Dana Point City Council will have final say on short-term rental ordinance

A short-term rental ordinance in Dana Point will be decided only by the Dana Point City Council.

Councilwoman Debra Lewis says on a three-to-two vote, the council denied a resolution that would have given voters the opportunity to decide whether an ordinance approved by the city council and the California Coastal Commission may go into effect.

She says the room was packed with people on both sides of the issue. But they all agreed, voters should have the opportunity to decide whether the city should have a short-term rental ordinance.

Lewis says she was in favor of having residents vote on the issue because of district voting which went into effect last year. If a voter were to be unhappy with the way a council member or council members voted regarding short-term rentals; it’s possible the voter would have no recourse to vote against the city leaders because the council members could be outside of the voter’s district.

She says by having a ballot measure, all residents would have the chance to vote on a proposed short-term rental ordinance.