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Proponents for lifting Honolulu’s ban on transient vacation rentals jumped at the chance to get before the city’s Planning Commission on Wednesday.

The commission held a public hearing on that would require vacation rental operators to include permit numbers on any advertising. The bill was put forward by the Department of Planning and Permitting, which says the step would help it identify illegal rentals.

More than three dozen people testified at the hearing. And while the majority opposed the measure, none of the opponents addressed the proposal specifically. They instead took the opportunity to ask commissioners to lift a 22-year-old ban on new short-term rentals in residential areas.

The discussion got heated at times, as people cheered and booed testifiers. People could be heard yelling things like, “Stop the discrimination,” and “Change is good” from the audience. Many held yellow signs that read: “Please allow permitting with regulations.” Others had blue signs that read: “Don’t support illegal businesses.”

The commission heard from 42 people over three hours — 28 opposed and 14 in support. The hearing will continue on Aug. 24.

Those who testified against the Honolulu proposal argued that the city should create a process for illegal operators to obtain permits. They said vacation rentals help pump money into the economy and create jobs.

The supporters included a couple of rental operators who said the city needs stronger enforcement tools.

Since 1989, Honolulu has banned vacation rentals of fewer than 30 days, making an exception for a privileged . Residents who were granted permits more than 20 years ago are allowed to renew them, but no new permits are granted, and lapsed permits are ineligible for renewal.

In Maui County, a similar advertising rule has been in place for two years. Officials there — where transient rentals are considered anything less than 180 days — say they haven’t had much success deterring illegal rentals because of the advertising rule.

Still, Honolulu’s planning director says it will help.

“For our guys who are in the trenches trying to enforce it every time, they’ve wanted it, they’ve wanted it,” Department of Planning and Permitting Director David Tanoue told Civil Beat following the hearing. “They really want this, they really think this is going to help them. From that perspective, then as director I need to push it forward because I need to give them the proper tools so that they can administer the law.”

He said the department relies mainly on tips from residents to investigate who might be breaking the law. Last year, city officials reprimanded just 18 property owners for 24 total violations and fined only two of them.

Tanoue said he feels the City Council already vetted the issue of lifting the ban. The council rejected the idea as recently as 2008.

“Just a little over two years ago, it was vetted, the lifting of the prohibition for B&Bs,” Tanoue said. “It wasn’t passed by City Council so we fall back on the old law. Now what can we do for us to better administer and enforce the current law?”

The Planning Commission will ultimately make a recommendation as to whether the bill should advance to the City Council.

Honolulu City Council Chairman Ernie Martin hinted that he might be willing to consider opening up the ban.

“I’m waiting to see how the Planning Commission approaches this issue,” Martin told Civil Beat. “There’s an issue of enforcement which has to be done. There’s also been an issue that enforcement hasn’t been as vigorous as it could have been, but then there’s also a push from a lot of people in the industry to perhaps open it up to allow additional TVUs. They put a cap on it in (1989), which is close to 25 years ago. So perhaps it’s time to revisit if there are opportunities to perhaps open the industry up. But I think before you can do that, you have to really look at the enforcement side.”

— Michael Levine contributed to this report.