BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Short-term rentals aren’t allowed to operate in the city of Bakersfield. Go on any major vacation site though, and you’d believe otherwise.

$220 for a weekend in the Panorama Bluffs? Not bad.

“Short term rentals are not currently allowed under the city’s municipal code, and the council is considering a ordinance that would change that, that would allow them to operate,” Joe Conroy with the City of Bakersfield said.

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Ward 4 Councilman Bob Smith said while the city has discussed options to handle short-term rentals in Bakersfield over the years, the number of these properties has also continued to grow.

“We’ve talked about it for multiple years and the amount of them continues to grow,” Smith said. “When we first start talking about it was 300 and then 400. Now, you know, 500-plus.”

The council discussion will tackle noise, trash and parking, along with less available long-term housing options with more and more of these rentals popping up across the county.

“The ordinance would create some regulations for these properties, how they are operated, how they’re managed, and make sure that people are being safe, they’re being good neighbors, and that, you know, it’s just being operated in a polite and proper way,” Conroy said.

Rental operators would need to get a permit from the city, which would be valid for one year and renewed if the owner didn’t receive two or more citations for noise or rowdiness.

These rentals could also generate millions of dollars through new taxes and ease competition on the existing hospitality industry.

“There’s hotel tax, transit occupancy tax would apply to them, same as what it does to hotels, whereas now they’re not paying that,” Smith said. “So really, the hotels are at a disadvantage as far as competition goes.”

The discussion of the ordinance would also place several new restrictions on these rentals.

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One of those regulations is having a 24-hour local contact for emergency situations.

“So if there’s a problem, you know, there’s a fire or or even just a safety issue, noise complaint, something like that, there’s somebody that can be contacted to take care of that,” Conroy said.

A second reading at a later meeting is required to approve the ordinance, which would take effect 30 days after it passes.

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