BETTY HILL, Dana Point
Recently, the California Coastal Commission refused to halt the city’s STR policy that was admittedly based on faulty data provided by the city and which has already significantly harmed the residents of two Dana Point neighborhoods.
The terms of the city’s short-term rental (STR) policy favor STR operators and promote the proliferation of STRs throughout Dana Point. The city reinterpreted the municipal zoning code to allow STR businesses to operate in residential neighborhoods, contrary to the code residents relied on for decades.
The council also refused to allow residents to vote on its policy. Unfortunately, residents remain largely uninformed.
The City Council now consists of three members who were appointed by the prior City Council without any public vote. A prior City Council showed its support for developers by approving a major project in Town Center that residents opposed, including concerns over parking requirements.
Residents living nearby are now being inundated by parking overloads. More developers are coming to Dana Point in Doheny Village and in other parts of Dana Point that will hugely impact residents in nearby neighborhoods.
Districting has made it difficult to find City Council candidates with the resources to campaign and win election. A Political Action Committee (PAC) that promoted negative ads against a candidate in a prior election was found to have committed libel during that campaign.
Dark money PACS have donated thousands in past elections promoting candidates and special interests. Dana Point residents have to demand equal and fair representation.