operator is not present) and hosted (i.e., rentals in an occupied residence where the operator is on site at the time) STRs count towards the cap number.

The City’s proposed amendment would impose further limits on STRs, including requiring STRs to take place in an operator’s primary residence (meaning they reside there at least six months a year); requiring operators to be natural persons (i.e., here, “living human beings”, and not commercial entities etc.); requiring operators to have only one ownership interest in one STR within the City at a time; restricting unhosted stays to 60 nights maximum per year; allowing unlimited hosted stays; identifying specific parking, signage, occupancy, and visitor requirements; requiring on-site noise monitoring; limiting the number of visitors and allowed visitor hours; adding safety inspection requirements; modifying operating requirements regarding parking, noise, and waste; identifying advertising platform responsibilities; adding a series of new STR related definitions; and establishing standards and procedures for STR permit

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revocation should the STR operator or facility violate the LCP and/or other local, state, or federal laws.

The Commission has historically recognized that STRs can provide a unique and important source of visitor-serving accommodation in the coastal zone, especially for families and groups, and has found that undue restrictions on this type of use are inconsistent with Coastal Act and LCP provisions prioritizing public access and visitorserving opportunities and requiring that public recreational access opportunities be maximized. At the same time, the Commission has also recognized a need to restrict STRs in some coastal communities where evidence showed that the STR market was having impacts on coastal resources or was impacting housing necessary to support priority uses (e.g., visitor-serving economies). In that sense, the Commission has sought to accommodate a balance between these sometimes competing interests, where the appropriate balance is typically driven by the community and LCP context. In all cases, the Commission has consistently supported a baseline of ‘good neighbor’ operational standards (which exist already in this LCP and are proposed to be refined here) as important tools to address use concerns while maintaining such a balance.

In this case, the Pacifica LCP’s Land Use Plan (LUP), which is the standard of review, contains provisions that prioritize, protect, and require maximization of public recreational access opportunities, which echoes the same type of provisions found in Coastal Act Chapter 3. The LUP also identifies low- and moderate-income affordable housing as an important coastal resource and identifies provisions to address potential public access overuse of any particular area. Thus, the primary LUP question is whether the proposed STR provisions have been tailored to address issues of overuse and/or affordable/workforce housing in a manner that does not negatively affect the maximization of public recreational access opportunities.

In that respect, although the proposed STR provisions include a series of quite detailed operational provisions that do not raise significant LUP issues, the proposed changes would also add fairly restrictive STR use limitations, and their implementation through the LCP would likely reduce STRs and the potential use-nights available. Specifically, the proposed primary residency requirement has the potential to reduce unhosted STR rental nights by 50%, and the 60 rental night cap on unhosted rentals would reduce that even further (e.g., if all 150 STRs under the cap were unhosted, then the amount of potential unhosted rental nights would be reduced by nearly 85% as compared to the existing STR provisions). It is also worth noting that the proposed changes have already been implemented in the non-coastal zone areas of the City, where their implementation to date has led to a roughly 50% drop in STRs, all of which signals that the proposed changes would be expected to lead to further market contraction in the coastal zone if implemented.

As it relates to the broader issue of housing availability, the relationship between STRs and housing can be quite complex, and there does not appear to be an either/or distinction between allowing an STR versus using that home for longer term housing. In this case, the City’s data does not show how the proposed STR restrictions would create additional longer term housing opportunities, especially affordable housing, which is the type of housing protected by the LUP. Additionally, there is not a

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mechanism to mandate or assure that property owners will rent or sell their properties for longer term residential use if they can’t pursue STRs, and there is currently no evidence to suggest that the housing stock in question would be affordable if it were converted to permanent housing. Therefore, there is no substantive basis for concluding that the proposed STR regulations will meaningfully improve the availability of housing stock in the coastal zone in Pacifica, particularly for low and moderate cost housing.

However, reducing STRs would necessarily reduce access opportunities for those who can afford to rent them for a short time, but who cannot afford to buy or rent such properties longer term.

For these reasons, the proposed primary residency requirement and 60-night unhosted STR limit are inconsistent with LUP provisions prioritizing public access and visitorserving opportunities, and requiring that public recreational access opportunities be maximized, especially for those not fortunate enough to live in Pacifica. These proposed provisions would decrease such options, making public access more difficult in these areas, particularly for larger groups and families, underserved communities and communities of color, and inland communities. In other words, LUP inconsistencies with the proposal are amplified when considered through an environmental justice lens.

However, other than the primary residency requirement and the 60-night unhosted STR limit, many of the other proposed provisions should not significantly reduce public recreational access opportunities, would benefit existing neighborhoods and limit future home conversions. Among these proposed and approvable provisions, there are a series of proposed ‘good neighbor’ provisions; important safeguards against turning STRs into a form of major business operation; and a prohibition of unhosted STRs in multifamily units (and of both types in ADUs/JADUs), retaining these ‘more affordable by design’ units as potential housing resources. If the proposed amendment was modified to remove the primary residence requirement and 60-night unhosted limit, the resulting proposal would provide an LUP consistent version of the regulations and would represent an appropriate balancing of competing objectives overall. These changes would continue to reflect the 150 STR cap that the Commission found was an appropriate balance for Pacifica in 2024, and the suggested modifications would aim to reduce the likelihood of a substantial reduction of the availability of STRs in the coastal zone beyond that cap. This would help protect public access opportunities for all, including lower income and disadvantaged communities, while still allowing the community of Pacifica to implement its “good neighbor policies” and protect its community character. As the Commission has noted repeatedly over the years, STR regulation is not an all or nothing proposition in coastal areas. The key is finding a balance that makes sense for both a community and its visitors while remaining Coastal Act and LCP compliant. Staff believes that this recommendation meets those requirements.

Finally, staff will note that this staff report and recommendation differ from the staff report/recommendation on this proposed LCP amendment that was provided for the Commission’s February 2026 meeting (when this item was postponed, and was not heard nor acted upon by the Commission). After that prior staff report was distributed, the Commission received several hundred pages of comments, some quite specific to the staff report analysis, primarily identifying ways in which commenters thought it to be

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legally deficient and had arrived at conclusions not supported by the evidence. Staff took in all such comments, evaluated and reflected on them, and ultimately that process led staff to this revised recommendation.

In conclusion, staff recommends that the Commission suggest the modifications described, and find that the proposed IP amendment, as modified, conforms with and is adequate to carry out the LCP’s Land Use Plan. The motions and resolutions to do so – there are two each – can be found on page 6 below.

Staff Note: LCP Amendment Action Deadline
This proposed LCP amendment was filed as complete on January 8, 2026. The proposed amendment affects the LCP’s IP only, and the 60 working day deadline for the Commission to take action on it was therefore April 7, 2026. On March 12, 2026, the Commission extended the action deadline to April 7, 2027. Thus, the Commission has until that time to take a final action on this LCP amendment.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. MOTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS ............................................................................... 6

2. SUGGESTED MODIFICATIONS............................................................................... 7

3. FINDINGS AND DECLARATIONS............................................................................ 8 A. Background .......................................................................................................... 8 B. Proposed LCP Amendment.................................................................................. 9 C. Consistency Determination................................................................................... 9 D. California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)..................................................... 20

4. APPENDICES.......................................................................................................... 20

EXHIBITS
Exhibit 1: Proposed LCP Amendment

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1. MOTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS
Staff recommends that the Commission, after public hearing, certify the proposed LCP IP amendment only if it is modified. The Commission needs to make two motions on the IP amendment in order to act on this recommendation, where the amendment needs to first be denied as submitted, and then approved if modified, to complete the staff recommendation. To do so, Staff recommends a YES vote on both motions below.

A. Deny the IP Amendment as Submitted
Staff recommends a YES vote on the motion below. Passage of this motion will result in rejection of the Implementation Plan amendment and the adoption of the following resolution and findings. The motion passes only by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Commissioners present.

Motion 1 (Deny as Submitted): I move that the Commission reject LCP Implementation Amendment Number LCP-2-PAC-25-0079-2 as submitted by the City of Pacifica, and I recommend a yes vote.

Resolution to Deny: The Commission hereby denies certification of LCP Implementation Amendment Number LCP-2-PAC-25-0079-2 as submitted by the City of Pacifica and adopts the findings set forth below on grounds that the Implementation Plan Amendment as submitted does not conform with, and is inadequate to carry out, the provisions of the certified Land Use Plan.

Certification of the Implementation Plan Amendment would not meet the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act as there are feasible alternatives and mitigation measures that would substantially lessen the significant adverse impacts on the environment that will result from certification of the Implementation Plan Amendment as submitted.

B. Certify the IP Amendment with Suggested Modifications Staff recommends a YES vote on the motion below. Passage of this motion will result in certification of the Implementation Plan Amendment with suggested modifications and the adoption of the following resolution and the findings in this staff report. The motion to certify with suggested modifications passes only by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Commissioners present:

Motion 2 (Approve if Modified): I move that the Commission certify LCP Implementation Amendment Number LCP-2-PAC-25-0079-2 as submitted by the City of Pacifica if it is modified as suggested in this staff report, and I recommend a yes vote.

Resolution to Certify: The Commission hereby certifies LCP Implementation Amendment Number LCP-2-PAC-25-0079-2 as submitted by the City of Pacifica, if modified as suggested, and adopts the findings set forth below on grounds that the Implementation Plan Amendment with the suggested modifications conforms with, and is adequate to carry out, the provisions of the certified Land Use Plan.

Certification of the Implementation Plan Amendment if modified as suggested complies with the California Environmental Quality Act, because either 1) feasible mitigation measures and/or alternatives have been incorporated to substantially

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lessen any significant adverse effects of the plan on the environment, or 2) there are no further feasible alternatives and mitigation measures that would substantially lessen any significant adverse impacts on the environment.

2. SUGGESTED MODIFICATIONS
The Commission hereby suggests the following modifications to the proposed LCP amendment, which are necessary to make the requisite Land Use Plan consistency findings. If the City of Pacifica accepts the suggested modification within six months of Commission action (i.e., by February 12, 2027), by formal resolution of the City Council, the modified amendment will become effective upon the Executive Director’s reporting to the Commission that this acceptance has been properly accomplished. Where applicable, underlined text shows proposed text to be added, and crossed-out text shows text to be deleted by the Commission.

1. Eliminate Primary Residency Requirements
a. Delete Sec. 9-4.4901(m) as follows:
(m) “Primary residence” means a residence where a Person resides, full-time, for more than six months out of the year. Primary residence shall not include an accessory dwelling unit or a Junior accessory dwelling unit. b. Delete Sec. 9-4.4903(c) as follows:
c. Each Operator Operating a Short-term Rental shall have their Primary Residence at the Site of the Short-term Rental. To prove Primary Residency, the Operator Person must provide at least three forms of documentation to the Administrator evidencing that the Site of the Short-term Rental is their Primary Residence for more than six months of the year. A State or Federally issued identification card must be one of the documents provided, and others may include, but are not limited to, proof of homeowner's tax exemption, voter registration card or certificate, or proof of vehicle registration. c. Delete Sec. 9-4904(vii) as follows:
vii. The Operator shall provide documentation required by section 9-4.4903(c) that the Site is the Operator’s Primary Residence;
d. Modify Sec. 9-4.4905(t) as follows:
(t) Short-term Rentals shall not be concurrently used for any commercial Event (such as a corporate retreat or conference), and shall not be used for any noncommercial Event that is likely to result in a violation of traffic, parking, noise, or other standards regulating the residential use and character of the neighborhood.

Home occupations conducted by the operator primary resident compliant with the City’s home occupation ordinance are allowed; provided that parking and all other requirements for both the Short-term Rental and the home occupation are met;

2. Eliminate 60-Night Unhosted STR Limit

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a. Modify Sec. 9-4.4905(v) as follows:
(v) Unhosted Short-Term Rentals. The following additional operation requirements shall apply only to Unhosted Short-term Rentals:
i. An Unhosted Short-term Rental shall be Operated no more than 60 nights per year, commencing on October 31st of each year and ending October 30th of each year.
ii. Minimum Stay. Unhosted Short-term Rentals shall have a minimum two consecutive night stay for Short-term Renters.
iii. Unhosted Short-term Rentals are prohibited in Multi-family development units.

3. FINDINGS AND DECLARATIONS
A. Background
The City of Pacifica is located about 10 miles south of San Francisco along the San Mateo County ‘coastside’, where the coastal zone boundary mostly tracks along Highway 1 and encompasses residential neighborhoods, visitor-serving and commercial areas, open space areas, and important and popular beaches and other public access attractions. In particular, the City is a very popular recreational destination for visitors from all over the Bay Area and further from the coast, due in part to its beaches, open spaces, and well-known surf breaks, but also due to its proximity to both the San Francisco area and to the Peninsula, San Mateo, the Santa Clara (or Silicon) Valley, and the East Bay.

The City has regulated short-term rentals (STRs) through its LCP since 2018 when the Commission first certified LCP Implementation Plan (IP) STR provisions. Those provisions included a (non-CDP) STR permit process; a prohibition against STRs in accessory dwelling units (ADUs), trailers, and storage sheds/garages; payment of transient occupancy taxes (TOT) to the City; and “good neighbor” policies (such as guest safety requirements and noise regulations).

In 2024 the Commission certified additional STR provisions that refined the initial provisions from 2018 while also placing additional limits on STRs. Specifically, the 2024 amendments added a cap of 150 maximum STRs (whether hosted or unhosted rentals, 1 between which the LCP did not differentiate) throughout the City (both in and out of the coastal zone);
2 added junior ADUs (JADUs) to the types of housing where STRs were prohibited; established an STR permit renewal window of October 1st to October 31st annually, allowed the City to revoke STR permits that were not renewed; and created a waitlist for STR permits if the cap had been met.

Following the 2024 LCP changes, the City continued to pursue additional STR refinements, and has regularly engaged both STR supporters and detractors, including 1 Where an ‘unhosted STR’ is a whole house/unit rental where the operator is not present, and a hosted STR is a partial house/unit rental (e.g., a room) where the operator is on site and also staying at the time. 2 The 150 STR cap equates to approximately 1% of the City’s total housing units.

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through City Planning Commission and City Council meetings and study sessions. The City indicates that the concerns that have primarily been raised locally relate to alleged inappropriate STR operations (e.g., excessive noise, improper/inadequate trash disposal, loss of on-street parking, etc.) but also indicates that local STR operators push back on these preconceptions about their operations, including where such operators express a willingness to follow stringent ‘good neighbor’ policies to address such concerns. The City also indicates that it believes that STRs are leading to a degradation of certain neighborhoods (e.g., over-saturation) and taking up housing that could be used for longer term residential use. Ultimately, the City decided to address such concerns through a series of additional operational requirements, as well as through further STR limitations overall, as discussed below.

B. Proposed LCP Amendment
The proposed amendment would add further STR restrictions and requirements in the IP, including the following:
 Requiring an STR operator to reside at the residence full time for more than six months of the year (a “primary residency requirement”)
 Requiring an STR operator to be a living human being (a “natural person requirement”)
 Requiring STR operators to only have an ownership interest in one STR within the City at a time
 Limiting unhosted stays to at most 60 nights per year (hosted stays are unlimited)  Prohibiting unhosted rentals in multi-family residential settings  Requiring at least a two consecutive night minimum stay for unhosted rentals  Establishing parking, signage, occupancy, and visitor guidelines (including related to noise and trash)
 Limiting visitors and allowed visitation times (applied to visitors who are not party to an STR booking)
 Adding safety inspection requirements, as well as standards and procedures for STR permit application, issuance, and revocation
 Requiring STRs to include exterior signage identifying the unit as an STR, and providing contact information
Please see Exhibit 1 for the full text of the proposed IP amendment.

C. Consistency Determination
Standard of Review
The proposed amendment affects only the IP component of the City’s LCP, and the standard of review for IP amendments is that they must be consistent with and

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adequate to carry out the LCP Land Use Plan (LUP).

Applicable LUP Provisions
The LUP contains a series of provisions designed to protect and provide for maximized public recreational access opportunities, as well as to protect and encourage lower cost visitor and recreational facilities, as well as highlighting affordable housing as a sensitive coastal resource. These LUP provisions include:

LUP Policy LD-G-1 Coastal Development. Ensure that development maximizes beach and coastal open space access and is orientated as much as possible to each particular coastal environment in use, design, and intensity.

LUP Policy LD-I-6: Lower Cost Visitor and Recreational Facilities. Protect, encourage, and where feasible, provide lower-cost visitor and recreational facilities in the Coastal Zone. These include major, free recreational attractions such as Pacifica Pier and Pacifica State Beach; the public golf course at Sharp Park; the San Francisco RV Park; California Coastal Trail and other trails, lower cost overnight accommodations; and numerous beaches accessible at no cost.

LUP Policy LD-I-8: Development Priority for Visitor-Serving and Recreational Uses. Allow visitor-oriented uses as-of-right in all areas designated for Visitor-Serving Commercial or Low-Intensity Visitor-Serving Commercial, and all commercial or mixed-use districts within the Coastal Zone.

LUP Policy PR-G-1: Coastal Access and Recreational Opportunities.

Provide maximum coastal access and recreational opportunities for all people consistent with public safety needs and the need to protect public rights, rights of property owners, and natural resource areas from overuse, including access at each point identified on Figure 3-1.

LUP Policy PR-G-2: Management of Public Access. Regulate the time, place, and manner that public access is provided, based on such factors as topographic and site constraints; the fragility of natural resources; public safety; and the privacy of adjacent residential uses.

LUP Policy PR-G-3: Distribution of Public Coastal Facilities. Continue to distribute public facilities, including parking areas or facilities, so as to mitigate against the impacts of overcrowding or overuse by the public of any single area.

LUP Policy PR-G-26: Private Parking. Ensure adequate off-street parking in all new development.

LUP Policy ER-I-41: Recreational Uses. Promote recreational uses, such as horse boarding and trail riding, which retain open space character while contributing to a visitor-based economy.

LUP Policy PR-I-1: Public Shoreline Access. Continue to ensure that new development does not interfere with the public’s right of access to the sea where acquired through use or legislative authorization, including, but not limited to, the

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use of dry sand and rocky coastal beaches to the first line of terrestrial vegetation.

LUP Policy PR-I-2: New Development and Coastal Access. Require that new development along the coastline provide public access from the nearest public roadway to the shoreline and along the coast, and be designed to minimize impacts to public coastal access and recreation. Ensure that impacts are mitigated through the dedication of access or trail easements or the provision of improvements to other public access points.

Sensitive Coastal Resource Areas Definition. Those identifiable and geographically bounded land and water areas within the coastal zone of vital interest and sensitivity. "Sensitive coastal resource areas" include the following:
…(e) Special communities or neighborhoods which are significant visitor destination areas; (f) Areas that provide existing coastal housing or recreational opportunities for low- and moderate income persons; and (g) Areas where divisions of land could substantially impair or restrict coastal access.

Additionally, the LUP incorporates Coastal Act provisions verbatim into the LUP as LUP policies, including the following:

Section 30210. In carrying out the requirement of Section 4 of Article X of the California Constitution, maximum access, which shall be conspicuously posted, and recreational opportunities shall be provided for all the people consistent with public safety needs and the need to protect public rights, rights of private property owners, and natural resource areas from overuse.

Section 30211. Development shall not interfere with the public's right of access to the sea…
Section 30212(a). Public access from the nearest public roadway to the shoreline and along the coast shall be provided in new development projects except where: (1) it is inconsistent with public safety, military security needs, or the protection of fragile coastal resources, (2) adequate access exists nearby, or (3) agriculture would be adversely affected.

Section 30213. Lower cost visitor and recreational facilities shall be protected, encouraged, and, where feasible, provided. Developments providing public recreational opportunities are preferred. …
Section 30222. The use of private lands suitable for visitor-serving commercial recreational facilities designed to enhance public opportunities for coastal recreation shall have priority over private residential, general industrial, or general commercial development, but not over agriculture or coastal-dependent industry.

Section 30253. New development shall: … (e) Where appropriate, protect special communities and neighborhoods which, because of their unique characteristics, are popular visitor destination points for recreational uses.

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Thus, the LCP’s LUP requires protection and maximization of public recreational access opportunities, including requiring minimization of impacts to such public recreational access areas and uses, and promotes recreational uses and access to the sea (see, for example, LUP Policies LD-G-1, PR-I-1, PR-I-2, PR-G-1, and ER-I-41, and incorporated LUP Coastal Act Sections 30210, 30211, and 30212). Relatedly, the LUP more generally directs that a variety of visitor accommodations be prioritized over other types of use and development, and that lower cost accommodations in particular be protected and provided within the coastal zone (see, for example, incorporated LUP Coastal Act Sections 30213 and 30222 and LUP Policy LD-I-6). Furthermore, the LUP directs that public recreational access be protected and expanded in a way which reduces the impacts on public street parking availability; prevents against overuse by the public of any particular area; ensures that the time, place and manner of public access protects residential privacy; and continues to protect certain neighborhoods that are popular visitor destination points (see, for example, LUP Policies PR-G-26, PR-G-3, PR-G-2, and incorporated LUP Coastal Act Section 30253(e)).

With respect to housing, the Pacifica LUP similarly mirrors Coastal Act policies, where incorporated LUP Section 30222 instructs that the use of lands suitable for visitorserving facilities that enhance public recreational access opportunities shall be prioritized over private residential and general industrial/commercial uses (but not over agriculture or coastal-dependent industry). The LUP also identifies low and moderate income as a sensitive coastal resource (although it does not include provisions past that to implement such a designation). Thus, the LUP recognizes the importance of both ‘protected’ (e.g., deed restricted) affordable housing and other more ‘naturally occurring’ affordable housing types (such as multi-family housing and ADUs/JADU).

Consistency Analysis
STR Background Context
STRs, like any other type of overnight accommodation, play an important role in implementing public recreational access requirements by providing an opportunity for those who live beyond the reach of a day trip (or for those who just want to have a longer stay) to access all the access and recreational pursuits the coast here has to offer (e.g., coastal hikes, beach trips, sightseeing, surfing, fishing, etc.). More specifically, STRs provide a unique type of visitor-serving accommodation, especially for larger families and groups. This is particularly the case in Pacifica where there are only 330 hotel and motel rooms, and the STR market (up to 150 STRs per the current LCP) provides an important part of the overall overnight accommodations mix.

At the same time, STRs must be balanced with the LUP provisions that regulate the time, place, and manner of access to guard against overuse, as well as those that protect coastal workforce and affordable housing opportunities. Therefore, to find LUP consistency, the Commission must determine the appropriate balance of regulation that protects against overuse while still maximizing public recreational access opportunities in Pacifica. This is consistent with Coastal Commission guidance to local governments going back over a decade that has emphasized the need to allow, but regulate, STRs in a manner that balances the important public access and visitor-serving benefits of such rentals with reasonable regulations to limit potential adverse impacts on coastal

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communities.
3 Such balance may take the form of good neighbor requirements to guard against noise, trash, and other neighborhood impacts; STR limits to address issues of oversaturation or overuse in particular blocks, communities, or entire jurisdictions (e.g., buffers between individual STRs, disallowances in certain neighborhoods, and percentage caps on total residences in a community); and prohibitions on STRs within protected housing types (e.g., affordable housing). This balanced approach has been reflected in past Commission actions, where although each locality has its own unique STR, housing, community character, coastal resource, LUP, and proposed policy context (and thus different outcomes due to such unique contexts), the Commission has consistently pushed for and arrived at what it has considered an appropriate and Coastal Act/LUP consistent balance, including a recognition of the heated debates and tough choices that are often part of local and Commission deliberations when crafting such STR regulations. Therefore, the body of Commission actions on STR LCP amendments vary in policy and other outcomes due to unique circumstances in each case but have all included the premise of balancing at their core.4 More recently, there has also been a push on behalf of STR proponents and opponents alike to categorize STRs as either lower or higher cost, in large part to determine if the Coastal Act (and here the LUP) protections for lower cost visitor facilities apply.

However, although the Commission has a long established and long applied methodology for identifying lower cost hotel rooms, it has not developed nor applied a methodology for determining whether any particular STR is lower cost. The difficulty lies in the product itself, where individual STRs can be vastly different from one another in terms of what they offer and how many people can be accommodated, whereas doubleoccupancy hotel rooms are less so, and more easily compared. Pro-STR and anti-STR groups draw different conclusions, with, for example, groups like Better Neighbors Los Angeles (BNLA) suggesting that STRs are predominantly higher cost, and groups like Pacifica for Responsible Tourism (PRT) suggesting the opposite, both basing their conclusions on comparisons with hotel/motel lodging. However, it is difficult to compare the cost of STRs with hotels and motels because although STRs can have significantly higher daily rates than many hotels, STRs typically have multiple bedrooms, as well as indoor and outdoor common space areas, and can accommodate more people. In addition, STRs typically have kitchen facilities, which can reduce costs by allowing for the preparation and storage of food instead of having to purchase food for each meal. 5 The variability in the facilities and amenities provided by STRs make it challenging to 3 See, for example, the Commission’s original 2016 guidance to local governments available at:
https://documents.coastal.ca.gov/assets/la/Short_Term_Vacation_Rental_to_ Coastal_Planning_&_Devt_ Directors_120616.pdf.
4 See, for example LCP amendments LCP-4-STB-17-0086, LCP 3-STC-17-0073-2-Part B, A-5-DPT- 22- 0038, LCP-6-SAN- 21-0046-2, LCP-1-TRN-22-0034-1, LCP-4-MAL-20-0083-2, LCP-2-HMB-21-0078-2, LCP-3-MAR-24-0002-1, LCP-3-MCO-24-0039-1, LCP-6-ENC-23-0041-1, LCP-6-DMR-0048-2, LCP-4- SBV-25-0043-1, and LCP-3-SCO-25-0049-2-Part B.
5 For example, in a study conducted in Monterey County it was found that families of four could save up to $267 per day by cooking their own meals (Sarah Jenkins, Kiki Patsch, and Dr. Philip D. King, 2025, “Monterey County Overnight Accommodation Market Analysis”).

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accurately compare the cost versus the value of STRs to hotel rooms or other types of more standardized overnight accommodations.

As a result, the Commission has recognized that while some STRs can likely be considered lower cost, especially when shared by families or larger groups, they are simply not homogenous enough to make any sort of blanket proclamations on either end of the spectrum. As such, STRs are probably best understood as something that provides for more choices in the overnight accommodations market to meet various travelers’ needs, but are not appropriately described explicitly as either lower or higher cost. That said, despite questions regarding how they should be categorized, the continued popularity of STRs demonstrates they meet a demand not satisfied by traditional overnight accommodations. Importantly, the Commission need not draw a conclusion one way or the other regarding categorizing STRs as lower or higher cost, and therefore does not need decide whether LUP Policy LD-I-6 and Coastal Act Section 30213 apply, because that question is only whether additional LUP protections for STRs are applicable given the LUP already clearly requires maximizing public access and recreation opportunities of all types, including STRs.

Finally, the proposed amendment should also be viewed through an environmental justice lens, including consideration of how restrictions will impact Pacifica’s workforce and inland communities visiting Pacifica. With respect to the workforce, Pacifica’s visitor-serving economy relies on workers who require reasonably affordable and readily available workforce housing.6 Lengthy commutes from more affordable inland areas places a burden on these workers and prevents them from contributing to the civic life of the community they work in. Equitably protecting Pacifica as a visitor destination implicitly requires that affordable and workforce housing also be appropriately accommodated and protected for longer term and less transient use.

In addition, Inland communities often have less opportunities to enjoy and visit the coast and they face higher costs to do so compared to people who live closer to the coast.

There is a growing body of body of literature that shows in many parts of California, those who live nearest the coast tend to be wealthier, older, and more likely to be white than those who live further inland.
7 The demographics of Pacifica are consistent with
this trend.8 As a result, those living near the coast generally enjoy easier access to coastal public recreational opportunities compared to those living further away who tend to face longer travel times and higher transportation costs, including in some cases an 6 And some such workers/residents depend on the extra income that STRs provide them to be able make ends meet, including paying for the residential units themselves, and in some cases to be able to live in the City at all. And in fact, the Commission has received comments from STR operators in Pacifica making just this point.
7 The Reineman et al study (2016) is informative on this point, stating: “As our results demonstrate, economically disadvantaged and minority residents in general live further from coastal access points than wealthy and white residents. Thus, in order to visit and benefit from the state's public trust tidelands, these groups must travel further to reach the coastline; increased travel distance increases travel cost, compounding the burden and inequities inherent in the distribution of access points.” 8 Per 2020 Decennial United States Census data, the City of Pacifica is indeed wealthier, whiter, and older than the rest of California.

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overnight stay, further increasing the cost of their coastal access.9 In fact, over 60% of California families perceive that a visit to the coast of California is inaccessible, particularly due to the high costs of parking and overnight stays. 10 For these reasons,
the reduction in access opportunities expected by the City’s proposal would be expected to have oversized impacts on those least able to absorb additional costs. With this in mind, the ways in which the proposed STR provisions will further restrict public recreational access opportunities are only amplified when considered through an environmental justice lens. At the same time, the proposed modifications to the proposal will serve to protect multi-family and other naturally affordable housing types which are most likely to serve as workforce housing.

Proposed STR Changes Expected to Reduce STR Availability The LCP’s current STR provisions provide standards designed to ensure STRs are appropriately operated and regulated (including through existing certified ‘good neighbor’ provisions, and a process for licensing and compliance). These provisions include a 150 STR cap citywide (equating to roughly 1% of housing stock in the City), where that cap was based on historical STR activity in the City at the time. The City’s proposed amendment would add additional restrictions on STRs. The most substantive of these proposed changes are the proposed limit on unhosted stays to a maximum of 60 nights per year (while having no limits for hosted stays), and the primary residence requirement (requiring all STR operators, whether offering unhosted or hosted rentals, to live in the residence for at least six months of the year). Together, those proposed provisions mean that the allowance for unhosted STRs will be severely curtailed, as units that were formerly available for rental 365 days per year will be limited to 60 days.

Specifically, this translates into a decrease in potential overnight STR stays from the currently allowed 55,000 unhosted rental nights to 9,000 unhosted rental nights under the proposed provisions, an over 85% reduction. In addition, the cap on STRs applies to all STRs – whether they are unhosted or hosted. Thus, with implementation of the proposed amendment, there are likely to be far fewer than 150 unhosted STRs. As it relates to the primary residency requirement, the City’s intent is to ensure that more of its STR stock is also used for long-term housing. On this point it is worth noting that the City’s owner-occupied housing rate is nearly 70%.11 In other words, the City actually already has a relatively high percentage of owner-occupied housing units as compared to other coastal communities. When faced with even lower levels of owner occupancy recently, the Commission found that a 40% owner occupied housing rate was sufficient evidence of owner occupation in response to potential concerns that STR provisions should be further ratcheted down in terms of residency requirements because there 9 The King/Jenkins (2020) study states as follows: “Access to the resources and opportunities associated with California’s coast is not distributed fairly among California’s diverse population. Often, those who can afford to spend the least to visit the coast must spend the most as lower-income communities inland face the highest travel costs and accommodation burdens.”
10 Christensen, Jon., and Phillip King. 2017. Access for All: A New Generations Challenges on the California Coast
11 Where the owner-occupied housing unit rate for 2020-2024 was identified as 67.7% according to the United States Census Bureau (see United States Census Bureau Quick Facts, Pacifica, California).

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weren’t enough primary residents.12 This high rate of occupancy seems to indicate that the majority of homes are owner occupied in Pacifica, at least partly addressing the City’s concern regarding this issue. Additionally, similar to the proposed 60-night cap, a primary residence requirement would affect the availability and operation of unhosted rentals, requiring that unhosted rentals be occupied by the owner for six months of the year. Therefore, rentals which were previously available 365 days a year would now only be available for half of the year, cutting the available nights of unhosted rentals by 50% compared to the existing LCP through these provisions alone, which would be a significant reduction in this type of overnight accommodation. 13 The City has already implemented these regulations outside the coastal zone, providing a glimpse into their potential effects. Since implementing the regulations in late 2025, the number of STRs in the City dropped roughly in half (going from 145 down to 75, with 41 in the coastal zone),14 with a nearly 40% drop in the coastal zone and a nearly 60% drop outside of the coastal zone, where the latter appears to be concentrated in unhosted STR reductions. This almost immediate drop in STRs translates into a fairly significant loss in overnight accommodations available overall within the City, especially because STRs make up a significant portion of that market. 15 Implementing these
regulations within the coastal zone would be expected to lead to even further STR market contraction, leading to a significant loss of overnight accommodations in Pacifica’s coastal zone.

Finally, although the City’s intent with the proposal is to increase longer term housing opportunities, there is little evidence to suggest that the additional proposed restrictions would create such housing opportunities in Pacifica, especially affordable housing opportunities. While the City hopes that fewer STRs will lead to more long-term housing, there is no mechanism to mandate that property owners will rent or sell their properties for longer term residential use if they can’t pursue STRs. Additionally, although the LUP 12 In the City of Encinitas LCP STR case from February 2026, where the rate (there based on primary residence tax exemptions) was 40% for residential properties in the coastal zone. 13 The primary-residence requirement also raises concerns under the Dormant Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution, where that clause generally prohibits state and local laws from favoring local economic interests over out-of-state interests. By limiting STR permits to people whose primary residence is in Pacifica, the ordinance would exclude nonresident owners, including out of state owners, from operating STRs in the City, inconsistent with the Dormant Commerce Clause. This was affirmed in the South Lake Tahoe Property Owners Group v. City of South Lake Tahoe ((2023) 92 Cal.App.5th 735, 759– 767) case, where that court held that an STR exception available only to residents violated the Dormant Commerce Clause. Pacifica’s primary residence requirement creates a similar distinction and is therefore vulnerable to successful legal challenge on constitutional grounds. 14 Of the 41 STRs remaining in the coastal zone, the City estimates that 29 (or over 70%) are unhosted, and 12 are hosted, whereas outside the coastal zone the mix is roughly the opposite, with 26 (or over 75%) hosted rentals and just 8 unhosted rentals, showing the regulation’s effect on unhosted rentals has been oversized. Overall, the current mix is fairly even when both inside and outside the coastal zone STRs are counted, with the City estimating a total of 38 hosted STRs and 37 unhosted STRs in the City altogether.
15 When the 330 hotel and motel rooms available citywide are understood next to the 150 STRs allowed citywide, and where each such STR comes with multiple rooms as a general rule, it is clear that STRs are a significant component of the overall accommodations market in Pacifica, and can be considered the majority of it.

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identifies low and moderate income housing as a priority, there is currently no evidence to suggest that the housing stock in question is affordable even should it be converted to permanent housing. The neighborhoods in which STRs operate are relatively expensive, particularly in the coastal zone given their highly desirable location near the coast.16 Should an STR cease operating, there is no evidence that that residential unit would be available for rent or purchase at a rate affordable for a low- or moderateincome household. Importantly, current STRs in the coastal zone equate to about

0.025% of the City’s housing stock.17 Thus, even if all STRs currently operating in the coastal zone were converted to permanent housing, the increase in housing stock would not make a meaningful difference.

It is also illustrative to consider the overall share of residential units that would be allowed for STR use when taking into account the City’s STR limits. 150 STRs are allowed (although currently only 75 are operating) out of a community with roughly 15,000 housing units. Thus, throughout the City the allowable number of STRs constitutes just 1 percent of residential units overall, which the Commission found was an appropriate balance when the 150 cap was certified in June 2024 (see LCP-2-PAC23-0023-1). 18 Additionally, with the 60-night per year restriction, an STR operator who wishes to rent their home as an unhosted STR would not be able to also rent their home for longer term housing during the remaining 10 months, creating a binary choice, effectively leaving the house empty for most of the year or removing it as an STR. There are, however, measures that can appropriately put safeguards in place to avoid impacting more affordable housing options, as the City’s proposal does by prohibiting unhosted STRs in multi-family dwelling buildings to help ensure the continued availability of multi-family units for longer-term residential uses. In addition, the proposed amendment prohibits STRs in ADUs and JADUs, retaining these ‘more affordable by design’ units as potential more affordable housing resources as well.

In sum, there are significant and complex challenges impacting housing availability and affordability, but there is little evidence showing that the proposed STR regulation in Pacifica would be a significant driver to create more housing. It is evident that there is high demand for housing of all types in Pacifica, and the Commission is committed to working with the City to identify new opportunities for housing, especially affordable housing, within the coastal zone. However, there is little evidence that the proposed STR provisions will lead to any affordable housing, which is the type of housing protected under the LUP, or significantly affect housing availability more broadly. 16 The median home price in Pacifica is $1.3 million, and the median rental price for a 2-bedroom unit is $3,650 per month (as of July 2026, via zillow.com). These homes are generally not financially accessible to low and moderate income purchasers and renters, which fact can be reasonably presumed to extend and apply to such residences that are used as STRs, even more so in the coastal zone where costs to rent and buy are generally even higher on a relative basis. 17 Based on current STR numbers, where there are 41 coastal zone STRs, or 0.025% of the City’s overall housing stock.
18 It should be noted that STRs as a percentage of housing units vary wildly in LCP STR provisions up and down the coast (e.g., ranging from a low of 1% in Half Moon Bay to 15% in Trinidad, all the way up to 50% in certain Marin County coastal areas (like the over 350 allowed STRs in Dillon Beach and Seadrift), and even 100% in some places (e.g., the 255 units in the Seabluffe area of Encinitas west of Highway 101).

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Conversely, it is clear that the proposed provisions would lead to a decrease in public recreational access opportunities, a priority use under the LUP that is required to be maximized. Thus, this amendment, as proposed, does not achieve the balance the Commission seeks with STR provisions, and is inconsistent with the LUP. This is particularly the case as it relates to the most restrictive of the proposed provisions, namely the primary residency requirement and the 60-night limit for unhosted rentals.

When evaluated against the legal standard of review, the proposed IP amendment is not consistent with and is inadequate to carry out the LCP LUP, including its incorporated Coastal Act provisions. Specifically, the proposed LCP amendment is inconsistent with LUP Policies LD-G-1, LD-I-6, PR-I-1, PR-I-2, PR-G-1, and ER-I-41, and incorporated LUP Coastal Act Sections 30210, 30211, 30212, 30213 and 30222.

Modifications Required for Approval
As described above, the main concerns raised with the City’s proposed amendment relate to the primary residency requirement and the 60-night unhosted STR limit. Many of the other proposed provisions will not significantly reduce public recreational access opportunities, and are more common sense in their application, especially as it relates to the series of proposed ‘good neighbor’ type of provisions. In fact, the whole purpose of these types of good neighbor provisions is to ensure that STR operations appropriately blend into their residential setting, including in terms of noise, trash, and parking, which the City suggests is the basis for many STR opposition complaints in Pacifica. The proposed enforcement and revocation provisions would also provide appropriate ‘teeth’ to allow for bad actors in this respect to be disciplined (including the provisions for permit revocation if operators violate the rules two times in a year). Of course, much of the success of these programmatic provisions rests on the City’s commitment to implement and enforce them, but the provisions themselves are strong enough in this respect that they can help ensure neighborhood compatibility, and where there are bad actors, they can be weeded out.

Thus, importantly, almost all of the City’s proposal is adequate to carry out the LUP and approval of these provisions is consistent with and carries out the objectives of LUP Policy PR-G-3 (to prevent against overuse by the public of any particular area; LUP Policy PR-G-26 (to ensure adequate off-street parking to avoid impacting public street parking); LUP Policy PR-G-2 (to ensure that the time, place and manner of public access protects residential privacy); and incorporated LUP Coastal Act Section 30253(e) (to protect certain neighborhoods that are popular visitor destination points because of the characteristics of the neighborhoods themselves). This can form the starting point for an approvable amendment overall.

Among these proposed and approvable provisions, there are important safeguards against turning STRs into a form of major business operation. Specifically, requiring STR operators to be natural persons,
19 and only allowing such individuals to have one
19 Opponents of natural-person requirements argue that such restrictions violate the Equal Protection Clause, relying on Hignell-Stark v. City of New Orleans ((5th Cir. 2025) 154 F.4th 345, 353–356). There, the Fifth Circuit held that New Orleans lacked a rational basis for excluding corporations from STR permits because the City failed to identify a connection between an STR owner’s legal form (i.e. a corporation) and guest behavior or neighborhood impacts. Hignell-Stark, however, is not binding on the Commission, and the Commission concludes that Pacifica’s natural-person requirement could be

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ownership interest in only one STR within the City at a time, helps to avoid the type of mass commercialization that has been raised as a concern in Pacifica This will provide a meaningful barrier to corporate entities attempting to buy up large numbers of properties for the purposes of turning them into STRs. When combined with the already certified 150 cap on STRs, there are clearly adequate safeguards in Pacifica to protect against oversaturation, while still providing for an important STR market.

However, the primary residence requirement and the requirement that unhosted stays be limited to at most 60 nights per year cannot be found LUP consistent, as described above. Thus, both of these restrictions must be removed in order to find the required LUP consistency in this case (see Suggested Modifications 1 and 2). By removing these LUP-inconsistent restrictions, the modified IP amendment can be found consistent with the LUP, and specifically with LUP Policies LD-G-1, LD-I-6, PR-I-1, PRI-2, PR-G-1, and ER-I-41, and incorporated LUP Coastal Act Sections 30210, 30211, 30212, 30213 and 30222.

Conclusion
There is no ‘one size fits all’ STR approach to providing STRs in coastal California, and an appropriate balance must be found in each community that makes sense for both the community and its visitors while remaining Coastal Act and LCP compliant. Finding that balance can be an incredibly difficult process, where that process demands some acknowledgment and deference given for what can be truly competing objectives at times. Ultimately, however, the Commission is tasked under the Coastal Act in reviewing proposed IP changes for consistency with the LUP and only the LUP.

In Pacifica, when focused on the key LUP consistency question, namely whether the proposal maximizes public recreational access opportunities, it is clear that changes are necessary to achieve LUP consistency. In addition, existing coastal access inequities that fall disproportionality on visitors that are not living on the coast may be exacerbated by several of the proposed STR provisions, which further support the conclusion that the proposal cannot be approved as submitted, including when viewed through an environmental justice lens. This is particularly the case in a jurisdiction like Pacifica that already has an STR cap in place, and where additional restrictions of the type proposed have the potential to impact the availability of coastal zone STRs altogether, particularly as it relates to unhosted STRs. Those impacts would only be exacerbated in Pacifica where STRs arguably are the predominant form of overnight accommodation in the City.

Thus, the Commission’s suggested modifications when combined with the rest of the proposed provisions represent not only an LUP consistent version of the regulations, but also represent an appropriate balancing of competing objectives overall. The suggested modifications aim to reduce the likelihood of a substantial reduction in the availability of STRs in the coastal zone, protecting public access opportunities for all, including lower income and disadvantaged communities, while still allowing the rationally related to legitimate governmental purposes. Specifically, the requirement supports individual and small-scale STR operators, limits the consolidation of STR permits by corporate entities, and reduces the risk that affiliated entities could be used to evade permit limits or concentrate control of the local STR market. Restricting permits to natural persons is a rational means of advancing those objectives.

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community of Pacifica to implement its “good neighbor policies” and protect its community character. The result is a balance that makes sense for both a community and its visitors while remaining Coastal Act and LCP compliant.

D. California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
CEQA Section 21080.5(d)(2)(A) prohibits a proposed LCP or LCP amendment from being approved if there are feasible alternatives and/or feasible mitigation measures available that would substantially lessen any significant adverse effect that the LCP or LCP amendment may have on the environment. Although local governments are not required to satisfy CEQA in terms of local preparation and adoption of LCPs and LCP amendments, many local governments use the CEQA process to develop information about proposed LCPs and LCP amendments, including to help facilitate Coastal Act review. In this case, the City exempted the proposed amendment from environmental review (citing California Code of Regulations (CCR) Sections 15061(b)(3) (no significant environmental impact) and 15301 (class 1 – existing facilities)).

The Coastal Commission is not exempt from satisfying CEQA requirements with respect to LCPs and LCP amendments, but the Commission’s LCP/LCP amendment review, approval, and certification process has been certified by the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency as being the functional equivalent of the environmental review required by CEQA (CCR Section 15251(f)). Accordingly, in fulfilling that review, this report has discussed the relevant coastal resource issues with the proposal, and has concluded that the proposed LCP amendment is expected to result in significant environmental effects, including as those terms are understood in CEQA, if it is not modified to address the coastal resource issues identified herein. Accordingly, it is necessary for the Commission to suggest modifications to the proposed LCP amendment to ensure that it does not result in significant adverse environmental effects.

Thus, the proposed LCP amendment as modified will not result in any significant adverse environmental effects for which feasible mitigation measures have not been employed, consistent with CEQA Section 21080.5(d)(2)(A).

4. APPENDICES
A. Substantive File Documents20
 LCP Amendment File for LCP-2-PAC-25-0079-2
 “A Balancing Act: Low-Cost Lodging and Affordable Housing along the California Coast.” Nicholas V. DiRago for Better Neighbors LA (2026)  “America’s Housing Affordability crisis and the Decline of Housing Supply.” Edward Glaeser and Joseph Gyourko (2025).
 “Coastal Access Equity and the Implementation of the California Coastal Act.” Dan R. Reineman; Lisa M. Wedding; Eric H. Hartge; Winn McEnery; Jesse Reiblich. 36 Stan. Envtl. L. J. 89, 108 (2016)
20 Available for review in the Commission’s North Central Coast District office in San Francisco.

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 “Monterey County Overnight Accommodation Market Analysis.” Sarah Jenkins, Kiki Patsch, and Dr. Philip G. King (2025)
 “Supply Constraints Do Not Explain House Price and Quantity Growth Across U.S. Cities.” Louie, Schuyler, John Mondragon, and Johannes Wieland. Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Working Paper 2025-06.
https://doi.org/10.24148/wp2025-06 (2025)
 “Unequal Access: Protecting Affordable Accommodations Along the California Coast.” Dr. Philip G. King and Sarah Jenkins (2020)
 “Access for All: A New Generations Challenges on the California Coast” Christensen, Jon., and Phillip King. (2017).

B. Staff Contact with Agencies and Groups
 City of Pacifica Planning Department
 Pacifica for Responsible Tourism
 Pacifica Homes Are Not Hotels
 AirBnB
 BNLA

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Attachment: Attachment A_W13b-8-2026-report - CCC STR Staff Report (6288 : Short Term Rental - CCC Mods) 1 RESOLUTION NO. 2026-008

A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF PACIFICA INITIATING TEXT AMENDMENT TA-131-26 AND RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE 49 “SHORT-TERM RENTALS” OF CHAPTER 4 OF TITLE 9 OF THE CITY OF PACIFICA MUNICIPAL CODE (PMC) INCLUDING SECTIONS 9-4.4902(m), 9-4.4903(c), 9-4.4904(a), 9-4905(t), AND 9-4905(v),

AS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF ITS LOCAL COASTAL

PROGRAM AS CERTIFIED, WITH SUGGESTED MODIFICATIONS, BY THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION AT THEIR MEETING ON AUGUST 12TH, 2026; AND FINDING THE

TEXT AMENDMENT EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) (FILE NO. 2026-024)
___________________________________________________________________ Initiated by: City of Pacifica
WHEREAS, on June 11, 2018, the City Council of the City of Pacifica adopted Ordinance 835-C.S. adding Article 49 "Short-Term Rentals" ("STRs") to Chapter 4 of Title 9 of the Pacifica Municipal Code to establish regulations governing the short-term rental of residential property within the City of Pacifica; and
WHEREAS, on February 27, 2023, the City Council adopted Ordinance 888-C.S. repealing and replacing Article 49 "Short-term Rentals" of Chapter 4 of Title 9 of the Pacifica Municipal Code relating to the regulation and permitting of short- term rentals; and WHEREAS, during 2024, the City Council advanced Goal 3: prioritize protection and development of affordable housing, Strategy 3.2: Update the Short-Term Rental Ordinance of the City’s Strategic Plan 2023 to 2030; and
WHEREAS, advancement of Goal 3, Strategy 3.2 of the City’s Strategic Plan included a comprehensive evaluation of the program’s status and enforcement activity; and WHEREAS, the California State Legislature has declared that housing is statewide concern; and
WHEREAS, preservation of existing housing is an integral component of the City of Pacifica Housing Element; and
WHEREAS, the stock of naturally affordable housing that comes from multi-family complexes is being impacted by short-term rentals, reducing affordable housing; and

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Attachment: Att B_PC Reso No. 2026-008_STR-Coastal Commission Modifications_executed (6288 : Short Term Rental - CCC Mods) 2 WHEREAS, the City Council held a Study Session on June 24, 2024, to receive information on the Short-Term Rental Program and provide direction on potential ordinance provisions for City staff to research and analyze and bring back to Council; and WHEREAS, the City Council held a Study Session on August 26, 2024, with continued deliberations occurring on September 8, 2024, to consider implementation impacts for each of the policy and regulatory compliance topics discussed at the June Study Session, and to provide direction on provisions for the updated Short-Term Rental Ordinance; and WHEREAS, on November 5, 2024, city staff consulted with California Coastal Commission staff to discuss feasibility of the proposed text amendments; and WHEREAS, during the November 5, 2024 consultation between City staff and CCC staff, four areas of potential concern were identified and feedback was provided, including parking requirements, short-term rental density limitations, use of multi-family dwellings as short-term rentals, and minimum rental duration requirements; and WHEREAS, on December 4, 2024, the City Council held a Special Council Meeting to receive updates regarding the November 5, 2024 consultation meeting between City staff and California Coastal Commission discuss the four topics of concern and provide feedback and direction to staff on ordinance provisions and amendments; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing on the proposed amendments contained in Text Amendment TA-127-25 (File No. 2025-001) (“Draft Ordinance”) on January 21, 2025, and adopted Resolution No. 2025-001 by a vote of 6 to 0 with 0 of absences, initiating and recommending City Council approval of Text Amendment TA127-25.

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Attachment: Att B_PC Reso No. 2026-008_STR-Coastal Commission Modifications_executed (6288 : Short Term Rental - CCC Mods) 3 recommending to the City Council adoption of Text Amendment TA-157-25 (File No. 2025- 001); and
WHEREAS, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing on the proposed ordinance on July 14, 2025, and introduced Ordinance No. 901-C.S. on the same day; and WHEREAS, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing on the proposed ordinance on August 11, 2025, and adopted Ordinance No. 901-C.S. on the same day; and WHEREAS, Public Resources Code Section 30514 provides that any ordinance enacted by the City Council which amends the City's zoning standards or zoning map shall not take effect within the Coastal Zone until the California Coastal Commission certifies an amendment to the City's Local Coastal Program; and
WHEREAS, the City of Pacifica submitted an application for a Local Coastal Program Amendments which included the STR zoning text amendments of Ordinance No. 901-C.S., to the California Coastal Commission on December29, 2025 (LCP-2-PАС-25-0079-2); and WHEREAS, LCP-2-PАС-25-0079-2 was agendized for a duly noticed California Coastal Commission public hearing on February 4, 2026 with a staff recommenation to approve the LCP Amendment “as submitted” but was continued to a date uncertain at the request of Coastal Commission staff; and
WHEREAS, LCP-2-PАС-25-0079-2 was again agendized for a duly noticed California Coastal Commission public hearing on August 12, 2026, but the Coastal Commission staff recommendation had changed to include approval with modifications; and WHEREAS, on that same date, the California Coastal Commission certified the proposed amendments to the Local Coastal Program Amendment, with modifications suggested by the Coastal Commission that would eliminate the primary residency requirement for STRs in areas within the Coastal Zone and increase the maximum number of nights an unhosted STR in areas within the Coastal Zone can be rented from 60 to 120 nights; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to California Public Resources Code section 30513(c), the City of Pacifica may accept, agree, and adopt the modifications to the zoning text certified by the California Coastal Commission and as reflected in Text Amendment TA-131-26 in order to effectuate the STR zoning text amendments in the Coastal Zone; and

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Attachment: Att B_PC Reso No. 2026-008_STR-Coastal Commission Modifications_executed (6288 : Short Term Rental - CCC Mods) 4 WHEREAS, on August 25, 2026, the City Council and Planning Commission held a joint meeting to receive public input and discuss Coastal Commission Modifications to City of Pacifica LCP Amendment Number 2-PAC-25-0079-2; and
WHEREAS, following the special joint meeting, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing at a special meeting on August 25, 2026, on the proposed amendments contained in Text Amendment TA-131-26, and adopted Resolution No. 2026- 008 by a vote of 6-0 with 1 absence initiating and recommending City Council approval of Text Amendment TA-131-26.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Planning Commission of the City of Pacifica as follows:

1. The above recitals are true and correct and material to this Resolution.

2. In making its findings, the Planning Commission relied upon and hereby incorporates by reference all correspondence, staff reports, and other related materials.

3. The Planning Commission hereby finds that the proposed Draft Ordinance and included amendments to Article 49 are consistent with the General Plan and Local Coastal Plan as follows:
a. General Plan Housing Element Program HE-I-7 Preserve Existing Affordable Housing Units, in that:
i. The amended provisions limit the number of unhosted rental nights in areas within the Coastal Zones to ensure that residential units are also available for longer-term habitation (more than 30 days) for the majority of the year.
b. General Plan Policy ES-G-1 Leverage Assets (Leverage Pacifica’s coastal location and unique assets as a primary means to strengthen the local economy, focusing on increasing tourism facilities, including shops, hotels, restaurants, and hiking trails), in that:
i. Short-term rentals increase tourism by providing a diverse range of accommodation options; and
ii. Short-term rentals contribute to the City’s local economy by generating business license tax and transient occupancy taxes

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Attachment: Att B_PC Reso No. 2026-008_STR-Coastal Commission Modifications_executed (6288 : Short Term Rental - CCC Mods) 5 (TOT), revenues from which can be used to fund essential city services such as infrastructure and recreation facility improvements, benefiting both the tourist and local economies; and
iii. Short-term rentals attract a diverse tourist base to the city, introducing new customers to local shops and restaurants; and iv. Tourists who patronize these local businesses directly strengthen the local economy by generating revenue for local businesses and contributing to the city’s sales tax base; and
v. Short-term rentals provide supplemental income opportunities for Pacifica residents, fostering economic empowerment and enabling contribution to the local economy through increased spending at local businesses, or by pursuing their own local business; and vi. The amended provisions to the short-term rental program effectively leverage the city's unique assets and strengthen the local economy.
c. General Plan Policy CD-G-3 Neighborhood Conservation (Preserve the unique qualities of each of Pacifica’s residential neighborhoods.

Incorporate neighborhood narratives into the General Plan to reflect these unique qualities and inform appropriate development standards and other policies), in that:
i. The amended provisions preserve the unique qualities of residential neighborhoods in areas within the Coastal Zone by expanding operating regulations that address potential
neighborhood impacts such as noise, litter, and parking. d. Local Coastal Land Use Plan Implementing Policy LD-I-6, Lower Cost Visitor and Recreational Facilities (protect, encourage, and where feasible, provide lower-cost visitor and recreational facilities in the Coastal Zone.

These include major, free recreational attractions such as Pacifica Pier and Pacifica State Beach; the public golf course at Sharp Park; the San Francisco RV Park; California Coastal Trail and other trails, lower cost overnight accommodations; and numerous beaches accessible at no cost) in that

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Attachment: Att B_PC Reso No. 2026-008_STR-Coastal Commission Modifications_executed (6288 : Short Term Rental - CCC Mods) 6 i. The amended provisions would maintain allowances for STRs within the Coastal Zone, while providing additional regulatory and permitting requirements to address operational impacts on residential uses.

4. The public necessity, convenience, and general welfare clearly permit the adoption of the Draft Ordinance, in that clarifying operating regulations for unhosted short-term rentals to reduce neighborhood impacts and ensures short-term rentals operate in a compatible manner with existing residential uses.

5. The Planning Commission further finds that this Ordinance is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to the commonsense exemption, Section 15061(b)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines, because CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. It can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this Ordinance will have a significant effect on the environment. Additionally, the Ordinance is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15301(Class 1-Existing Facilities) as the Draft Ordinance makes amendments to the City’s current short-term rental permitting program for existing residential dwelling units. The Draft Ordinance involves negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. This Ordinance is an exercise of the City’s police power to reduce the adverse effects of shortterm rentals. As a result, this Ordinance will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment and is not subject to CEQA.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Planning Commission of the City of Pacifica does hereby recommend approval to the City Council of the City of Pacifica the zoning text amendment described in Text Amendment TA-131-26, attached hereto as Exhibit 1 to this Resolution.
*****
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a special meeting of the Planning Commission of the City of Pacifica, California, held on the 25th day of August 2026.

AYES, Commissioners: Berman, Davis, Ferguson, Hauser, Redfield, Sanchez NOES, Commissioners: n/a
ABSENT, Commissioners: Fisher

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Attachment: Att B_PC Reso No. 2026-008_STR-Coastal Commission Modifications_executed (6288 : Short Term Rental - CCC Mods) 7 ABSTAIN, Commissioners: n/a
____________________________
Samantha Hauser, Chair
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
____________________________ _____________________________ Samantha Updegrave, Michelle Kenyon, City Attorney
Community Development Director

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ORDINANCE NO. __________

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PACIFICA TEXT AMENDMENT TA-131-26 AND RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE 49 “SHORTTERM RENTALS” OF CHAPTER 4 OF TITLE 9 OF THE CITY OF PACIFICA MUNICIPAL CODE (PMC) INCLUDING TO SECTIONS, 9-4.4901(m), 9-4.4903(c), 9-

4.4904(a), 9-4905(t), AND 9-4905(v), AS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT CERTAIN

PROVISIONS OF ITS LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM AS CERTIFIED, WITH

SUGGESTED MODIFICATIONS, BY THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION AT THE COASTAL COMMISSION HEARING ON AUGUST 12TH, 2026; AND FINDING

ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) (FILE NO. 2026-024)
WHEREAS, on June 11, 2018, the City Council of the City of Pacifica adopted Ordinance 835-C.S. adding Article 49 "Short-Term Rentals" ("STRs") to Chapter 4 of Title 9 of the Pacifica Municipal Code to establish regulations governing the short-term rental of residential property within the City of Pacifica; and WHEREAS, on February 27, 2023, the City Council adopted Ordinance 888-C.S. repealing and replacing Article 49 "Short-term Rentals" of Chapter 4 of Title 9 of the Pacifica Municipal Code relating to the regulation and permitting of short- term rentals; and
WHEREAS, during 2024, the City Council advanced Goal 3: prioritize protection and development of affordable housing, Strategy 3.2: Update the Short-Term Rental Ordinance of the City’s Strategic Plan 2023 to 2030; and WHEREAS, advancement of Goal 3, Strategy 3.2 of the City’s Strategic Plan included a comprehensive evaluation of the program’s status and enforcement activity; and
WHEREAS, the California State Legislature has declared that housing is statewide concern; and
WHEREAS, preservation of existing housing is an integral component of the City of Pacifica Housing Element; and
WHEREAS, the stock of naturally affordable housing that comes from multi-family complexes is being impacted by short-term rentals, reducing affordable housing; and WHEREAS, the City Council held a Study Session on June 24, 2024, to receive information on the Short-Term Rental Program and provide direction on potential ordinance provisions for City staff to research and analyze and bring back to Council; and

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WHEREAS, the City Council held a Study Session on August 26, 2024, with continued deliberations occurring on September 8, 2024, to consider implementation impacts for each of the policy and regulatory compliance topics discussed at the June Study Session, and to provide direction on provisions for the updated Short-Term Rental Ordinance; and
WHEREAS, on November 5, 2024, city staff consulted with California Coastal Commission staff to discuss feasibility of the proposed text amendments; and WHEREAS, during the November 5, 2024, consultation between City staff and CCC staff, four areas of potential concern were identified and feedback was provided, including parking requirements, short-term rental density limitations, use of multi-family dwellings as short-term rentals, and minimum rental duration requirements; and WHEREAS, on December 4, 2024, the City Council held a Special Council Meeting to receive updates regarding the November 5, 2024, consultation meeting between City staff and California Coastal Commission discuss the four topics of concern and provide feedback and direction to staff on ordinance provisions and amendments; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing on the proposed amendments contained in Text Amendment TA-127-25 (File No. 2025-001) (“Draft Ordinance”) on January 21, 2025, and adopted Resolution No. 2025-001 by a vote of 6 to 0 with 0 of absences, initiating and recommending City Council approval of Text Amendment TA127-25.

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WHEREAS, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing on the proposed ordinance on August 11, 2025, and adopted Ordinance No. 901-C.S. on the same day; and
WHEREAS, Public Resources Code Section 30514 provides that any ordinance enacted by the City Council which amends the City's zoning standards or zoning map shall not take effect within the Coastal Zone until the California Coastal Commission certifies an amendment to the City's Local Coastal Program; and WHEREAS, the City of Pacifica submitted an application for a Local Coastal Program Amendments which included the STR zoning text amendments of Ordinance No. 901-C.S., to the California Coastal Commission on December29, 2025 (LCP-2-PАС25-0079-2); and WHEREAS, LCP-2-PАС-25-0079-2 was agendized for a duly noticed California Coastal Commission public hearing on February 4, 2026 with a staff recommenation to approve the LCP Amendment “as submitted” but was continued to a date uncertain at the request of Coastal Commission staff; and
WHEREAS, LCP-2-PАС-25-0079-2 was again agendized for a duly noticed California Coastal Commission public hearing on August 12, 2026, but the Coastal Commission staff recommendation had changed to include approval with modifications; and
WHEREAS, on that same date, the California Coastal Commission certified the proposed amendments to the Local Coastal Program Amendment, with modifications suggested by the Coastal Commission that would eliminate the primary residency requirement for STRs in areas within the Coastal Zone and increase the maximum number of nights an unhosted STR in areas within the Coastal Zone can be rented from 60 to 120 nights; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to California Public Resources Code section 30513(c), the City of Pacifica may accept, agree, and adopt the modifications to the zoning text certified by the California Coastal Commission and as reflected in Text Amendment TA-131-26 in order to effectuate the STR zoning text amendments in the Coastal Zone; and WHEREAS, on August 25, 2026, the City Council and Planning Commission held a joint meeting to receive public input and discuss Coastal Commission Modifications to City of Pacifica LCP Amendment Number 2-PAC-25-0079-2; and WHEREAS, following the special joint meeting, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing at a special meeting on August 25, 2026, on the proposed amendments contained in Text Amendment TA-131-26, and adopted Resolution No. 2026-008 by a vote of 6-0 with 1 absence initiating and recommending City Council approval of Text Amendment TA-131-26.

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Section 1. Recitals. The City Council of the City of Pacifica does hereby find that the above referenced recitals are true and correct and material to the adoption of this Ordinance.

Section 2. Amendment. Section 9-4.4901, Article 49, “Short-Term Rentals” of Chapter 4, “Zoning” within Title 9, “Planning and Zoning” is amended as follows, with additions identified in underline and deletions identified in strikethrough:
“Sec. 9-4.4901. Definitions.
(m) “Primary residence” means a residence where a Person resides, full-time, for more than six months out of the year. Primary residence shall not include an accessory dwelling unit or a Junior accessory dwelling unit. Primary Residence requirements shall apply outside of the Coastal Zone pursuant to section 9-4.4903(c).”
Section 3. Amendment. Section 9-4.4903, Article 49, “Short-Term Rentals” of Chapter 4, “Zoning” within Title 9, “Planning and Zoning” is amended as follows, with additions identified in underline and deletions identified in strikethrough:
“Sec. 9-4.4903. Standards applicable to Short-term Rental Sites.

The following standards shall apply to any Site offered as a Short-term Rental. No Short-term Rental Permit shall be issued if the Site is not compliant with the following:
(a) In accordance with Section 9-4.453(a)(6) and 9-4.454(a)(6), no Person may Operate a Short-term Rental in any accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit.
(b) No Person shall Operate or allow a Short-term Rental in any location not approved for use as a permanent dwelling unit (received Certificate of Occupancy or equivalent final inspection), including, but not limited to, any vehicle, trailer, tent, storage shed or garage;
(c) In areas outside of the Coastal Zone, each Each Operator Operating a Short-term Rental shall have their Primary Residence at the Site of the Short-term Rental. To prove Primary Residency, the Operator Person must provide at least three forms of documentation to the Administrator evidencing that the Site of the Short-term Rental is their Primary Residence for more than six months of the year. A State or Federally issued

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identification card must be one of the documents provided, and others may include, but are not limited to, proof of homeowner's tax exemption, voter registration card or certificate, or proof of vehicle registration. (d) An Operator shall Operate only one Short-term Rental at any given time; (e) For a single-family residential unit or a residential condominium dwelling unit, one Short-term Rental may Operate as an accessory use on the Site; and
(f) For a Multi-family development, only Hosted Short-term Rentals may be Operated as an accessory use to an individual unit within the Multi-family development.”
Section 4. Amendment. Section 9-4.4904, Article 49, “Short-Term Rentals” of Chapter 4, “Zoning” within Title 9, “Planning and Zoning” is amended as follows, with additions identified in underline and deletions identified in strikethrough:
“Sec. 9-4.4904. - Short-term Rental Permit required.

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v. Floor plan showing the use of all rooms per the California Building Code, and identifying Legally Permitted Bedrooms Rooms, rooms and doors to be used for the Short-term Rental;
vi. If the Operator is not the property owner, the property owner’s written consent to the Short-term Rental use;
vii. In areas outside of the Coastal Zone, the The Operator shall provide documentation required by section 9-4.4903(c) that the Site is the Operator’s Primary Residence;
viii. Identification of whether the Short-term Rental shall be a Hosted or Unhosted Short-term Rental or combination of both, and the estimated number of nights per year the Short-term Rental will be rented;
ix. Advertising platform(s) used by the Operator to advertise the Shortterm Rental; x. Proof that the Operator has installed a Noise Monitor on the exterior of the Short-term Rental in a location to ensure that accurate noise levels can be taken by the Noise Monitor;
xi. Proof of insurance or insurance certificate for the Site. xii. The permit application and any associated business licenses shall include an affidavit signed by the owner under penalty of perjury stating that all the information in the application is correct and that the owner maintains full responsibility that the Short-term Rental shall be advertised, rented, operated, and maintained in compliance with this article and all other relevant municipal codes. Failure to sign the affidavit shall be grounds for denial of a Short-term Rental Permit. (b) The permit application shall be accompanied by an application fee in an amount established by City Council resolution. Applications for a Short-term Rental Permit shall not be deemed complete until all information required by this article is provided and the Short-term Rental application fee, as set by City Council resolution, is paid to the City.
(c) The permit application shall be accompanied by a signed safety declaration, under penalty of perjury, in a form prepared by the Administrator, to be kept in the property file at the City, self-certifying that the Short -term Rental is in a safe and habitable condition and contains working smoke detector(s), carbon monoxide detector(s), and fire extinguishers have been installed

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and maintained consistent with the requirements of and in compliance with the California Fire Code, as adopted by the City in Title 4, Chapter 3, Article 1 of this Code and the California Building Code, International Property Maintenance Code and Residential Code, as adopted by the City in Title 8 of this Code.
(d) Inspection of Short-term Rentals. For Short-term Rentals, the City shall conduct a life, safety and health inspection of the proposed Short-term Rental unit, prior to issuing a Short-term Rental Permit. (i) A life, safety, and health and safety inspection shall include verification of the number of Legally Permitted Bedrooms, the presence and operation of working smoke detector(s), carbon monoxide detector(s), fire extinguishers, pools/spas, and lighted ingress/egress. The City shall also verify that no space has been converted into a bedroom or living space without permits required by the California Building Code, International Property Maintenance Code and Residential Code, as adopted by the City in Title 8, or any other provision of this Code.
(ii) The permit application shall be accompanied by a separate STR inspection fee in an amount established by City Council resolution. (e) Consent to Inspection and Production of Records. For all Short-term Rentals, the permit application shall be accompanied by a consent to inspection in a form prepared by the Administrator, which shall be signed by the Operator and if the Operator is not the owner of the Site, the owner of the Site consenting to (i) physical inspection(s) by city staff, contractors, or representatives for the purpose of verifying compliance with this article during regular business hours (7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) upon forty-eight (48) hours’ notice and (ii) that if said inspection is deemed necessary by the Administrator because of complaints received by the City of noncompliance, the Operator will produce records demonstrating compliance with all provisions of this article within seven (7) calendar days of the request.
(f) Compliance with the Municipal Code. No Short-term Rental Permit shall be issued if there are any unresolved or outstanding building, electrical, plumbing, fire, health, housing, police, or planning violations or enforcement actions issued by the City or other enforcement agency, including but not limited to, any administrative citations, notices of violation, notices to cure, orders of abatement, cease and desist orders, or correction notices related to the Site.

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(g) Compliance with Operation Requirements. No Short-term Rental Permit shall be issued if the Site has had two or more violations of this article within twelve months prior to application submittal. No Short-term Rental Permit shall be issued if the Operator has had a Short-term Rental Permit revoked within twelve months of the application date by the City of Pacifica. (h) Waitlist. The Administrator will maintain a waiting list when the number of Short-term Rental applicants exceeds the Short-term Rental Permit cap identified in Section 9-4.4902. The Administrator will continually maintain the Short-term Rental Permit cap inventory as Permits are not renewed or revoked. Persons wishing to be placed on the waitlist shall submit a waitlist application on a form provided by the City accompanied by the completed Short-term Rental Permit application required by Section 9-4.4904(a). A nonrefundable waitlist application fee in an amount established by resolution of the City Council shall be remitted with the application. Shortterm Rental applications for qualifying properties on the waitlist will be processed bi-annually between October 31 and November 30 of each year and between April 30 and May 31 of each year based on the date of receipt of the application, starting with the oldest date. The Administrator, in their discretion, may require an Applicant placed on the waitlist to provide updated information at the time a Short-Term Rental Permit becomes available, in accordance with requirements in place at the time the application is being considered.
(i) Appeals of Determination of Administrator. Any decision of an Administrator relating to an application or the waitlist may be appealed within ten (10) days of the decision of the Administrator to an administrative hearing officer, pursuant to the process specified in section 9-4.4908(d). (j) All Operators and their respective Sites, authorized by the City for the Operation of a Short-term Rental pursuant to this article, shall be listed on a registry created by the City and updated periodically by the City. The City shall publish the registry on the City’s website, and a copy shall be sent electronically to any Person or Hosting Platform upon request.” Section 5. Amendment. Section 9-4.4905, Article 49, “Short-Term Rentals” of Chapter 4, “Zoning” within Title 9, “Planning and Zoning” is amended as follows, with additions identified in underline and deletions identified in strikethrough:
“Sec. 9-4.4905. Operation Requirements.

A Short-term Rental must comply with the following operation requirements at all times that the Short-term Rental Permit is issued:

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(a) Permit required. The Short-term Rental must be operated under a valid Short-term Rental Permit issued by the City in accordance with Section 9-

4.4904;
(b) The Operator shall, during the term of the Short-term Rental Permit, promptly inform the Administrator regarding any changes to the information provided in the application, including contact information and Advertising platform(s) used by the Operator to advertise the Short-term Rental; (c) The Operator shall, at all times while the Site is being used as a Short-term Rental, maintain a Responsible Party that can be reached via telephone twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week, to respond to complaints regarding the use of the Short-term Rental. The Operator can be identified as the Responsible Party. The Responsible Party shall be a local contact person who shall meet all of the following requirements: 1) be available 24 hours per day and seven days a week when the Short-term Rental is in Operation and 2) be accessible and able to respond in person at the Short-term Rental within a reasonable time of 30 minutes to any complaint regarding condition, operation, or conduct of occupants of the dwelling and 3) be responsive to take remedial action necessary to resolve any violation of the requirements of this article;
(d) The Operator must provide the following materials electronically to any Short-term Renters before arrival and make available printed materials at the Site for the guest with the following information:
i. A diagram of exits, fire extinguisher locations, and fire and police contact numbers;
ii. The Short-term Rental Operator’s contact information; iii The Responsible Party’s contact information;
iv. Information on the maximum allowed number of occupants, parking capacity and location of parking spaces, noise regulations, disclosure that the property is equipped with a noise monitoring device, quiet hours, and trash, composting, and recycling disposal requirements including collection time and date and instructions on collection and use of the collection containers;
v. The City's noise regulations (Chapter 10 of Title 5 of this Code); and vi. The City's Social Host Liability Ordinance (Chapter 28 of Title 5 of this Code);
(e) The Operator shall include the City-issued Short-term Rental Permit number in any Advertising platform or any other advertisement appearing in any newspaper, magazine, brochure, television trade paper, internet website, etc., that promotes the availability or existence of a Short-term Rental on the Site. The Short-term Rental Permit number must also be prominently and legibly included in the first line of the property description text in any

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advertisement in the following format: “City of Pacifica Short-term Rental Permit No. #### ”;
(f) Each Short-term Rental Site shall be identified with a single, weatherproof exterior sign, not more than two (2) square feet in total area, posted either at the front of the Site and visible from the right-of-way for single family dwellings, or on the door if it is a hosted Multi-family dwelling unit or condominium, indicating the Site is being utilized as a Short-term Rental.

The sign shall include the Short-term Rental Permit number and a Quick Response (QR) code that is a minimum of 3-by-3 inches with the Operator’s name and contact information and the Responsible Party’s name and contact information, if different, and a link to the City’s code enforcement website. The sign shall be in a form approved by the Administrator. At a minimum, the sign shall be posted while the Site is being utilized as a Shortterm Rental; (g) A Short-term Rental shall not create pedestrian, automobile, or truck traffic detrimental to property in the vicinity or neighborhood parking impacts. The property address shall be clearly marked;
(h) A Short-term Rental shall comply with all provisions of the Pacifica Municipal Code, including, but not limited to the City’s noise regulations (Chapter 10 of Title 5 of this Code) and the Loud and Unruly Gatherings and Social Host Liability Ordinance (Chapter 28 of Title 5 of this Code), Garbage, Collection and Recycling (Chapter 5 of Title 6 of this Code), and the Building Regulations (Chapters 1-17 of Title 8 of this Code); (i) A Short-term Rental shall comply with all applicable state and local laws and orders, including any public health order;
(j) Each Person Operating a Short-term Rental shall comply with the transient occupancy tax requirements set forth in Chapter 7 of Title 3 (Transient Occupancy Tax) of this Code, and shall obtain a Transient Occupancy Registration Certificate pursuant to Section 3.7-06 for the entire period of time the Site is used as a Short-term Rental;
(k) Each Person Operating a Short-term Rental shall obtain a business license and pay the business license tax required pursuant to Chapter 1 of Title 3 (Business Licenses) of this Code for the entire period of time the Site is used as a Short-term Rental;
(l) The Operator of a Hosted Short-term Rental must be on-Site between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. when the Site is being utilized as a Shortterm Rental;

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(m) Maximum overnight occupancy for all Short-term Rentals shall not exceed two (2) Short-term Renters per Legally Permitted Bedroom. Children under the age of six (6) shall not count towards these occupancy limits; (n) In addition to the maximum number of Short-term Renters allowed, the number of Visitors allowed at any time in a Short-term Rental shall not exceed one half of the maximum Short-term Renters allowed, and visitor hours are limited to 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.;
(o) Short-term Renters shall not make any excessive or loud noise during Quiet Hours from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. daily;
(p) Use of all outdoor pools, spas and hot tubs shall be prohibited between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.;
(q) In addition to the noise standards identified in Chapter 10 of Title 5 and Chapter 28 of Title 5 of this Code, no radio receiver, musical instrument, phonograph, compact disk player, loudspeaker, karaoke machine, sound amplifier, or any machine, device or equipment that produces or reproduces any sound shall be used outside or be audible from the outside of any Shortterm Rental. Any machine, device or equipment that amplifies music inside any Short-term Rental shall not be heard beyond the property line of the Short-term Rental at all times;
(r) Each Operator shall install and maintain in continuous operation a Noise Monitor on the exterior of the Short-term Rental to ensure compliance with the City’s noise regulations (Chapter 10 of Title 5 of this Code). The Operator shall retain a record of the Noise Monitor readings for a period of thirty (30) days after each Rental of the Short-term Rental; (s) The Short-term Rental must provide at least one off-street parking space per Legally Permitted Bedroom that is being utilized as a Short-term Rental, which shall be dedicated and available to Short-term Renters during the period of the Rental;
(t) Short-term Rentals shall not be concurrently used for any commercial Event (such as a corporate retreat or conference), and shall not be used for any non-commercial Event that is likely to result in a violation of traffic, parking, noise, or other standards regulating the residential use and character of the neighborhood. Home occupations conducted by the operator primary resident compliant with the City’s home occupation ordinance are allowed; provided that parking and all other requirements for both the Short-term Rental and the home occupation are met;
(u) Short-term Rental use shall comply with trash and recycling requirements and scheduled solid waste pick-up days at least once per week. Trash and

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recycling containers shall be located to be readily accessible for servicing, but shall not be placed within the limits of any street, road, avenue, way, alley, public place, or any other places as to constitute a nuisance; and (v) Unhosted Short-Term Rentals. The following additional operation requirements shall apply only to Unhosted Short-term Rentals:
i. In areas outside of the Coastal Zone, an An Unhosted Short-term Rental shall be Operated no more than 60 nights per year, commencing on October 31st of each year and ending October 30th of each year.
ii. In areas within the Coastal Zone, unhosted short-term rental shall be operated no more than 120 nights per year, commencing on October 31 of each year and ending October 30 of each year.
iiiii. Minimum Stay. Unhosted Short-term Rentals shall have a minimum two consecutive night stay for Short-term Renters.
iviii. Unhosted Short-term Rentals are prohibited in Multi-family development units.”
Except as specifically modified herein, all other provisions of Article 49 shall remain unchanged.

Section 6. Compliance with CEQA. The City Council hereby finds that the action to adopt this Ordinance is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to the CEQA Guidelines (14 Cal. Code Regs. 15000 et seq.), including without limitation under Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility the adoption of this Ordinance may have a significant effect on the environment. The revised ordinance will continue to allow a maximum of 150 Short-term rentals in the City, the same number as the existing ordinance and will primarily establish operational requirements for existing short-term rentals that are designed to address community concerns and ensure responsible Shortterm rental operations. The revisions to the ordinance also do not involve any physical changes to the environment or the construction of new facilities or infrastructure.

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Section 8. Publication. The City Clerk is hereby ordered and directed to certify to the passage of this Ordinance by the City Council of the City of Pacifica, California, and cause the same to be published in accordance with State law.

AYES:

NOES:

ABSTAIN:

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Pacifica City CouncilSeptember 8, 2026

Pacifica City Council
September 8, 2026