PHR initiative one step close to a vote

By Danielle Seckler

   BIG BEAR LAKE- on Thursday, Dec. 7th, the signatures from the Private Home Rental (PHR) petition were formally given to Cathy Jeffries, City Clerk, and Jeff Mathieu, City Manager, with three days to spare.

   The process was started on June 14th, when the petition was filed to Jeffries by Jim McLean. They had until Dec. 10th to gather 10% of the registered voters of Big Bear Lake for the Nov. 2007 election or 10% of voters to force the City to hold a special election. Officially, there were 3059 registered voters within the City limits. This means that the initiative petitions had to have 306 to meet the 10% mark and 459 for the 15% mark. The petitioners verified the signatures and stated that they had collected 483 signatures. The next part of the process is for Jeffries to take the petition and the signatures to the San Bernardino Registrar of Voters and they will certify the valid signatures.

   Many of the supporters from both the lodging industry and the residents came to witness the event. It has been the contention of many in the City that the PHR have been a major problem and that the past City Councils let this mess come to be. The issue has pitted neighbor against neighbor. For those who live full time within the city, they have long stated that the enforcement of the PHR industry was not enough to solve the problem. In many ways, residents have seen the city’s lack of enforcement as the City Council being in the pocket of the real estate industry. On the other hand, those second homeowners who rent their properties out when they are not using them have felt that this was a vendetta of the residents who wanted to shutdown this source of income.

   The San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters has until Jan. 25, 2007, to certify the signatures. Once the certification has been delivered it will be placed on the next City Council meeting, which should be Feb. 12, 2007. The City Council could adopt the initiative as is, place it on the ballot in November, or they can negotiate with the petitioners for a change in the current ordinance.

   For many years, the petitioners have stated that the City Council needed to change the current ordinance, especially when it came to notifying neighbors that a PHR was to become their neighbor and that the safety and health of the tourists who use the PHRs were in jeopardy. Unlike regular hotels or motels, the PHRs have had a different standard of health and safety procedures, which include a yearly inspection by a private company. The lodging industry must fire inspections and health inspections for all spas and swimming pools, which are performed by local Fire Departments and the County’s Helth Department. Another issue is that the current procedure for complaints has been met by residents as unhelpful. Over occupancy, trash, noise, and parking have been mentioned over and over to the City Council. The petitioners are still hoping that the City Council will amend the current ordinance, otherwise it will go to the voters to decide.

Left: Petitioners holding bag full of signatures, Right: Everyone files into the receptionist area

Left: Merry Christmas to residents, Right: City officials and petitioners formal submission

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