Board Considers Vacation Rental Moratorium

Updated January 23, 2018

The Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday, January 23, 2018 to not extend the moratorium on new vacation rental permit applications. Therefore on Monday, February 5, 2018, the moratorium ended and Permit Sonoma is accepting Vacation Rental permit applications again.

The Board also directed staff to develop a vacation rental unit exclusion zone for the burn zone, which will be brought to the Planning Commission.

Updated Ordinance December 5, 2017

Note: The information below has been superseded by the above Board of Supervisors action on January 23, 2018.

• Moratorium on permit issuance extended for 60 days from the date of adoption (beginning December 5, 2017).
• Moratorium does not include vacation rental permits in the Russian River Planning Area (Planning Area 4).
• Moratorium does not include hosted rentals.

View Updated Ordinance (PDF: 80 kB)

October 24, 2017 Ordinance

Note: The information below has been superseded by the above Board of Supervisors action on January 23, 2018.

On October 24, 2017, the County of Sonoma Board of Supervisors adopted an Urgency Ordinance (PDF: 143 kB) to enact a 45-day moratorium on the issuance of any new vacation rental or hosted rental permits to facilitate emergency housing for persons displaced by the Sonoma Complex Fire. The moratorium is subject to extension for periods of up to two years.

The ordinance is intended to temporarily preserve the County’s existing single-family residences and accessory dwellings for permanent residential and long-term rental uses. The ordinance finds that conversion of these dwellings to vacation rentals or hosted rental permits would contribute to the existing housing emergency.

For this reason, the Vacation Rental customer service desk located at Permit Sonoma will be temporarily closed.

Please remember that a vacation rental or hosted rental is defined as a rental of 30 days or less and is subject to Transient Occupancy Tax. If you are interested in renting your home for 31 days or more, you may do so without the issuance of a permit and are not subject to Transient Occupancy Tax.

View Urgency Ordinance (PDF: 143 kB)

Existing Permits

The ordinance does not affect existing vacation rental and hosted rental permits that have been approved and issued.

Coastal Zone

Coastal Zone properties (e.g., properties located in The Sea Ranch, Jenner, Bodega Bay, Duncan Mills, etc.) are exempt from the 45 day moratorium approved by the Board of Supervisors on October 24, 2017. Coastal Zone vacation rental properties are required to be registered with the Transient Occupancy Tax Program.

Help Fire Evacuees

If you are interested in providing your home to fire evacuees, you may contact our housing email at: HousingResources@sonoma-county.org

Questions?

For further questions relating to vacation rentals, you may contact the Vacation Rental Hotline at (707) 565-1932 or email PRMD-VacationRentals@sonoma-county.org

All questions related to Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) should be directed to the TOT Program at (707) 565-7133 or TOT@sonoma-county.org