The Marin County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to hold a hearing next month to receive a first reading of a draft Ordinance regarding short term rentals in the unincorporated areas of Marin, and to consider next steps for creating a regulatory framework for short term rentals. All Floating Homes Association docks except Bayhaven Harbor (on Varda Landing Road) are in unincorporated Marin, so this legislation will have a direct impact on our community.
Previously, a subcommittee of the Board was formed to meet on an ad hoc basis with staff members from the Marin County Department of Finance, the Community Development Agency, and the County Counsel’s office. These discussions led to a staff proposal for the full Board to consider a short-term rental Ordinance. The public hearing is tentatively scheduled for August 7, but that could change, according to Leslie Alden, aide to Supervisor Kate Sears. The date of the meeting on the County website is incorrect and had not been updated when this post was written. However, it’s possible to sign up for email updates by clicking on the Subscribe to this page button circled in red in the lower right of the accompanying screen shot.
The proposed Ordinance would require that a notification of a short-term rental be delivered to surrounding neighbors or that an identification sign be posted on the exterior of each short-term rental. A complaint hotline would also be established, and a local contact person would be publicly identified to respond to complaints about activities at the short-term rental.
Members of the public will be able to comment on the proposed legislation at the meeting, but Leslie Alden advises that it’s much more effective to communicate in advance by email. Emails may be sent to Planning Manager Jeremy Tejirian via the County website. Those comments will be included in the Board Packet for the meeting.
The hearing will be held in the Marin County Hearing Chambers (Rooms 328/330, Administration Building), Civic Center, San Rafael. The time of the hearing will be indicated on the hearing agenda posted on the Board of Supervisors hearing webpage on the Thursday before the hearing. A staff report will be available on the project webpage on the Friday before each hearing.