The Twentynine Palms City Council tackled several issues last night, though the hot topic of the evening was where to draw the line between the explosion of Vacation Home Rentals and the demand for housing. Reporter Heather Clisby was there …
It was a packed house at last night’s Twentynine Palms City Council meeting as residents spoke up and city leaders wrestled with amendments to the Vacation Home Rental (VHR) Development Code. The council ultimately approved an exact limit on the number of VHRs permits that can be issued city-wide: 500. With 5,797 single-family homes in the city, this comes out to an 8.6 percent cap. (Yucca Valley recently capped at 10 percent.) As of March 29, the number stands at 6.3 percent – 240 issued licenses, with 129 pending.
Other notable amendments include a limit on the number of VHRs that can be owned by one owner/entity (5), the VHR must be rented for at least
one night annually for the license to remain active, and owners must attend a class on how to be a responsible VHR host. Increased fines for noise/safety code violations will be $500, $1,000 and $2,000 for first, second, and third infractions, and the fines go up to $5,000 for operating without a license.
The meeting also featured the introduction of two new employees to the Parks and Recreation Department, a presentation from San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, approved partial service retirement for retirees who still work part-time, and approval of rental plans/fees for the community center and stage at Freedom Plaza.
The next meeting of the Twentynine Palms City Council is scheduled for May 24.
