Ventura's current SBMC Chapter 6.455 does not restrict STVR permits to owner-occupied primary residences — non-resident owners may obtain a permit. However, the city imposes a hard primary-dwelling-plus-ADU restriction: if a property contains an Accessory Dwelling Unit, neither the primary dwelling nor the ADU can be used as an STVR, and both must be rented for terms longer than 30 days (SBMC §24.430.041; consistent with Gov. Code §65852.2 state ADU framework). On Dec. 10, 2024, City Council paused new STVR permit issuance pending Coastal Commission certification of the updated ordinance under the city's Local Coastal Plan Amendment, which is widely expected to introduce tighter owner-occupancy and density caps. Until the LCP amendment takes effect, existing permits continue under the rules described here.
Chapter 6.455 defines an STVR by the rental term (30 consecutive days or less) and a 'dwelling unit' — not by owner occupancy. There is no explicit text in Ch. 6.455 requiring the operator to use the property as their primary residence, and the application process treats owner and non-owner operators identically (subject to insurance, bond, inspection, and a 24/7 response plan). The hard primary-residence-style restriction in current Ventura law applies to ADUs: SBMC §24.430.041 (and the linked state ADU statute, Gov. Code §65852.2) require that if a parcel has both a primary dwelling unit and an ADU, both must be rented for terms longer than 30 days, and STVR permits 'cannot be issued for either the house or the ADU.' This effectively means a homeowner who has built an ADU loses STVR eligibility for the entire parcel — a strict consequence designed to preserve ADU housing supply. The 12/10/2024 council action paused issuance of any new STVR permits — a city-wide moratorium independent of any primary-residence rule — until the updated ordinance is certified by the California Coastal Commission as part of the Local Coastal Plan Amendment.
Operating an STVR on a parcel that contains a permitted ADU violates SBMC §24.430.041 and is grounds for permit denial or revocation under §6.455.160 in addition to zoning enforcement. Filing a permit application during the active moratorium results in non-issuance.
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Ventura, CA
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