Sonoma County Municipal Code Art. III Temporary Emergency Housing

A. Use of recreational vehicles for reconstruction of dwellings. During the term of this chapter, a recreational vehicle may be used by displaced persons as temporary emergency housing on a legal lot in a residential zoning district, subject to compliance with the standards and requirements of this section.

B. Standards. Except as may be otherwise provided in this chapter, use of a recreational vehicle as temporary emergency housing under this section shall require a county permit or other applicable approval, and shall meet all the following standards.

1. The lot owner(s) or lot owner's authorized agent shall obtain from the permit and resource management department a zoning permit and any other approvals required to authorize the temporary emergency housing use. Written consent of the lot owner is required in all cases.

2. Temporary emergency housing use of recreational vehicles pursuant to this section is limited to vehicles not on a permanent foundation and used to house displaced persons.

3. Recreational vehicles shall be located outside the boundaries of any recorded easements.

4. The recreational vehicle shall be connected to an approved source of water meeting one (1) of the following criteria:

a. Public water supply;

b. Existing well, provided that it has been approved by the director as safe for domestic consumption; or

c. Other water source approved by the director.

5. The recreational vehicle shall be connected to an approved sewage disposal system meeting one (1) of the following criteria:

a. Public sewer system;

b. Existing on-site sewage disposal system that has been approved by the director to be intact, adequately sized, and functioning following the Kincade Fire;

c. Temporary holding tank, serviced under contract with a pumping company for regular pumping. A copy of the contract shall be provided to the director; or

d. Other method of sewage disposal approved by the director.

6. The recreational vehicle shall be connected to an approved source of electricity meeting one (1) of the following criteria:

a. Permitted electrical service hook-up; or

b. Other power source approved by the director.

7. Recreational vehicles used as temporary emergency housing under this chapter shall not be allowed on any lot with health and safety hazards, as determined in the discretion of the director.

8. Recreational vehicles for residential use on lots outside the Kincade Fire burn area shall comply with all zoning ordinance (Chapter 26) and riparian setback requirements.

9. Residential use of recreational vehicles on fire-damaged lots shall meet the following additional standards:

a. Unless otherwise provided herein, no recreational vehicle or other temporary emergency housing may be permitted or located on a fire-damaged lot until the lot is approved for reconstruction by the county or other government agency with appropriate authority.

b. Use of recreational vehicles as temporary emergency housing on fire-damaged lots shall only be permitted on lots on which a permitted or legal nonconforming dwelling was destroyed or rendered uninhabitable by the Kincade Fire. The legal permitted or legal nonconforming status of a destroyed or damaged dwelling shall be verified by the director.

c. Recreational vehicles may be located on fire-damaged lots within zoning ordinance (Chapter 26) setback areas, excluding riparian setback areas, if such location is necessary to allow for unobstructed reconstruction on the lot.

C. Removal and disconnection. Every recreational vehicle used as temporary emergency housing pursuant to this chapter shall be disconnected from sewer, septic, water and/or power connections and removed from the lot on which it is located no later than the expiration date of this chapter.

(Ord. No. 6501, § IV(Exh. B), 12-10-2024; Ord. No. 6398, § IV(Exh. B), 12-13-2022)

A. Permitted use. Subject to the limitations provided in this section, during the term of this chapter recreational vehicles, tent camps and campgrounds shall be permitted on lots located in the 'K' zoning district outside the Kincade Fire burn area and coastal zone. Such use shall require an administrative permit and administrative design review. No permit shall be issued for any lot with health and safety hazards, as determined by the director. Compliance with the minimum standards for sewage disposal, water connection, electrical connection and setbacks set forth in Section 40A-30 B is required.

B. Occupancy. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this code, during the term of this chapter recreational vehicles, tent camps and campgrounds located on lots meeting the requirements of Section 40A-31 A may be occupied by displaced persons three hundred sixty-five (365) days per year. Transient occupancy is not precluded for uses allowed pursuant to this section, but all transient use shall remain subject to the payment and reporting of transient occupancy tax.

(Ord. No. 6501, § IV(Exh. B), 12-10-2024; Ord. No. 6398, § IV(Exh. B), 12-13-2022)

A. Permitted uses. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this code, during the term of this chapter multiple units or groups of manufactured homes and recreational vehicles shall be allowed as temporary emergency housing on privately owned lots in the PF, M1, M2 and MP districts outside the Kincade Fire burn area and coastal zone, provided that such uses meet all the requirements of this section.

B. Permit. Temporary emergency housing under this section shall require a temporary use permit and administrative design review prior to initiating the use. No permit shall be issued for any lot on which the director has determined that there are health and safety hazards.

C. Standards and occupancy. Temporary emergency housing authorized pursuant to this section shall meet or exceed the standards specified in Section 40A-30 B. Occupancy may be year-round, and is limited to displaced persons. Transient occupancy and other visitor-serving use of temporary emergency housing is not permitted.

D. Removal. No later than the expiration date of this chapter, use of temporary emergency housing authorized by this section shall cease and the operator and lot owner shall remove, to the satisfaction of the director, all utility and other installations made to accommodate the use. Permits and other approvals issued pursuant to this chapter shall require timely cessation and removal, but in no event shall a permit that is silent as to removal be interpreted as a waiver of the cessation and removal requirement. Execution of a covenant to perform removal tasks, satisfactory in form to the director and county counsel, shall be required prior to issuance of a permit for the proposed temporary emergency housing use. A bond or undertaking sufficient to cover costs of removal and restoration may be required, in the discretion of the director.

(Ord. No. 6501, § IV(Exh. B), 12-10-2024; Ord. No. 6398, § IV(Exh. B), 12-13-2022)

Existing mobile home parks authorized by use permit outside the coastal zone may expand within the existing permitted site to a maximum permitted residential density of one hundred thirty-five percent (135%) of the density established by the zoning map, subject to issuance of a zoning permit and any other approval(s) deemed necessary by the director. No permit shall be issued for any lot for which the director has determined that there are health and safety hazards.

(Ord. No. 6501, § IV(Exh. B), 12-10-2024; Ord. No. 6398, § IV(Exh. B), 12-13-2022)