The Twentynine Palms Vacation Home Rental Advisory Committee met last week in council chambers to discuss thorny issues around short-term rentals. Reporter Heather Clisby was there…
Working over the Friday lunch break, the Twentynine Palms Vacation Home Rental Advisory Committee gathered for their second public meeting to review city regulations of short-term rentals.
City Attorney Patrick Munoz kicked off the meeting by explaining the Brown Act, a 1953 law that requires full transparency of all California city and county government agencies, boards, councils, and committees, including this one.
The seven-member committee is a mix of elected officials, members of the planning commission, and concerned property owners/residents. Mayor Daniel Mintz was elected as the Committee Chair.
Friday’s meeting was the first of many surgical reviews of the ordinance language in place. The committee’s goal is to present recommendations to the Planning Commission, which will then be reviewed before being passed to the City Council. There will be ample opportunity for the public to contribute during this process.
The meeting featured debates about violations, warnings and fines – what is fair and what is effective. Committee member Jim Thornburg, a former code enforcement officer for the city, provided background info and real-world scenarios for the discussion. Proposed ideas included a mandatory meeting for VHR owners, high fines for non-permitted VHRs (aligning with the $1,000 county-imposed fine), and lifetime bans after three violations.
City Manager Frank Luckino stated that due to staff shortages relating to COVID-19, no VHR permits are being processed at this time.
The next public meeting of the committee is scheduled for Friday, October 1, at 11:15 a.m. at City Hall, 6136 Adobe Road, in Twentynine Palms.
