Hotel and Motel Ordinance
After months of review and input from stakeholders, including commissions, community members, staff, and hotel/motel operators, a Hotel/Motel Ordinance(PDF, 1MB) was presented to the City Council during a public hearing held on March 14, 2023. The City Council approved the second reading and adoption of this Ordinance at their regular meeting on March 28, 2023, the Ordinance will become a new, stand-alone chapter in the City's Zoning Code and will impose several new requirements for hotel/motel operators citywide:
- A hotel/motel operator may not re-rent rooms when guests check out before their minimum length of stay has elapsed (i.e., 18 hours for motels; overnight for hotels)
- The Ordinance will require guests to provide a valid credit/debit card as a way to verify their identity (even if they are paying for their room with cash)
- All hotels and motels are required to maintain a guest register that contains guest information specified in the Ordinance, and employees are required to sign an attestation stating that a guest matches the photo on their Identification Document (ID)
- All hotels and motels are required to scan images of a guest's ID
- Permit parking is required for all hotels/motels
- CCTV recording cameras are required in a hotel/motel's common areas, entry points, and parking areas
- The Ordinance explicitly outlines site and operational requirements, like security, cleanliness, room furnishings, and the condition of the exterior of the property and common areas
- The Ordinance reflects the strictest possible inspection requirements that are permitted under current law
Several “exceptions” to these requirements will only be granted to a hotel/motel operator if they are approved for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP)(PDF, 177KB). The Ordinance became effective on April 27, 2023. Changes in hotel/motel operations imposed by the Ordinance will need to be completed within three months of Ordinance adoption and changes that require physical improvements to the property will need to be completed within one year of Ordinance adoption. The City will also offer an expedited CUP process and a flat rate ($1,250) for hotels/motel operators who apply for exceptions before October 27, 2023.
For questions regarding the CUP process, please contact the Planning Division at (909) 399-5470. For questions regarding the Hotel/Motel Ordinance, please contact Katie Wand, Assistant to the City Manager by phone (909) 399-5454 or by email KWand@ci.claremont.ca.us.
CIT Quarterly Reports
As directed by the City Council, an annual progress report on the City's Hotel/Motel Ordinance will be presented to the City Council and the community each year in January. As part of the ordinance implementation, a City Interdepartmental Team (CIT) was established to proactively address criminal and nuisance activity at hotels and motels, particularly at freeway motels. The CIT publishes Quarterly Reports, which are available below:
Annual Hotel/Motel Ordinance Report to City Council (2023)
Past Meetings/Notices
City Council Meeting - January 23, 2024 - Annual Hotel/Motel Ordinance Report
City Council Meeting - Public Hearing - March 14, 2023
On February 21, 2023, the Planning Commission voted to recommend a draft Hotel/Motel Ordinance to the City Council for their consideration. Because this Ordinance would require an amendment to the City's Zoning Code, duly-noticed public hearings are required before both the Planning Commission and the City Council. The public hearing to discuss the draft Hotel/Motel Ordinance will be held on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chamber, 225 Second Street and via Zoom. The goal of the ordinance is to reduce criminal and nuisance activity that is occurring at the motels near the I-10 freeway, although the ordinance would proactively apply to all hotels and motels in Claremont.
Planning Commission Meeting - Public Hearing (February 21, 2023)
During their February 21, 2023 meeting, the Claremont Planning Commission voted to recommend a draft Hotel/Motel Ordinance to the City Council for adoption. If approved by the City Council, this ordinance would be a new, stand-alone chapter in the City's Zoning Code and would impose several new requirements for hotel/motel operators. The draft ordinance will be presented during a public hearing at the March 14, 2023 City Council meeting. The goal of the ordinance is to reduce criminal and nuisance activity that is occurring at the motels near the I-10 freeway, although the ordinance would proactively apply to all hotels and motels in Claremont.
Joint Planning Commission/Police Commission Meeting (January 28, 2023)
At the January 28 joint meeting of the Planning Commission and the Police Commission, Commissioners discussed potential amendments to the City's existing Hotel/Motel Ordinance and provided staff with conceptual direction on the contents of a draft amended ordinance to bring back to the Planning Commission (for a recommendation) and City Council (for adoption). Because this Ordinance would require an amendment to the City's Zoning Code, duly-noticed public hearings are required before both the Planning Commission and the City Council.
The Planning Commission public hearing to discuss the proposed Hotel/Motel Ordinance will be held on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. Instructions on how to participate in the meeting will be detailed on the agenda, which will be posted on the City Website five days prior to the meeting. The Planning Commission's recommendations will be presented to the City Council for their consideration at a later date.
Agenda, Staff Report, Minutes, and Attachments:
Hotel/Motel Ordinance Community Listening Session (November 29, 2022)
On Tuesday, November 29, 2022 at 6pm, the City of Claremont held a Hotel/Motel Ordinance Community Listening Session in the Padua Room at the Alexander Hughes Community Center.
No decisions regarding the Hotel/Motel Ordinance were made at the Community Listening Session. This was an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions and provide feedback on a proposed Hotel/Motel Ordinance, which City staff is currently working on and will present to the Police Commission and the Planning Commission at a joint meeting that will be held in 2023.
If you were unable to attend the Community Listening Session but still want to ask a question or share your feedback with staff, please email Katie Wand, Assistant to the City Manager at KWand@ci.claremont.ca.us.
Proactive Building & Safety Inspection Program for Hotels/Motels
To ensure the safety and satisfaction of those who are visiting our Claremont hotels and motels, the Claremont Building Division initiated a proactive building and safety inspection program, which consists of periodic inspections of ALL hotels and motels by Building Inspection and Community Improvement staff. The goal is to visit 5-10 unoccupied guest rooms and accessible common areas at each of the five hotels/motels in Claremont to ensure that building and safety standards are being met. Inspection dates were scheduled in January 2023. The City is appreciative of this opportunity to work with all hotels and motels to improve our community and further support a vibrant local economy.
Hotel/Motel Ordinance Background
Claremont is home to five hotels/motels that provide lodging and revenue to the City. One hotel is located on Foothill Boulevard, one in the downtown Village, and three motels are located adjacent to the I-10 freeway south of Arrow Highway. All hotels/motels charge a per room Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) that is remitted to the City. In 2004, the City adopted a Hotel/Motel Ordinance codified in Section 16.051.060 of the City's Zoning Code.
For the past decade, the City's Police Department, Community Improvement Division, and Planning Division have been working to address criminal, code enforcement, and nuisance activities in and around the motels located near the I-10 freeway. These activities have worsened in recent years. At the 2022 City Council Priorities Planning Workshop, the City Council adopted an objective to evaluate amendments to the City's existing Hotel/Motel Ordinance.
In 2021, the City's Police Commission established an Ad Hoc Committee to evaluate the increase in criminal activity around the motels and provide recommendations on possible actions to address the increase in crime. In April 2022, the Claremont Police Commission approved a Statement of Direction that, among other things, recommended conceptual provisions for a new or amended Hotel/Motel Ordinance. The Police Commission created its Statement of Direction as a starting point.
The Statement of Direction was then given to City staff to further review and develop a draft ordinance. City staff consulted with the City Attorney's Office and Police Department while developing a revised version of the amendments to ensure it complied with State and local laws. Staff met with management representatives from each of the five hotels/motels in Claremont as well as legal counsel for the California Hotel and Lodging Association and California Association of Boutique & Breakfast Inns and legal counsel for the Motel 6 located in Claremont.
On October 4, 2022, City staff presented a staff report to the Planning Commission with proposed amendments to the City's Hotel/Motel ordinance. The version presented by staff to the Planning Commission attempted to balance several competing interests and objectives. At the meeting, the Planning Commission received extensive public comment from the community. Based on this input, the Planning Commission recommended postponing a decision and requested staff arrange a joint meeting with the Planning Commission and Police Commission.
Interest List and Question/Comment Form
Please use the form below to submit a complaint or report an issue at a hotel or motel property in Claremont. You may also use the form to sign up to receive meeting notices and project updates.