Judge rules in favor of short-term rental property owners on Santa Barbara’s coast

Short-term property rental owners on Santa Barbara’s coast are celebrating a legal victory.

A judge issued a tentative ruling in the case of Theo Kracke, President of Paradise Retreats versus The City of Santa Barbara.

Kracke sued the city claiming city leaders should have consulted with the California Coastal Commission before they eliminated short-term rentals on the coast starting on Jan. 1, 2017. Properties affected in the coastal zone stretch from Cliff Drive, down to Highway 101 and along the ocean. Access had been allowed for decades prior to prohibition.

Kracke said the lawsuit, filed in Nov. 2016, is about access for all.

“The judge’s decision was a victory for families who need lower cost visitor accommodations on the coast,” Kracke said. “That’s why it was such an important decision. We were readily acting for the public good in this lawsuit.”

The ruling mandates that the city allow short-term vacation rentals in the coastal zone until the city adopts an amendment to its local coastal plan. Any amendment must be approved by the Coastal Commission.

The city can appeal the tentative ruling with a final decision expected in the coming weeks.

Kracke said he hopes the city does not object to the ruling, and moves ahead with “reasonable regulation.”

NewsChannel 3 reached out to City Attorney Ariel Calonne for comment.

“We will be discussing the case in closed session Tuesday . I can’t comment until then,” Calonne said.