Lincoln has not adopted a primary-residence requirement for short-term rentals because it has no STR ordinance at all. Instead, the Zoning Code's residential districts contemplate permanent occupancy: §18.16.200(1)(b) for SRO units expressly bars transient occupancy, and home occupations under Ch. 18.62 must be 'incidental and secondary' to residential use of the dwelling.
Because Lincoln does not regulate STRs by category, there is no local cap that limits hosting to a property owner's primary residence (as some California cities like Santa Monica or San Francisco have done). The Zoning Code does, however, embed an implicit primary-residence concept: §18.16.200(1)(b) provides that single-room-occupancy rooms 'shall be occupied as the primary resident of the tenant,' and Ch. 18.62 limits home occupations to those that are 'clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the property for residential purposes' and require the residence to be 'the main residence of the person(s) conducting the business.' These provisions stop short of a true STR primary-residence cap (such as a 90-day or 180-day hosted-stays-only rule). At the state level, no California statute imposes a primary-residence requirement on STRs; local jurisdictions are free to adopt or omit such limits.
If the City Council were to amend the code in the future to authorize STRs, any primary-residence rule would be enforced through that ordinance and Ch. 1.16. Today, the underlying violation is the zoning use itself (operating transient lodging in a residential zone), not the absence of primary occupancy.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Lincoln, CA
A building/zoning permit is generally required in Lincoln for fences over 6 feet or masonry/retaining walls; pool barrier fences must meet the California Bui...
Lincoln, CA
Owners may remove most trees on private property in Lincoln; removal of street trees or protected/heritage oaks requires city approval, and replacement may b...
Lincoln, CA
California has no statewide juvenile curfew, but cities and counties may impose one. Lincoln's curfew provisions sit in Title 9 (Public Peace, Morals and Wel...
Lincoln, CA
Lincoln's authority over sidewalk vendors is constrained by California's Safe Sidewalk Vending Act (SB 946, codified at Gov. Code §§51036–51039). The City ma...
Lincoln, CA
Lincoln allows residents to bar door-to-door solicitation by posting a clear 'No Solicitors' or 'No Trespassing' sign at the property entrance. Permitted ped...
Lincoln, CA
Door-to-door peddlers and solicitors in Lincoln must obtain a Peddler Permit from the Lincoln Police Department under Lincoln Municipal Code Chapter 5.36. Th...
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