Excessive partying, noise, cars and trash — these are some of the longstanding complaints made by Murrieta residents living near short-term vacation rental homes.
For example, on Sunday, Oct. 4, Michael Sullivan and his wife, Barbara, said their security camera caught footage of a drunk male in their driveway, presumably a rental guest, trying to get into their front patio.
“We’ll hear guests by the pool all night long, and have been dealing with the loud noises, cars all over the place,” Michael Sullivan said. “It seems they usually take the house for a two- or three-day weekend and spend most of the day at the Temecula wineries.”
Guests return from Temecula Valley Wine Country inebriated, make noise well past 10 p.m. and leave trash on streets and sidewalks, said Michael Sullivan, who says there are four short-term rentals in his neighborhood at the Golf Club at Rancho California.
The Sullivans and other neighbors hope the situation improves after a Monday, Oct. 12, Murrieta City Council meeting at which the council will consider changing city codes on short-term vacation rentals.
Options suggested by city administrators include:
- Permitting the rentals in all residential zones across the city, with a 300-foot radius between rentals in the same neighborhood
- Limiting the rentals to larger estate lots and to rural areas, with a 300-foot radius between rentals
- Limiting the rentals to estate and rural areas without a space requirement
The issue arises as short-term vacation rental sites such as Airbnb, FlipKey by TripAdvisor and Vrbo (formerly HomeAway) continue to be popular.
Murrieta planning commissioners last month voted 3-2 to update the city’s policy on short-term rentals. At that meeting, many residents said they preferred the option to push rentals to areas with larger lots — essentially limiting the number in residential neighborhoods.
In addition to the concerns raised by neighbors, city officials cited benefits of the rentals such as that owners can become “ambassadors” for the city, which could encourage tourism.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, Murrieta had about 250 rentals, which includes those in which the owner was on site during the rental time, city planner Jarett Ramaiya said at the meeting. Officials hope to cap the number at around 300. The maximum number of people allowed in a traditional rental is 10.
In neighboring Temecula, officials banned short-term rentals in January, with a fine of $1,000 for violators.
Other solutions discussed at the planning commission meeting included rigorous enforcement, a 24-hour neighbor hotline with the homeowner or manager’s contact information, temporary public signs and requiring city parking passes for guests.
Councilman Kelly Seyarto said the city has had repeated complaints about more rentals popping up in neighborhoods.
“We just want to try and make decisions that keep in mind the quality of life people want, and adhere to people’s property rights.” Seyarto said. “It’s a complicated issue that needs a lot of balancing out.”
Real estate agent Rajesh “Rocky” Madan manages three short-term rental properties, all four- to five-bedroom homes, owned by a Northern California couple. Madan said that, aside from renting regularly to vacationers, the properties are often used for weeks at a time by families whose homes have been damaged or lost in a fire or other emergency.
“We’ve always vetted the people booking, and we turn down large groups that have a possibility of being partiers,” he said. “We’ve always rented to more multi-generational families looking for an alternative to a hotel. It gives them the opportunity to hang out and have meals together, things you just can’t do in a hotel room.”
Madan said many property managers favor city regulation, permits or penalties for non-compliance — and the ability to weed out owners and managers who don’t address neighbors’ concerns.
“We don’t want to be a nuisance to the neighborhood; we want to be more of an asset,” he said.
Murrieta native Harry Taylor has hosted guests in his home through Airbnb for three years. Though he lives on the property, Taylor said he and his wife leave when guests arrive.
Their $350- to $450-a-night rental home is in most demand on weekends and draws mostly couples, all-female groups, or families “looking for a little weekend getaway.” Taylor said he vets all groups, making sure he meets everyone in person to go over the house rules before their stay. He charges a two-night minimum and a cleaning fee.
While he isn’t opposed to property tax, legislation, or transparency with the business, Taylor thinks shutting short-term rentals down altogether is not a good solution.
“If the city were to get rid of (short-term rentals), it would cost a lot of money — the hotels in this area are very pricey and crowded on the weekends,” he said. “I think we provide a huge service that’s good for the community. We’re still good Murrieta residents and neighbors — I think there’s a solution that can be good for everybody.”
IF YOU GO
What: A special Murrieta City Council meeting to consider a city ordinance for short-term vacation rentals.
When: Monday, Oct. 12, 2 p.m.
Details: The meeting, which is virtual only, will be livestreamed on Zoom, the city’s website, http://onbase.murrietaca.gov/onbaseagendaonline and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CityofMurrieta
To comment: Send an email to City Clerk Stephanie Smith, ssmith@murrietaca.gov, by Monday, Oct. 12, specifying that one wishes to comment on agenda #PH1 on short-term vacation rentals. Comments can only be made by email or on Zoom.
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Murrieta neighbors complain about short-term rentals as council set to vote - Press-Enterprise
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