Chapter 25 — SHORT-TERM RENTALS

Sections:

25.010 Intent.

25.020 General Requirements and Applicability. 25.030 Previous Permit Approvals.

25.040 Hosted Short-Term Rentals. 25.050 Non-Hosted Short-Term Rentals. 25.060 Notice requirements.

• 25.070 Uses permitted.

In recognition of the demand by visitors for diverse lodging options, this Chapter is intended to establish a process to permit short-term rentals in residential dwellings regardless of land use designation.

• A. This Chapter applies to any visitor or short-term rental (as defined in Chapter 2 of the Land Use Element) in all land use designations.

• B. Short-term rentals covered by this Chapter are subject to a Use Permit (see Chapter 32) and a Short-Term Rental Activity Permit (STR Activity Permit) under Mono County Code Chapter 5.65 unless otherwise exempted.

• C. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in this Chapter, short-term rentals covered by this Chapter shall operate in compliance with this Chapter, Chapter 5.65 of the Mono County Code, and all applicable Area Plan policies, and must exhibit no reasonable opposition from neighbors within 500 feet of the subject parcel.

• D. Pursuant to Chapter 5.65 of the Mono County Code and the required STR Activity Permit, short-term rentals covered by this Chapter shall be specific to the owner and shall terminate upon a change of ownership.

• E. Visitor rental permits shall be limited to one per parcel and one per person regardless of whether the ownership interest is in whole or in part. In other words, a use permit for a short-term rental shall not be approved if a person with an ownership interest in the property, whether in whole or in part, has an existing visitor rental within Mono County.

• F. Applicants must demonstrate that creation of a short-term rental would not negatively impact long-term housing stock.

• G. Short-term rental of an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) or Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit (JADU) is prohibited (see Chapter 16 of the Land Use Element).

• H. Any person or entity that leases, rents, or otherwise makes available for compensation a residential unit approved pursuant to this Chapter for a period of thirty (30) or fewer days must first comply with this Chapter and all applicable requirements prior to operating.

• I. Parcels located within conditional development zones (avalanche) shall not be allowed to offer or operate short-term rentals during the avalanche season, November 1 through April 15.

• J. Any form of advertising or listing for rent of an unpermitted short-term rental unit is a violation of this Chapter

Visitor rentals approved prior to GPA 25-01 (December 9, 2025) are permitted to operate as originally approved. Upon transfer or sale of the property, approvals that run with the land (e.g., TROD overlay, use permit) remain

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in effect but new approvals specific to the new owner including, but not limited to, an STR Activity Permit, business license, and transient occupancy tax (TOT) certificate are required. Previous permitting mechanisms include, but are not limited to, the following:

• A. Transient Rental Overlay Districts (implemented through General Plan Amendments) include, but may not be limited to, the following parcels: 016-094-012, 016-094-011, 016-094-010, 016-098-016 (GPA 13-001), 019-140-011, 016-098-011, 016-096-005 (GPA 13-002); 015-140-035, 015-140-034, 015-140-033, 015140-032 (GPA 13-004); 016-102-052 (GPA 14-001): 015-010-080, 015-300-006 (GPA 14-002).

• B. Approval by use permit only includes, but may not be limited to, the following parcels: 060-120-005 (UP 17004), 008-132-027 & 008-132-017 (UP 17-005), 060- 210-062 (UP 17-011), 060-180-018 (UP 17-012), 060240-010 (UP 17-013).

• C. Visitor rentals that were allowed by right and without permits require full compliance with these short-term regulations (e.g., new use permit, STR Activity Permit, business license, TOT certificate) upon sale or transfer of the property to a new owner. These situations include, but are not limited to, condominium units previously approved by-right with a business license and TOT certificate.

Hosted rentals require a verified Host to live on site and be present during any rentals. The rental unit must be associated with a Hosted principal residence on the same parcel or a physically contiguous adjacent parcel under the same ownership. A Hosted rental may include:

1. Rental of a portion of a dwelling unit, with a minimum of a sleeping room with shared full bathroom; or

2. Rental of an entire dwelling unit, not including an ADU or JADU as defined by Chapter 2 of the Mono County General Plan Land Use Element.

3. Short-term rental of the main unit while a long-term tenant occupies an Accessory Dwelling Unit or a Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit is allowable.

“Non-Hosted rental” means a short-term rental where a Host is not required to be present during rentals (Mono County General Plan Land Use Element § 02.855).

• A. Notice of an STR Activity Permit shall be given to owners of surrounding properties and published in a newspaper of general circulation 30 days in advance of a public hearing.

• B. "Surrounding property,” for the purposes of this planning permit, shall be defined as those properties that fall within a 500-foot radius measured from the nearest limits of the project parcel that is the subject of the land use application. If a contiguous parcel (or parcels) is under the same ownership as the project parcel, the 500-foot radius shall be measured from the limits of all contiguous parcels under the same ownership. If a property is located more than 500 feet from the boundary of the parcel but may be directly affected by any land use application on the subject parcel, then that property owner may also be noticed at the discretion of the Community Development Department. Further, any property owners or residents, regardless of their location or proximity to the parcel subject to a land use application, may receive notice if they submit their request in writing to the Planning Division more than 10 days in advance of the hearing. Such notice shall be given at least 10 days in advance of the hearing by mail, electronic mail, or other noticing means pursuant to the California Government Code, to all persons whose names and addresses appear on the latest adopted tax roll of the County or have made a written request for notice under this section.

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"Surrounding property,” for the purposes of this planning permit, shall be defined as those properties that fall within a 500-foot radius measured from the nearest limits of the project parcel that is the subject of the land use application. If a contiguous parcel (or parcels) is under the same ownership as the project parcel, the 500foot radius shall be measured from the limits of all contiguous parcels under the same ownership. If a property is located more than 500 feet from the boundary of the parcel but may be directly affected by any land use application on the subject parcel, then that property owner may also be noticed at the discretion of the Community Development Department. Further, any property owners or residents, regardless of their location or proximity to the parcel subject to a land use application, may receive notice if they submit their request in writing to the Planning Division more than 10 days in advance of the hearing. Such notice shall be given at least 10 days in advance of the hearing by mail, electronic mail, or other noticing means pursuant to the California Government Code, to all persons whose names and addresses appear on the latest adopted tax roll of the County or have made a written request for notice under this section.

Nothing in this chapter modifies the uses permitted, uses permitted subject to director review, or uses permitted subject to use permit in the project’s underlying land use designation.

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