The San Clemente zoning administrator on Oct. 9 approved a short‑term apartment rental permit for Unit 1 at 242 Avenida Santa Barbara, a one‑bedroom unit in an existing triplex, finding the proposal meets municipal code operating and development standards and is categorically exempt from CEQA.

Principal Planner Rheem presented the request as public hearing project 25‑295 and short‑term apartment rental application 25‑296, stating the site is a 5,000‑square‑foot lot in the residential medium zone and within the coastal zone. Rheem said the unit is the front‑facing unit of a triplex, with an on‑site manager’s unit in the rear, and that the application met the STAR code standards. “It meets all operating and development standards of the short term apartment rental section of the code,” Rheem said.

Applicant Louis James Riley III (who said he goes by Jim Riley) told the zoning administrator the property has been in his family for about 11 years and is a primary source of income. “It’s my wife’s and I livelihood, so, you know, we kinda need this,” Riley said, adding the property has hosted more than 300 guests over that time and Riley reported no recent police incidents.

Zoning Administrator Adam Matamian disclosed a prior code‑compliance action at the property dating to before 2021 but said staff records show no complaints since 2021. Matamian noted steps the owners took after the earlier incident, including placing a property manager on site, installing an exterior camera and providing a 24‑hour emergency contact number. He also noted one long‑term occupant is a marine police officer who can be contacted if problems arise.

Matamian asked about the permit condition tied to the STAR/STLU amortization period (condition 7.19). Staff explained the current STLU rights remain in effect until the amortization period expires on May 17, 2026, and that the zoning administrator could choose to keep the condition in place or allow an earlier transition; Matamian elected to retain the amortization condition as written.

After closing the public hearing and stating he had visited the property from the public right of way, Matamian found the project exempt under CEQA Guidelines (Class 1 — existing facilities) and adopted resolution ZA 25‑021 approving public hearing project 25‑295 and STAR 25‑296 subject to the standard conditions of approval for STAR permits. Matamian noted a 10‑day appeal period and that the City Council may call the item up before the minutes are filed.

The written staff report and resolution list standard STAR conditions (including manager contact, maximum occupancy limits tied to bedrooms, and advertising requirements). Matamian emphasized the city’s code establishes enforcement and a revocation trigger sequence for STAR/STLU complaints and said staff would pursue enforcement if future nuisance activity occurred.

A 10‑day appeal period applies to the zoning administrator’s decision.