Solana Beach is considering an ordinance that would ban the construction of condominium-hotels in the city. KPBS Reporter Ed Joyce has more.
Developers like the projects because they can sell individual units to private owners in advance of construction, helping to finance the project. But environmentalists say they reduce the amount of affordable public lodging along the coast. Mark Massara is the California coastal programs director for the Sierra Club.
Massara: The insidious part of what happens though is that these sites, which are zoned for public overnight rooms, become private residential condominiums.
And those condos rent for much more than an average night at a hotel or motel. Solana Beach Mayor Lesa Heebner says the small coastal community wants to make sure any future developments are set aside as affordable overnight lodging.
Heebner: Here in Solana Beach being such a small town we have very precious land, very few spots are identified as for hotels.
The ban would apply to the entire city and would prohibit the construction of condo-hotels, timeshares and fractional ownership hotels or the conversion of existing hotel units to those types of uses. Solana Beach holds a public hearing on the proposed ordinance next week.
Ed Joyce, KPBS News.