Mr.

Irons,
Ihavequestionsregardingthesecondarydwellingunitordinancethat
camebeforethecouncilonTuesday.
Yourecusedyourselffromthevoteandfromcouncildeliberation,but
beforehand,youwrotealetterrequestingthebanonvacationrentalsbe
removed.Staffthenmadethechangeyourequested,andthecouncilvoted
infavorofitshortlyafteryouagainarguedthepointduringpubliccomment.
YouarecorrectIdidrecusemyselffromthevoteandcouncildeliberation.
YouarenotcorrectinyourstatementthatstaffmadechangesIrequested.
Thechangetothestaffreportcamebeforeourletterwassubmittedwhich
wasaddressedtoCityCouncil,notstaff.Theletterwesubmittedcontained
8requestsforconsiderationincludingtonotrestricttheuseofsecondary
units,specificallyasvacationrentals.
Californialawsaysapublicofficialwhorecuseshimselfisallowedtospeak
duringpubliccomment,butstatelawalsosayssomeonewhohasa
financialinterestinamattermaynotuseortrytousehispositionto
influenceagovernmentdecision.
IconsultedwithourCityAttorneypriortothePlanningCommission
discussionandthenagainpriortoCityCouncildiscussionregarding
conflict,participation,andrecusingmyselffromfromthisissue.Ihavethe
righttospeakduringpubliccommentperiodonamatterforwhichIrecuse
myselffromparticipating,ThecommentsintheletterwewrotetoCouncil
werebasicallytheexpansionsofthecommentsImadeinpublic.Also,itis
nottotallyclearIneededtorecusemyselffromthesecondaryunit
discussion,sincethesecondaryunitwecurrentlyownwasbuiltin2008
andwouldremainlegalunderthecurrentorproposedregulationsandat
least25%oftheresidentialpropertiesinMorroBaywouldbeaffectedby
thenewrules.However,outofanabundanceofcautionandtoprotectthe
integrityoftheprocess,sinceIcurrentlyhaveanapplicationforaguest
house,eventhoughthatisnotasecondaryunit,Idecidedtorecusemyself
fromtheentirediscussionthatevening.Itwouldhavebeenimpracticalto
trytohaveacleardiscussiononthosetwoitemsseparately.Iwasadvised
thatrecusingmyselfwouldbeappropriateandthatIhadarighttospeakat
publiccomment.Tobeclear

1. Wecurrentlyownasecondaryunitthatisafulltimerentalandhas
neverbeenavacationrental.
2. Weoperatedavacationrentalinthepastusingthesecondhouseonour
duplexlotwhichisaseconddwellingnotasecondaryunit.Thatdwelling
iscurrentlyafulltimerental.
3. WehavesubmittedplanstotheCitytoconstructaguesthouse.
4.Ourcommentswerenotsingularlyaboutvacationrentals,they
wereconstructiveinputontheordinanceasawhole.
Wereyounotusingortryingtouseyourpositiontoinfluencethedecision
onthevacationrentalban?Pleasecomment.
No.TothecontraryIwasactingwiththeabundanceofcautionandrespect
totheprocess.ThecommentssubmittedtoCouncilwereourcomments
basedonpersonalexperience,notpersonalinterest,mypubliccomments
weremerelyanexpansionofletterwesubmittedtocouncil.
Also,regardingyourinterestinthematter,duringwhichyearsdidyou
operateavacationrental?
Wehaveneveroperatedavacationrentalusingasecondaryunit.The
secondaryunitthatwebuiltandownhasalwaysbeenutilizedasafulltime
rental.Thevacationrentalunitthatwedidoperatedoesnotfallunderthe
secondaryunitordinance.Itsbeenoverayearsincewehaveoperated
thatvacationrental.
And,doyouhaveplanstobuildanyothersecondarydwellingunits?Ifso,
howmany?
Wedonothaveplanstobuildasecondaryunit.Wehavesubmittedplans
tobuildaguesthouse.