Citing a need to attract tourists during a recession, a Kaua'i County councilman is proposing that the county roll back a recently enacted law banning vacation rentals on agricultural land.

The council, by a 5-2 vote, last week sent the legislation to the Planning Commission for review. The council's Planning Committee will evaluate the bill before deciding whether to send it back to the full council for a vote.

Last March, the late Mayor Bryan Baptiste signed into law Ordinance 864 — a measure specifically prohibiting vacation rentals on agricultural land.

The law was designed to stop "the uncontrolled proliferation" of vacation rentals outside the major tourist centers of Po'ipu, Princeville and Kapa'a.

The new bill, introduced by Councilman Jay Furfaro, would allow vacation rentals that were operating on agricultural land before the law was enacted on March 7 to continue operating.