Article III — Temporary Emergency Housing.
Sonoma County Municipal Code · 2026-09 edition · updated 2026-09-27 · Sonoma County
Sec. 40D-30. - Recreational vehicles.¶
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 outside the coastal zone, 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.
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.
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.
Recreational vehicles shall be located outside the boundaries of any recorded easements.
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.
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 Glass Incident;
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.
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.
Recreational vehicles used as temporary emergency housing under this chapter shall not be allowed on any lot with health or safety hazards, as determined in the discretion of the director.
Recreational vehicles for residential use on lots outside the Glass Incident burn area shall comply with all zoning ordinance (Chapter 26) and riparian setback requirements.
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 Glass Incident. 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, § VI(Exh. D), 12-10-2024; Ord. No. 6398, § VI(Exh. D), 12-13-2022)
Sec. 40D-31. - Recreational vehicles, tent camps and campgrounds in K zones.¶
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 Glass Incident burn area, any burn area defined in Chapters 40, 40A, or 40C, and coastal zone. Such use shall require an administrative permit and administrative design review. No permit shall be issued for any lot with health or 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 40D-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 40D-31 A may be occupied by displaced persons three hundred sixty-five (365) days per year provided the director does not determine that year round occupancy of the site constitutes a health or safety hazard. 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, § VI(Exh. D), 12-10-2024; Ord. No. 6398, § VI(Exh. D), 12-13-2022)
Sec. 40D-32. - Temporary emergency housing in the PF, M1, M2 and MP zoning districts.¶
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 Glass Incident burn area, burn areas defined in Chapters 40, 40A, and 40C, 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 or safety hazards.
C.
Standards and occupancy. Temporary emergency housing authorized pursuant to this section shall meet or exceed the standards specified in Section 40D-30. Occupancy may be year-round and is limited to displaced persons. Transient occupancy and other visitor-serving use of temporary emergency housing is prohibited.
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. A bond or undertaking sufficient to cover costs of removal and restoration may be required, in the discretion of the director.
(Ord. No. 6501, § VI(Exh. D), 12-10-2024; Ord. No. 6398, § VI(Exh. D), 12-13-2022)
Sec. 40D-33. - Expansion of existing mobile home parks.¶
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 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 or safety hazards.
(Ord. No. 6501, § VI(Exh. D), 12-10-2024; Ord. No. 6398, § VI(Exh. D), 12-13-2022)
Secs. 40D-34—40A-39. - Reserved. Article IV. - Additional Housing and Recovery Provisions.
Sec. 40D-40. - Suspension of occupancy limits on agricultural employee housing.¶
Chapter 26 of this code allows agricultural employee housing in certain agricultural zoning districts to be occupied for not more than one hundred eighty (180) days in any calendar year, subject to regulation under Title 25 of the California Code of Regulations. Notwithstanding these provisions, during the term of this chapter agricultural employee housing may be occupied for up to three hundred sixty-five (365) days per year, provided that such agricultural employee housing shall remain subject to all other applicable regulations, limitations and standards, including habitability requirements. However, park and traffic mitigation fees described in Section 26-18-030E.7. of this code shall not become due or payable as the result of any temporary extension of seasonal occupancy.
(Ord. No. 6532, § III(Exh. A), 10-7-2025;Ord. No. 6501, § VI(Exh. D), 12-10-2024; Ord. No. 6398, § VI(Exh. D), 12-13-2022)
Sec. 40D-41. - Rental of existing guest houses, pool houses and residential accessory…¶
Notwithstanding any contrary provision in this code and during the term of this chapter, existing legally permitted guest houses, pool houses, and residential accessory structures may be rented as temporary housing for persons displaced by the Glass Incident, but shall remain subject to all other existing regulations and limitations, including habitability standards. Residential occupancy of such structures shall no longer be a legal use under the county code after the expiration of this chapter provided in Section 40D-5. In all such cases, the lot owner shall be responsible for notifying tenants of the temporary nature of the housing. This section does not apply in the coastal zone.
(Ord. No. 6501, § VI(Exh. D), 12-10-2024; Ord. No. 6398, § VI(Exh. D), 12-13-2022)
Sec. 40D-42. - Rental of existing marketing accommodations, farmstays, bed and…¶
Notwithstanding any contrary provision in this code or use permit conditions and during the term of this chapter only, marketing accommodations, farmstays, bed and breakfast inns, resorts, retreats, camps and similar visitor serving uses outside the coastal zone may be used as housing for displaced persons.
(Ord. No. 6501, § VI(Exh. D), 12-10-2024; Ord. No. 6398, § VI(Exh. D), 12-13-2022)
Sec. 40D-43. - Use and rental of existing dwellings and recreational vehicles on…¶
A.
Existing Dwellings. Notwithstanding any contrary provision in this code, existing main or primary dwellings on agricultural lots and farm family dwellings as defined in Chapter 26 may be used by or rented to displaced persons for periods longer than thirty (30) consecutive days, provided that such use or rental does not displace agricultural employees.
B.
Recreational Vehicles. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this code and during the term of this chapter only, up to two (2) recreational vehicles may be used as temporary emergency housing for displaced persons on lots in LIA, LEA and DA zoning districts outside the coastal zone and glass incident burn area, subject to the permitting requirements, term limits, and standards in Section 40D-30 above. A county permit or other administrative approval is required prior to initiating use of recreational vehicles under this section. Use of recreational vehicles as temporary emergency housing shall not be allowed on any lot with health or safety hazards, as determined in the discretion of the director.
(Ord. No. 6532, § III(Exh. A), 10-7-2025; Ord. No. 6501, § VI(Exh. D), 12-10-2024; Ord. No. 6398, § VI(Exh. D), 12-13-2022)
Sec. 40D-44. - Fee waivers for accessory dwelling units.¶
During the term of this chapter, building and zoning permit fees shall be waived for any new accessory dwelling unit (ADU) that is constructed on a fire-damaged lot along with a reconstructed single-household dwelling, provided that the ADU meets all other applicable standards.
(Ord. No. 6501, § VI(Exh. D), 12-10-2024; Ord. No. 6398, § VI(Exh. D), 12-13-2022)
Sec. 40D-45. - Safe parking.¶
Safe parking programs for persons displaced by the Glass Incident may be permitted as provided in Section 40-44 of this code.
(Ord. No. 6501, § VI(Exh. D), 12-10-2024; Ord. No. 6398, § VI(Exh. D), 12-13-2022)
Sec. 40D-46. - Legal nonconforming uses and structures.¶
A.
Structures on lots exceeding allowable density. Legal nonconforming dwellings that were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable by the Glass Incident that exceeded allowable density for the applicable lot may be reconstructed and expanded in floor area by ten percent (10%) of the original floor area, subject to compliance with applicable well and septic standards.
B.
Original footprint. Nonconforming residential structures destroyed or rendered uninhabitable by the Glass Incident need not be reconstructed on the original foundation footprint. Structures that conform to allowable density may be reconstructed and expanded, subject to lot coverage and setback requirements and to all other applicable requirements of the code, provided that the improvements do not increase the existing nonconforming portion of the structure.
(Ord. No. 6501, § VI(Exh. D), 12-10-2024; Ord. No. 6398, § VI(Exh. D), 12-13-2022)
Secs. 40D-47—40D-49. - Reserved.
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