The Sonoma County Local Coastal Plan (LCP) is the county’s planning document for the Coast. It includes many topics: development, climate change, open space, public access, land use, transit, public facilities, zoning, and other planning areas.
Under the California Coastal Act, local governments are required to draft a LCP to guide coastal zone development, conservation, and planning. Pursuant to their LCPs, they issue permits for coastal development.
LCPs only become effective upon approval by the Coastal Commission.
You can find the current Sonoma County DRAFT LCP online – it is available for public review & comment: Do an online search for “Sonoma County draft Local Coastal Plan“. Here is the link: SonomaCounty.ca.gov/LCP-Update
Scroll down below for the website image.
Permit Sonoma (county planning department) circulated the draft LCP and has conducted public workshops since 2015. They have taken public comments; the public comment period is at the last stage as they finalize the LCP.
Next, they will have Zoom Workshops on selected topics. “VACATION RENTALS” is one of the workshops they plan to have in the next few weeks.
After the public comment period the LCP draft was finalized sent to the county Board of Supervisors for adoption in late 2022. The last step is for it to go to the CA Coastal Commission for certification.
COUNTY VACATION RENTAL (VR) RULES: Sonoma County VRs inland have been regulated for several years. The Board of Supervisors created a VR regulation Ordinance in 2014 and the county VR oversight began. (Zoning Regulation Sec 26-88-120).
This VR Ordinance does not apply to the coastal zone. Permit Sonoma expects to extend VR regulation to the coast through the LCP process.
Coastal Zone VRs have had to register for, and pay, the Transient Occupancy Tax but they have not been subject to the county VR rules and enforcement. This will change when the VR Ordinance is approved by the Board of Supervisors and CA Coastal Commission in late 2023.
HOW IS VR REGULATION WITHIN THE LCP? California courts have determined that the county and the Commission are the only agencies with authority to limit, ban, control, or regulate coastal VR homes. This is because coastal VR regulation is considered to be “development” – and that is within the sole authority of an area’s planning department and the Coastal Commission. (See GREENFIELD V. MANDALAY SHORES, 2018, Court of Appeals, Oxnard CA)
Coastal HOAs cannot decide to regulate VRs. But coastal residents and owners can ask for VR regulation through this draft LCP process. VR owners should be involved too and are invited to comment on all LCP topics, but should consider VR regulation to be of utmost importance.
NEXT: County VR Regulation
