Following a years-long process, the City of Twentynine Palms enacted a vacation home rental ordinance earlier this year. So when a web site offering a well-known city residence for rent came to our attention, we were curious about its official status. Reporter Dan Stork looked into it…
Wheelhouserental.com is an attractive web site devoted to the former residence of the late and well-liked Huell Howser, of public television fame, which was purchased by artist Joan Robey. The site extols the setting, aesthetic qualities, and amenities of the property, located in the west end of Twentynine Palms. It goes on to say, “The Wheelhouse is now available for you to rent for photo shoots, weddings, special events, corporate gatherings, writer and artist retreats and extended family holidays.” Although there is no explicit reference to short-term vacation rentals on the site, we decided to ask the city about the property’s status. We asked City Manager Frank Luckino whether any permits were needed for the indicated activities, and whether any had been applied for. He replied that permits of some sort are indeed needed and, after verifying information with the city’s planning department, told us than none had been applied for. Luckino said that code enforcement would deliver an application for a temporary use permit to the property.
