Supes delay Airbnb vote

Responding to public comments, the Butte County Board of Supervisors postponed voting on short-term rentals Tuesday (Oct. 23), instead instructing the Development Services Department to modify the ordinance.

Supervisors sought three changes to the version approved unanimously by the Planning Commission (see tinyurl.com/BC-RentalOrd). Two code revisions involve removing requirements in low-density areas for a rental unit—i.e., Airbnb or Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO)—to be the owner’s primary residence; the other would allow secondary dwelling units of any size, not just those over 1,200 square feet, to qualify.

The ordinance will return to the board Dec. 11.

Meanwhile, the Chico City Council will discuss short-term rentals at its next meeting, Nov. 6. That item relates to retroactive taxes levied on vacation home owners. (See “Blindsided,” Newslines, Oct. 4.)