Monday, November 3, 2025
Port Hueneme City Hall
250 North Ventura Road, Port Hueneme, CA 93041
6:30 PM Regular Meeting
Supplemental Packet
This Supplement Packet includes any written public comments received by the deadline as posted on the agenda, as well as any additional written materials related to agenda items that were distributed to a majority of the legislative body less than 72 hours before the meeting.
These materials are also available for public inspection at the City of Port Hueneme City Clerk’s Office – 250 North Ventura Road, Port Hueneme, CA 93041.
Written Public Comments
Submitted by the 3pm deadline
(Instructions for Public Comment are provided on the first page of the meeting agenda.) From: Kelly Wilmer
Sent: Saturday, November 1, 2025 11:07 AM
To: City Clerk
Subject: City Council Public Comment 9 Nov 3rd Meeng
Dear Council Members,
Port Hueneme is a beautiful beach community and compared to other nearby communities is residential in nature. I want to address some of the concerns you listed.
Parking - predominantly your STR's will be in HOA communities. Those HOA communities already have their own rules for all residents of the community.
Parking rules must be consistent and fair for the entire community not single out STR's. That may be considered selective enforcement. STR's also have to follow HOA rules and regulations like all other residents. Owners will list that in their welcome packet.
I would suggest once you get to a point of having Coastal Commission permission, you add some easy to follow guidelines on your website. Airbnb, VRBO and furnished finders list for long term rentals as well as short term.
How does your separation requirement work in condos? If there are two levels is it by floor of by physical space regardless of floor? Do you grandfather in existing STR's that are beyond your separation requirement? Do you truly believe there is an over concentration of STR's? It appears many are converting to long term rentals or selling. You can see the same on realtor.com. I don't believe a separation requirement is practical with your condo density.
I would also recommend you separate your charges. First time onboarding and physical inspection/permit should be a higher fee and a lower annual renewal fee. Please review Ventura for an example.
You mention 10% total housing units - how many is that? It is also important that you let the public know that none of this becomes law until the Coastal Commission approves it.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Kelly Wilmer
Supplemental Documents
Additional written materials related to agenda items that were distributed to a majority of the legislative body less than 72 hours before the meeting.
From: paul
Sent: Friday, October 31, 2025 10:43 PM
To: Council WebMail; Hernandez, Laura D.; Gama, Steven A.; Lopez, Jess A; McQueen-Legohn, Martha
Subject: Short Term Rental Ordinance
Aachments: Aachment A Agenda Packet Nov 3 2025.docx
Hello Council Members,
I own a single family home in Port Hueneme that I rent on a short term basis.
My primary market is bookings for 2 to 3 nights with groups of up to ten (10) people.
I never book less than two (2) nights per group to ensure that only responsible guests are using the property. I have also received numerous unsolicited compliments from my neighbors for renting to such high quality guests.
These renters are typically families or extended families that wish to gather to celebrate occasions such as weddings, birthdays, and christenings. These are very responsible groups that have yet to generate a single complaint; noise, trash, parking or otherwise. They also bring tourist dollars into the city.
This STR also generates tax revenue for the city and gives these folks the option to house their friends and family in a local setting with all the comforts of home at a low price rather than booking at an expensive out of town hotel.
However, this regulation is excessive with arbitrary caps on density, separation, occupancy, potential minimums on days per booking and bookings per year. It is not clear what the city is trying to achieve with this or how it will even know whether it has achieved it, but I do know it will cause unnecessary harm. It puts at risk income that I need to maintain the property and pay extremely high taxes in excess of $8,000.00 per year to the county alone.
I have attached my comments concerning Attachment A of the agenda packet regarding the upcoming Nov 3, 2025 council meeting. I feel that much of the wording in this ordinance is so vague and unenforceable that it could easily be challenged in court and that is exactly where this is headed.
Kind Regards,
Paul
Related to Agenda Item No. 9
Ordinance No. , Page 1 of 7
Agenda Item No. 09 Page 5 of 11 CC Agenda 11-03-2025
Attachment A
ORDINANCE NO. XXX
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT HUENEME, CALIFORNIA, ADDING ARTICLE V, CHAPTER 10 OF THE PORT HUENEME
MUNICIPAL CODE PERTAINING TO SHORT-TERM RENTALS
WHEREAS, the City recognizes that short-term rentals have become an increasingly common use of residential properties through online platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo; and WHEREAS, short-term rentals can provide economic benefits, visitor accommodations, and support local tourism, but may also create potential impacts related to noise, parking, trash and neighborhood character; and
WHEREAS, the Council directed staff on August 18, 2025, to prepare a “moderate regulatory framework” establishing a balanced program that allows short-term rentals to operate with reasonable limitations and clear enforcement mechanisms; and WHEREAS, this Ordinance establishes a permitting process, operational standards, nuisance-response requirements, density and spacing limits, and enforcement provisions designed to protect neighborhood livability as well as maintain a level playing field among lodging providers; and
WHEREAS, the Council finds that these regulations are necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare by ensuring short-term rentals operate responsibly and contribute fairly to the community through transient occupancy tax and permit fees.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT HUENEME, CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1: RECITALS AND FINDINGS. The above recitals are all true and correct.
SECTION 2: ADOPTION OF ARTICLE V, CHAPTER 10. Article V, Chapter 10, Short-Term Rentals, commencing with Section 5661 is hereby adopted within the Port Hueneme Municipal Code as follows:
Section 5661 Purpose
The purpose of this Chapter is to regulate the use of residential dwellings as short-term rentals, to preserve the residential character of neighborhoods, minimize adverse impacts related to noise, parking, trash, and overcrowding, ensure fair contribution to public services through taxes and fees, and provide a balanced regulatory framework consistent with the California Coastal Act.
Section 5662 Definitions
For purposes of this Chapter, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) Short-Term Rental (STR): The rental of a dwelling unit, or any portion thereof, for occupancy of fewer than thirty (30) consecutive calendar days. (b) Owner: The individual or entity that has legal title or control of the property. (c) Operator: The owner or other responsible person who holds a valid short-term rental permit and is legally responsible for compliance with this Chapter. (d) Dwelling Unit: A single unit providing complete independent living facilities for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation.
Related to Agenda Item No. 9
Ordinance No. , Page 2 of 7
Agenda Item No. 09 Page 6 of 11 CC Agenda 11-03-2025
(e) Guest: Any person renting, occupying, or otherwise using a short-term rental for lodging or sleeping purposes, including invitees and occupants other than the operator or local contact person.
(f) Local Contact Person: A person designated by the operator who is available twenty-four (24) hours per day and capable of responding to complaints within the required timeframes.
(g) Rent: Any form of monetary or non-monetary consideration, including but not limited to payment, fee, service, credit, gift, exchange, or donation, whether paid directly or indirectly, received by the owner, operator, or any person acting on their behalf, in return for the occupancy or use of a dwelling unit, or any portion thereof, as a short-term rental.
(h) Nuisance Response Plan: A City-approved plan describing measures to prevent and address potential nuisances including noise, parking, trash, and disorderly conduct, and outlining procedures for timely complaint response.
Section 5663 Permit Requirements
(a) No person shall operate a short-term rental without first obtaining a short-term rental permit issued by the City.
(b) A valid City business license and registration certificate for collection of transient occupancy tax (TOT) are required in addition to the permit. (c) Permits shall be issued for one (1) year, are non-transferable, and shall expire upon transfer of ownership.
(d) Renewal of a short-term rental permit may be denied if the operator has accrued three (3) or more verified violations within the preceding twelve (12) months, failed to pay required Transient Occupancy Tax, or otherwise failed to maintain good standing with the City. If a permit expires, the request for a permit would be treated as a new permit subject to any established waiting list. (e) The City may require an inspection or updated Nuisance Response Plan prior to renewal to ensure continued compliance.
Section 5664 Application Requirements
An application for a short-term rental permit shall include:
(a) Completed application form and payment of an annual fee of nine hundred ninetyfive dollars ($995). (b) Proof of ownership or notarized authorization from the property owner. (c) Floor plan identifying the number of bedrooms and a site plan showing available parking spaces and trash storage areas.
(d) Identification of the local contact person, including name, address, email address, and phone number.
(e) Applicants must provide proof of property liability insurance for the short-term rental unit.
(f) A nuisance response plan addressing how the operator will mitigate potential noise, trash, and parking issues.
Section 5665 Operating Standards
(a) Occupancy shall be limited to two (2) persons per bedroom plus two (2) additional persons, not to exceed ten (10) persons in any dwelling. (b) Quiet hours shall be observed daily between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. (c) Operators shall maintain sufficient off-street parking for short-term rental use. One (1) off-street parking space shall be required for a short-term rental consisting of a single bedroom, and two (2) or more off-street parking spaces shall be required for Commented [PQ1]: Why is such as high fee needed
here?
Why does it take $995.00 to process a simple
application?
Commented [PQ2R1]: STRs already pay a hefty T.O.
tax, where does that money go by the way?
Commented [PQ3]: How many STR noise, trash and
parking complaints did the city receive this year?
How often are we really seeing these problems?
What drives the city to exercise this level of control? Commented [PQ4]: What is so special about the
number 10 here?
There are a number of larger single family dwellings
that list on STR sites that could easily accommodate
much more than 10 guests.
If the city is concerned about a noise problem it should monitor complaints for noise and let the property
owners run the operation to comply accordingly. Again
more over regulation.
By the way this requirement adversely impacts family
friendly gatherings that are responsible and well
managed.
Related to Agenda Item No. 9
Ordinance No. , Page 3 of 7
Agenda Item No. 09 Page 7 of 11 CC Agenda 11-03-2025
a short-term rental consisting of two (2) or more bedrooms. Garages and driveways shall be made available for guest use and may be counted toward required spaces. Tandem parking may be permitted provided it does not obstruct sidewalks, driveways, or fire access.
(d) Trash shall be stored in proper containers and placed for collection only in accordance with the City schedules. Instructions shall be posted inside the unit. (e) House rules, occupancy limits, quiet hours, trash instructions, parking requirements, permit number, and local contact information shall be posted conspicuously inside the dwelling within six (6) feet of the main entrance. (f) Exterior display of contact information, house rules, and valid City permit number for neighbor reporting shall be required. Such display shall be visible from the public right-of-way and include the 24-hour contact phone number of the local contact person, the City-issued permit number, a summary of house rules addressing noise, parking, and occupancy limits, and instructions for neighbors on how to report disturbances or violations.
(g) Each short-term rental shall have a minimum stay requirement of at least one (1) consecutive night. The City Council may, by resolution, adjust the minimum stay requirement if warranted to address community impacts or California Coastal Commission certification conditions. Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit an operator from imposing a longer minimum stay.
(h) Short-term rentals shall not host events, weddings, or other commercial gatherings that exceed permitted occupancy.
(i) Operators shall maintain functional smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and comply with all applicable building and fire codes.
(j) Short-term rentals shall not be operated in accessory dwelling units (ADUs), affordable housing units, or mobile homes.
Section 5666 Nuisance Response Plan
(a) Each operator shall submit and adhere to a Nuisance Response Plan approved by the City Manager or designee.
(b) The plan shall, at a minimum, include:
1. Procedures for responding to noise, parking, trash, or disorderly conduct complaints within the timeframes specified in Section 5667;
2. Contact information for the owner, operator, and local contact person;
3. A method for guests to be informed of neighborhood expectations, including delivery of written “Good Neighbor Guidelines” to all guests upon arrival;
4. Procedures for monitoring guest compliance with occupancy and parking limits;
5. Actions the operator will take to prevent recurrence of violations, including guest eviction procedures where appropriate; and
6. A statement acknowledging that repeated nuisance activity may result in permit suspension or revocation.
(c) Failure to adhere to the approved Nuisance Response Plan shall constitute a violation of this Chapter and may result in suspension or revocation of the shortterm rental permit.
Section 5667 Complaint Response
(a) The local contact person shall acknowledge complaints within fifteen (15) minutes during quiet hours and within thirty (30) minutes at other times.
Commented [PQ5]: Why is the city mandating garage
access if there is adequate on site parking otherwise?
This seems to be another example of a frivolous
requirement.
Commented [PQ6]: What are the neighbors expected
to do with this information, why would they need it?
They would just care about a potential noise issue,
right?
This is more frivolous content.
Commented [PQ7]: I have never seen a single STR or
STR website that allows anything less than a one night
booking so again, what is the city trying to say here?
Seems vague.
Commented [PQ8]: Why is the city linking number of
visitors to number of occupants?
As mentioned there are many large single family
properties on STR sites that have more than enough
space to accommodate visitor numbers above the
stated maximums for occupants.
Again what is the city trying to achieve here?
Appears to be more excessive, unnecessary
regulation.
Related to Agenda Item No. 9
Ordinance No. , Page 4 of 7
Agenda Item No. 09 Page 8 of 11 CC Agenda 11-03-2025
(b) The local contact person shall appear on-site within thirty (30) minutes during quiet hours and within sixty (60) minutes at other times if necessary to resolve complaints.
(c) The local contact person must maintain a physical residence or business address within thirty (30) miles of the City of Port Hueneme.
(d) Operators shall maintain a complaint log, documenting the date, time, nature of complaint, response time, and resolution, and provide copies to the City upon request. Failure to maintain or produce the complaint log upon request shall be deemed a violation subject to administrative citation.
Section 5668 Density Cap
The purpose of this cap is to prevent over-concentration of short-term rentals and preserve the availability of long-term housing consistent with the City’s General Plan and Coastal Act policies.
(a) The number of short-term rental permits issued by the City shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the City’s total housing units.
(b) If applications exceed the allowable cap, the City shall allocate permits by lottery. (c) To prevent over-concentration, the City shall also apply the separation requirements established in Section 5-10.109 of this Chapter, subject to review and approval by the California Coastal Commission where applicable.
Section 5669 Separation Requirement
(a) No short-term rental shall be issued a permit when a short-term rental permit has already been issued to another property that is either:
1. within one hundred (100) horizontal feet of the proposed short-term rental in the R-2 or R-3 zones; or
2. within two hundred (200) horizontal feet of the proposed short-term rental in the R-1 zone or any other residential or mixed-use zone. (b) The one hundred (100) foot and two hundred (200) foot separations shall be measured horizontally from all parcel lines of property ownership as established by the legal description for the property on record with the County of Ventura. (c) Notwithstanding any language in this subsection to the contrary, the one hundred (100) foot and two hundred (200) foot separation requirements shall not apply to a dwelling unit within a multi-unit development:
1. That is subject to the Vacation Ownership and Time-share Act of 2004 (Cal.
Bus. & Prof. Code, Section 11210 et seq.); and
2. That became subject to the Vacation Ownership and Time-share Act of 2004 on or before January 1, 2019.
(d) The City Manager or designee may grant a waiver from the separation requirement for properties divided by major streets, waterways, or nonresidential parcels, provided such exception will not contribute to over-concentration or nuisance conditions.
Section 5670 Inspections and Monitoring
(a) Complaint-based inspections may occur at any time during the permit term. (b) The City may contract with a third-party compliance monitoring service to identify unpermitted short-term rentals, track listings, and verify TOT collection.
Section 5671 Enforcement and Penalties
(a) Violations of this Chapter are subject to administrative fines, suspension, or revocation of the permit.
Commented [PQ9]: Who is filing these complaints and
what is the complaint filing process that they need to
follow? This seems vague.
Commented [PQ10]: How is this number determined?
Does a duplex count as 1 or 2 units? Again vague and
subject to interpretation.
Commented [PQ11]: City states that there are a total
of 58 short term rentals operating in the city at present.
What then drives the city to go to these lengths to
enforce such a draconian restriction?
Related to Agenda Item No. 9
Ordinance No. , Page 5 of 7
Agenda Item No. 09 Page 9 of 11 CC Agenda 11-03-2025
(b) Three (3) substantiated violations within a twenty-four (24) month period may result in permit revocation. A former permittee whose permit was revoked shall not reapply for twelve (12) months following the effective date of revocation. (c) Each day of continued violation constitutes a separate offense. (d) Operation of a short-term rental without a valid permit shall constitute a misdemeanor offense.
Section 5672 Fees
(a) The annual permit fee shall be nine hundred ninety-five dollars ($995). (b) All operators shall remit transient occupancy tax in accordance with Article II, Chapter 7, Part B of the Port Hueneme Municipal Code.
(c) Fees and TOT revenues shall be used to fund program administration, inspection, complaint response, and enforcement activities.
(d) The City may amend the permit fee by resolution as necessary to recover costs associated with program administration.
Section 5674 Recordkeeping
(a) Operators shall maintain records of all rental transactions, including guest names, dates of stay, rent collected, and TOT remitted, for a period of three (3) years. (b) Records shall be furnished to the City within five (5) business days upon request.
Section 5675 Appeals
Any person aggrieved by a decision of the City Manager or designee may appeal such decision in writing to the City Council within ten (10) calendar days of the decision. The City Council’s decision shall be final.
Section 5676 Severability
If any section, subsection, clause, or phrase of this chapter is declared invalid, the remainder shall continue in full force and effect.
Section 5677 Coastal Zone Applicability
This ordinance shall not become effective within the Coastal Zone until it has been certified by the California Coastal Commission pursuant to the California Coastal Act.
SECTION 3: ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW. The Council exercises its independent judgment and finds that the proposed ordinance is not subject to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 16060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment), and Section 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because the proposed ordinance has no potential for resulting in any significant physical change to the environment, either directly or indirectly.
SECTION 4: ENFORCEABILITY. Repeal of any provision of the Port Hueneme Municipal Code does not affect any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred before, or preclude prosecution and imposition of penalties for any violation occurring before this Ordinance’s effective date. Any such repealed part will remain in full force and effect for sustaining action or prosecuting violations occurring before the effective date of this Ordinance.
SECTION 5: SEVERABILITY. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this Chapter is held to be invalid or unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction for any reason, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Chapter. The Commented [PQ12]: How many violations did the city
experience this year?
What is driving this?
Commented [PQ13]: Is this a criminal or civil offense?
Again, vague and subject to interpretation.
Related to Agenda Item No. 9
Ordinance No. , Page 6 of 7
Agenda Item No. 09 Page 10 of 11 CC Agenda 11-03-2025
Council declares that it would have adopted each section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this Chapter irrespective of whether one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, phrases, or portions of this Chapter be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 6: EFFECTIVE DATE. This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after its final passage.
SECTION 7: COASTAL ZONE CERTIFICATION. This Ordinance shall not become effective within the Coastal Zone until it has been certified by the California Coastal Commission pursuant to the California Coastal Act.
SECTION 8: CERTIFICATION. The City Clerk of the City is hereby directed to certify to the passage an adoption of this Ordinance and to cause it to be published as required by law.
PASSED and ADOPTED on this day of 2025.
Martha R. McQueen-Leoghn
Mayor
ATTEST:
Georgianna Nicole Alvarez
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Joan Stevens Smyth
City Attorney
Related to Agenda Item No. 9
Ordinance No. , Page 7 of 7
Agenda Item No. 09 Page 10 of 11 CC Agenda 11-03-2025
CERTIFICATION
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF VENTURA ) SS.
CITY OF PORT HUENEME )
I, Georgianna Nicole Alvarez, City Clerk of the City of Port Hueneme, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance No. was introduced at the regular meeting of , 2025, and duly adopted at the regular meeting of , 2025, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
Dated:
Georgianna Nicole Alvarez
City Clerk
Related to Agenda Item No. 9