BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance providing for the appropriate licensing and inspection of transient lodging facilities, regulating their design, operation and maintenance and providing for the administration and enforcement of the same.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr. stated that it will be a declared policy of the local government to ensure safe, healthy and non-discriminatory housing arrangements for transient visitors through regular licensing and inspection programs and that among the purposes of the local legislative measure include enhancing the accountability of property owners and transient visitors, minimizing risks of communal disturbances and conflict and violations of various ordinances which are capable of repetition but evading review; improving owner licensing arrangements for transient accommodations already in place for other residential units and meet consumer expectations for the quality and safety of such establishments.
The ordinance stipulated unless qualified as a hotel or bed-and-breakfast home use constructed pursuant to the city’s zoning ordinance, transient lodging is prohibited in the city, except in specific bedroom accommodations and in entire residential unit accommodations.
Yangot pointed out that before providing any transient lodging, property owners must obtain and keep current a transient lodging license for its property to be designated as a transient facility and such license will only be issued if pertinent requirements are complied by the owner
The ordinance mandated the transient lodging facility owner to pay to the local government an annual license which shall not be transferred or sold and will expire upon the conveyance of the property, and that the same shall note how many lodgers are permitted for transient rental and require the applicant to submit proof of and remain in constant compliance to an accurately drawn floor plan of the residence showing the number of beds and location of fire extinguishers; the floor plan that designates the rooms to be subject for transient lodging, among others.
The ordinance stipulated any transient lodging arrangements allowed under the proposed measure must comply with the specific standards, such as the dwelling shall remain as a single household residential living unit with common housekeeping, kitchen and laundry facilities; nothing in the ordinance shall allow the licensee to make the transient lodging facility available for use by transient visitors or guests for non-residential purposes; the transient facility shall not adversely affect the residential character of the neighbourhood; the owner shall be responsible for the safety and welfare of all transient visitors and guests; the owner of the transient facility shall be responsible for trash and recycling renewable waste; the owner of the facility shall comply with the anti-discrimination ordinance of the city; public streets and rights of way shall not be used for daytime parking or overnight parking of motor vehicles by tenants and local emergency contact information shall be posted in the rental unit in a prominent location so as to be easily visible.
The ordinance added that the owner will be notified by the concerned offices of the local government on the ground for the suspension and revocation of the license that may be issued for the said purpose. By Dexter A. See