Brentwood officials urge ban on new gas stations, car washes, short-term rentals

The Brentwood Planning Commission on Tuesday approved recommending an ordinance that would block future gas stations, car washes and short-term rentals, which are often offered through vacation rental platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo.

Should the City Council follow the Planning Commission's recommendation, the ordinance would also expand options for the development of electric charging or alternative fuel stations. According to city staff, there are currently 18 gas stations and 14 car washes already developed in Brentwood, and the change aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.

Jennifer Hagen, senior city planner, further explained that Airbnbs and Vrbos in the city were already prohibited. She explained that the ordinance establishes more explicit guidelines to prevent homeowners from renting out their pools or other uninhabitable property areas.

"By including this specific definition, it allows us to start heading it off on multiple fronts. We put the social media out there and say, 'Although it was previously not allowed, it is now explicitly prohibited,'" Hagen continued.

This step toward changing the zoning for these three topics follows work that the City Council assigned to staff last year to complete focused zoning code updates.

On the topic of short-term rentals, some commissioners highlighted the problems—and even recent Bay Area shootings—associated with the vacation rentals that turn into out-of-control house parties, while others expressed concerns about telling homeowners what to do with their properties. Commissioner Rod Flohr took issue with the latter sentiment.

"Zoning has been sanctioned by the United States Supreme Court since 1916; we do have the right to do planning in our neighborhoods in our cities," Flohr said. "We do have the right to tell people what they can and cannot do with their property, and it has always been that way."