We continue reviewing Sec. 26-88-120 – the county (inland) Vacation Rental Ordinance in this post. Here is the 4th of six blog posts on the county VR Ordinance. This does not apply to the coastal zone.
A new VR Ordinance & Business License will be considered for the Coastal Zone in late 2023.
—-HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY VR REGULATION – INLAND—
So far we have reviewed these elements of the County’s VR Ordinance in prior posts:
- Purpose
- Applicability
- Permits Required
- Term of Permit
- Permit Requirements (Max # of Guestrooms & Overnight Occupancy; Max # of Guests & Daytime Visitors; Limit on Residences or Structures per Parcel, & Parking)
- PERFORMANCE STANDARDS are next. An earlier blog post discussed Noise Limits. We will summarize noise and list most of the other standards in this post.
- Noise Limits. All activities associated with the VR shall meet the general plan noise standards contained in the Ordinance (and summarized in the earlier blog post on Noise). Quiet hours shall be from 10pm to 7am. The property owner shall ensure that the quiet hours and limits on outdoor activities are included in rental agreements and in all online advertisements and listings.
- Amplified Sound. Outdoor amplified sound shall not be allowed at any time associated with a VR.
- Pets. Pets, if allowed by owner, shall be secured on the property at all times. Continual nuisance barking by unattended pets is prohibited.
- Trash & Recycling Facilities. Recycling and refuse storage bins shall not be stored within public view unless in compliance with neighborhood standards. Recycling and trash receptacles shall be returned to screened storage areas within 24 hours of trash pick-up.
- Outdoor Fire Areas. Outdoor fire areas, when not prohibited by state or local fire bans, may be allowed but shall be limited to 3 feet in diameter, shall be located on a non-combustible surface, shall be covered by a fire screen, and shall be extinguished as soon as it is no longer in use or by 10pm, whichever is earlier. No fire or fire area shall be located within 25 feet of a structure or combustible material.
- Septic Systems and Sewer Connections. The owner shall maintain a properly functioning septic system or sewer connection. In some cases, a per-room sewer fee may be applied.
- Transient Occupancy Tax. The vacation rental owner or authorized agent shall maintain a transient occupancy tax certificate and remain current on all required reports and payments. Owner or authorized agent shall include the certificate number on all contracts or rental agreements, and in any advertising or websites.
- Certified 24-hour Property Manager. All vacation rentals operating within unincorporated Sonoma County must have a certified property manager who is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week during all times that the property is rented or used on a transient basis. Certified property managers may be professional property managers, realtors, property owners, or other designated person provided that the individual has successfully completed a training course and achieved a qualifying score on a county-administered certification test. Certification shall be granted by the County and may be revoked by the County. Once certified, a property manager must continue to comply with all provisions set forth in this Section, including timely reporting of all complaints and their resolutions, in order to remain certified. Certified property managers must be located within a 30 mile radius of the VR and must be available to respond to complaints at all times during the rental period. Any requested change to the certified property manager for a VR property shall be made through submittal of a new Vacation Supplemental Application or similar form provided by the Department, and shall include the signature of the certified property manager and the desired effective date of the change. In no case may a VR operate without a current certified property manager. Operation of a VR without a valid certified property manager shall be considered a violation of this Section. The name and 24 hour contact information of the certified property manager shall be provided to any interested party upon request.
- Emergency Access. The owner of any VR located behind a locked gate or within a gated community shall provide gate code or lockbox with keys (“Knox Box” or similar) for exclusive use by the sheriff and emergency or fire departments.
- NEXT are “Posting of Permit & Standards” to be in the following blog post.
—————————-BLOG COMMENTS———————
Currently coastal zone short-term VR family homes need only register for and pay the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), as well as follow county laws about parking, fire etc. Permit Sonoma’s update of the Local Coastal Plan will include proposing that some or all of the county’s short-term VR regulations be expanded to the coast. There are several steps before that can occur.
Many of the coastal VR homes are included in two Homeowners’ Association communities – Bodega Harbour and The Sea Ranch. Those communities have existing CCRs, bylaws & community rules that homeowners must follow that duplicate the above Ordinance VR requirements: garbage, noise, parking etc.