ALERT - Newport Beach City Council to Consider Final Approval of 75 New STR Permits in Mixed-Use Zones

Next Tuesday, the Newport Beach City Council will discuss and consider final approval of plans to create 75 new STR permits in the City in Mixed-Use Zones and move them to the front of the line, delaying property owners who have waited legally and patiently on the waitlist for their permits by seven to ten years.

Details on City Council Meeting Here.

Public Notice Here

This policy was originally approved by the City Council before NBSTRA was formed. It was subject to Coastal Commission review, which has now been granted with minor changes. The City Council must now adopt this final version at a public hearing, scheduled for next Tuesday at 4 PM at Newport Beach City Hall.

Approvals after Coastal Commission review are often adopted without much comment, but we feel it’s important for NBSTRA to speak up.

NBSTRA supports STR permits in mixed-use zones. STR guests shop more and dine more locally than other visitors. STR guests, especially those in mixed-use zones, support local small businesses by staying right in the middle of shopping and dining.

However, we have serious concerns that:

1. These changes were made without any input from the existing STR community,

2. These 75 new permits are moved to the front of the line, setting back existing wait list members by upwards of 10 years, and

3. The City should also be encouraging more STRs in other mixed-use zones, like Balboa Island and the Peninsula, where many local shops are struggling.

Speaking at City Hall for our STR community is exactly why we formed the NBSTRA. Our city lobbyist will be at the Council meeting and make sure our voice is heard, even if the final adoption is all but assured.

This is also why we need you to join the dozens of your fellow STR owners, managers and wait-listers in the City who are already NBSTRA members. Only by representing the collective interests of all these property owners and businesses can we have the clout to be heard at City Hall.

We’re asking you to take immediate action:

1. If you are local in Newport Beach, it’s always a good idea to attend the City Council meeting so the City knows our members are engaged.

2. Similarly, you can email the City Council at citycouncil@newportbeachca.gov, and express your thoughts. We recommend being supportive of STRs in mixed-use zones, while encouraging the City to engage more with NBSTRA and the STR community for input on future changes.

3. If you have not already done so, join the NBSTRA now so we can continue to build our collective political influence in Newport Beach.

NBSTRA representatives will be at the Council meeting to represent you, but it is important that the City Council knows our members are organized now and ready to speak up. We’ll report back on what happens at the Council meeting next week.