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Sonoma County Housing Element certified by California Department of Housing and Urban Development
The County of Sonoma’s Housing Element has been certified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development, signifying the County’s compliance with State Housing Element law. Certification makes the County eligible for considerable grants and state funding opportunities to support affordable housing. Sonoma County and its nine cities are the first subregion in the Bay Area to be fully certified. Read full story
Sonoma County Supervisors approve Housing Element
The Board of Supervisors Tuesday unanimously approved an update to Sonoma County’s Housing Element, a component of the General Plan that, among other things, identifies pipeline projects and developable areas to ensure the county meets its obligation to create 3,824 additional housing units by 2031. Read full story
Board of Supervisors to review 2023 Sonoma County Housing Element update at Tuesday meeting
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will consider adopting the 2023 Sonoma County Housing Element update at its Aug. 22, meeting. The Housing Element update includes policies and programs to encourage an adequate supply of housing for residents of all income levels and to further fair housing. Read full story
State Designates Sonoma County a ‘Prohousing Jurisdiction’
The state Department of Housing and Community Development today issued a “Prohousing Designation” to the County of Sonoma, opening up greater opportunities for local affordable housing projects. To be eligible for the designation, the county needed to confirm that it will not adopt laws or policies that inhibit or constrain housing production, such as restrictive zoning or development standards, and commit to affirmatively encouraging fair housing. Read full story
County suspends outdoor burning in all unincorporated areas of Sonoma County
Permit Sonoma Fire Prevention Division today announced a suspension of burning in outdoor areas of unincorporated Sonoma County. The ban aligns with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, which suspended burning beginning July 3, and prohibits all outdoor burning in state responsibility areas. Read full story
Free county chipping program opens for 2023 season
The County of Sonoma has begun accepting applications for its seasonal Chipper Program, which provides free chipper services to residents seeking to make their property more wildfire safe. Provided through the Permit Sonoma Fire Prevention Division, this free service assists property owners in creating defensible space, which can be critical in preventing the spread of a wildfire to a home. Read full story
Board approves update to Sonoma County Community Wildfire Protection Plan
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors today approved an update to the county’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan, which provides critical information to understand wildfire risks, identifies fuel-reduction areas and lists risk-reduction projects. Read full story
Board of Supervisors votes to change vacation rental regulations and rules for timeshares
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors today voted to change vacation rental regulations, create caps and exclusion zones for vacation rentals and to define fractionally owned housing as timeshares. The first action involved creating a business license program that standardizes operating requirements for vacation rentals to protect neighbors from nuisances, while the second action placed caps and exclusion zones in specific neighborhoods in the first, fourth and fifth supervisorial districts to reduce over-concentration of vacation rentals in these areas. Read full story
Board of Supervisors to consider vacation rental regulation changes at April 24 meeting
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will consider two changes to vacation rental regulation at its April 24 special meeting. One proposal would create a business license program that would standardize operating requirements for vacation rentals to protect neighbors from nuisances, while the other will place caps and exclusion zones on certain neighborhoods to prevent over-saturation of vacation rentals in heavily impacted areas. Read full story
Board of Supervisors to consider new timeshare regulations to address short-term fractionally owned properties
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Monday will consider amending the zoning code to clarify regulations for timeshares and the transient use of fractionally owned residential properties. The amendments come in response to concerns from the public regarding the impacts of transient, or short-term, fractionally owned properties on housing supply, neighborhood character, noise, parking and traffic. Read full story