LAKEPORT, Calif. – During its last regular meeting of the year, the Board of Supervisors held an initial discussion on rules for vacation rentals, short-term housing and unhosted units, with plans to bring the matter back for further consideration in January.

Community Development Director Michalyn DelValle held the workshop with the board at its Dec. 18 meeting.

She said vacation rentals and short-term housing – such as are featured by AirBNB – are not currently regulated under the Lake County Zoning Ordinance.

Between 250 and 300 units are believed to be occupied in Lake County, she said. The county isn’t sure if they’re vacation units, beds and breakfasts.

DelValle said the zoning ordinance does currently regulate hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, bed and breakfast inns and recreation vehicle parks. They are used for 30 calendar days or less, with the exception of bed and breakfasts, which have a maximum stay of 14 days.

Hotels and motels have to go through a design review process for permitting. Bed and breakfasts – which have two or fewer guest rooms – are permitted with a minor use permit in several zoning designations, except for two, where they’re permitted with a major use permit. A bed and breakfast inn has three to eight guest rooms.

DelValle said a recreational vehicle park can be permitted in various zoning districts subject to obtaining a major use permit.

She wanted to talk with the board about vacation rentals and how some other jurisdictions have been permitting them.

Based on DelValle’s research, most other jurisdictions permit vacation rentals with a zoning permit over the counter if they’re under a threshold of a certain number of rooms. Typically, they have a maximum occupancy, and septic and sewer system loads will limit the number of rooms that can be rented out.

Some jurisdictions limit the number of daytime visitors, and many set a limit of one vacation rental per parcel and specify the number of parking spaces, she said.

Regarding noise, DelValle said applicable noise standards already are in the Lake County Zoning Ordinance.

Some other jurisdictions have quiet hours, which typically are 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.; require that a property manager be located within a certain distance so they can respond to complaints and a notice must be posted regarding the property manager’s name and contact information; and require legal noticing to notify the neighbors even if the vacation rental can be permitted with the zoning permit, she said.

Other rules DelValle found in her research included trash management guidelines, a required distance between rentals and a complaint process that allows for permit revocation if there are three complaints within a year.

“Some jurisdictions flat-out prohibit them,” DelValle said of vacation rentals.

DelValle sought direction from the board regarding whether its members wanted to establish a permit process since the county doesn’t have one or if they want to simply prohibit them. She said typically vacation rentals are prohibited where single family dwellings are a permitted use.

Board members indicated their desire to consider the matter further.

Supervisor Moke Simon – who called AirBNB the world’s largest hotel – said he is seeing a lot of homes in his district rented out, and he wanted an in-depth discussion.

Supervisor Jeff Smith said parking is the biggest issue, and making sure there is plenty of it – at least one parking space for every two people.

The board agreed to hold a longer discussioni on the matter on Jan. 29.

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