Concerns linger about enforcement of short-term rental regulations on Coachella Valley ranchos

A new County ordinance to define the land-use and create regulations for Ranchos in the Coachella Valley is set to take effect by the end of August after it was unanimously approved by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors on June 25.

Ranchos are large agricultural properties used to hold events, primarily outdoors, such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, baptisms, baby showers, quinceañeras, graduations and other events.

The new ordinance establishes standards for noise, trash, access for first responders, parking, traffic and land-use – requiring 40% agriculture use and 20% date palms.

The ordinance will be brought back for a second reading on July 30 before it takes effect 30 days later. Rancho owners will then be able to apply for a permit by sending an application to the Riverside County Planning Department. The County will hold a workshop for Rancho owners and have a designated planner for answering questions and processing Ranchos.

While the new ordinance, which is the product of three years of collaboration between the County and members of the community, has received an overwhelming amount of support, it has also stirred concern from some residents.

While the Rancho ordinance does not permit overnight stays at the event site, Ranchos, short-term rentals, and temporary events can coincide as long as the proper permits have been obtained.

Under existing County rules and regulations, zoning, guest count, and operational requirements must be met.

Thousand Palms ranch owner Janis Charnay has lived on her property for the past 20 years. Over the last several years she has noticed a change in the area she lives in, located off Via Las Palmas.

"It's been paradise. Peaceful and quiet until the last few years where short-term rentals became out of control and have taken over the neighborhood. We are on a dead end street and we have a lot more traffic and noise and trash and trespassing and a whole list of things," according to Charnay.

She is concerned the new Rancho ordinance will pave the way for more "party houses" in her neighborhood, and that the County is not doing enough to crack down on those who violate the rules.

Code Enforcement is tasked with ensuring that Rancho owners and STR operators abide by the rules. However, Supervisor Manuel Perez has acknowledged that the department has struggled to keep up with demand over the last few years.

"They took a devastating hit, dating way back before I was even a board member, where they were slashed more than half, and we're finally getting to a place where we have more Code Enforcement, more resources for them, but nonetheless there is still not enough," according to Perez.

Meanwhile, County staff is expected to provide the Board of Supervisors with a six-month status update to the STR ordinance in August.

Watch News Channel 3 at 6:00 p.m. tonight for the full report.

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