The Planning & Building Services Department invites the community to discuss current and future Short Term Rental policies, and their impacts to local communities, real estate, and tourism. To this end, the Department is holding a number of stakeholder meetings at various Inland County locations in April (see below). 

County Planners will give a brief presentation providing information on current short-term rental policies, the policies adopted by adjacent jurisdictions and common themes, followed by a "round table" conversation to elicit ideas for a Short Term Rental Ordinance.

WHERE AND WHEN:

FORT BRAGG VETERANS HALL

360 N Harrison Street, Fort Bragg

Wednesday April 9th, 2025 at 6:00 PM

BOONVILLE VETERANS HALL

14470 Highway 128, Boonville

Monday April 14th, 2025 at 6:00 PM

MENDOCINO COUNTY MUSEUM 

400 E Commercial Street, Willits

Wednesday, April 16th at 6:00 PM

ROUND VALLEY LIBRARY

23925 Howard Street, Covelo

Wednesday, April 23rd at 3:00 PM

MENDOCINO COUNTY ADMINISTRATION CENTER CONFERENCE ROOM C

501 Low Gap Road, Ukiah

Wednesday, April 30th at 6:00 PM*

*also available via Zoom: https://mendocinocounty.zoom.us/j/86173760912

Regulating short-term rentals (STRs) is not about limiting their potential, but about enacting the appropriate mechanisms to keep competing priorities and interests balanced.

DISCUSSION GUIDELINES AND POLICY CONSIDERATIONS

Protect long term housing

• Protect long term rental housing and available housing.
• Discourage long-term rental properties from being converted to STRs.
• Prevent housing on the market from being sold to corporations

Balance short term rentals in residential neighborhoods to preserve residential character

• Prevent residential neighborhoods from being “overtaken” by guests to the detriment of the neighborhood and residential feel of a neighborhood

Combat displacement

• The presence of STRs can be particularly contentious in certain neighborhoods, such as those close to city centers. Allow for only a certain percentage of housing stock to be permitted as STR.  Create a wait list when capped at that percentage

Consider location

• Allow STRs only in areas that are “far” from work centers, allowing residents to live near work.
• Limit or don’t allow STRs in residential areas. Establish different rules for residential and commercial areas.

Enforcement to minimize and mitigate nuisance concerns

• Ensure health and safety of guests and residents including noise and trash complaints.
• Allow only STRs where host lives onsite or nearby.
• Acquire a third party platform to monitor compliance to assist Code Enforcement? 
•  Adopt fine structures in incentive compliance? For example, fines for advertising without permit or fines for violating any health or safety rules.
• Require inspections and re-inspections for STRs?
• Revoke a permit if host receives over a certain number of violations?

Negotiate a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with online platforms?

• A MOU typically focuses on issues such as disclosing data, posting property registration numbers and removing illegal listings

Capture tax revenue

• Ensure tax revenue is being collected (this is the responsibility of the Auditor Controller Treasurer Tax Collector's office)
• Require all STRs have a Business License.
• Should responsibility for tax remittance be that of the host (property owner) or the platform (AirBnB) via a Voluntary Collection Agreement (VCA)? A VCA typically involves a short-term rental platform agreeing to collect and remit transient occupancy taxes on behalf of the host at the time a booking is made

Support tourism in a balanced way without impacting residents

• Require an annual permit review or renewal.
• Make clear that applications can be denied if regulations change.
• Adopt a formal permit requirement that is not overly cumbersome and will ensure all hosts participate.
• Adopt reasonable permit fees

Allow a sunset clause on any adopted Ordinance?

• The STR rental market is consistently in flux, meaning any ordinance adopted may have to change to meet the market and evolving community needs. County Staff will regularly revisit the ordinance, once adopted, to ensure that it still aligns with the community’s goals. For example, adjustments to the cap on the number of STRs allowed may merit a revisit

PARTICIPATION DURING THE STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS

Below is a map showing parcels in Mendocino County with a Business License for Short Term Rentals. On this page you can also find maps showing the Coastal Zone in more detail  (click on the images for a larger version):

Coastal Zone - North

Coastal Zone - Central/North

Coastal Zone - Central/South