Sonoma County Municipal Code § 40-41 Rental of existing guest houses, pool houses and residential accessory…

This code currently allows seasonal farmworker housing and extended seasonal farmworker housing in certain agricultural districts, to be occupied for not more than one hundred eighty (180) days in any calendar year and subject to regulation pursuant to Title 25 of the California Code of Regulations. Notwithstanding any contrary provision in this code, seasonal farmworker housing and extended seasonal farmworker housing may be occupied for up to three hundred sixty-five (365) days in any calendar year, provided that such seasonal farmworker housing or extended seasonal farmworker housing shall remain subject to all other existing regulations and limitations, standards, except that the park and traffic mitigation fees described in county code Section 26-88-010(l)(13) shall not become due or payable as the result of interim housing use.

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

Notwithstanding any contrary provision in this code, during the effective date of this chapter, existing legally permitted guest houses, pool houses, and residential accessory structures may be rented as interim housing for persons displaced by the Sonoma Complex Fire, but shall remain subject to all other existing regulations and limitations. Residential occupancy of such structures shall no longer be a legal use under the county code after the expiration date of this chapter provided in Section 40-4 A. In all such cases, the property owner shall be responsible for notifying tenants of the temporary nature of the housing.

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

Notwithstanding any contrary provision in this code or use permit conditions, existing rental or residential occupancy of promotional or marketing accommodations, farmstays, bed and breakfast inns, resorts, retreats, camps or other similar visitor serving uses shall be allowed as interim housing for persons displaced by the Sonoma Complex Fire.

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

A. Existing dwellings. Notwithstanding any contrary provision in this code, existing legally permitted main or primary dwellings and farm family dwellings on agricultural parcels may be used by or rented to persons displaced by the Sonoma Complex Fire, provided that such use or rental does not displace agricultural employees or farm workers. The temporary rental of farm family or agricultural employee dwelling to persons not involved in the agricultural enterprise shall no longer be permitted as of the expiration of this chapter.

B. Recreational vehicles. Notwithstanding any contrary provision in this code, one (1) or two (2) recreational vehicles as defined herein may be placed on LIA, LEA and/or DA parcels within the burn area for use or rental by persons displaced by the Sonoma Complex Fire, subject to county permit or approval, and subject to the permitting requirements, term limits, and standards set forth in Section 4-30 above.

C. State regulations. Nothing in this chapter removes or suspends regulatory requirements or authority of the State Department of Housing and Community Development to regulate residential use of recreational vehicles as special occupancy parks or otherwise, other than as such provisions are suspended or modified by State law and/or an Executive Order or emergency proclamation by the Governor.

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

A. Purpose. The code currently requires payment of permit processing fees and development fees in connection with applications for new accessory dwelling units (ADUs). Notwithstanding any contrary provision in this code, for fire-damaged lots where the primary dwelling is reconstructed, new ADU applications shall be eligible for fee waivers in accordance with this section.

B. Internal conversions. When a reconstructed single-family dwelling that was previously connected to public sewer service is built to the originally permitted dimensions without changing the footprint or square footage of the original dwelling, building permit processing fees shall be waived for an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) that is incorporated into the interior of the dwelling. No development fees are applicable. The ADU shall conform with all other applicable codes and standards, including Section 26-88-060, and shall be identified in the application submittal.

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

A. Safe parking at designated county-owned and county-controlled facilities. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of Chapter 18 of this code, overnight parking may be permitted at designated safe parking program sites on county-owned or -controlled property, subject to the following basic requirements in addition to any other program requirements deemed necessary or desirable by the directors of the department of general services and the community development commission:

1. The site has been approved and designated by the department of general services as a "safe parking program" site, subject to maximum capacity limitations and any other criteria deemed necessary or appropriate by general services.

2. A safe parking program shall not be permitted except on designated sites that are actively managed and operated by a legal entity that has been approved by the directors of the community development commission (CDC) and general services as a safe parking program site manager. The safe parking program site manager shall ensure that its safe parking site provides the level of services and security commensurate with the overnight parking capacity of the safe parking site, as determined by CDC and general services.

3. Registration is required for overnight parking at designated safe parking program sites. Registration shall not exceed the designated capacity of the site. Displaced persons shall have registration priority over other members of the public.

B. Safe parking programs on privately owned sites. A safe parking program may be operated on privately owned sites in any zoning district with the permission of the property owner, subject to approval by the director of CDC and further subject to compliance with any additional requirements that may be deemed reasonably necessary by the director of CDC in consultation with county counsel.

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

A. Structures that exceed allowable density. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this code, a legal nonconforming residential structure substantially damaged or destroyed by the Sonoma Complex Fire that exceeds allowable density may be rebuilt and reconstructed and expanded in floor area by ten percent (10%) of the original floor area.

B. Structures damaged or destroyed by the Sonoma Complex Fire. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this code, legal nonconforming residential structures damaged or destroyed by the Sonoma Complex Fire need not be rebuilt on the original foundation footprint. Structures that conform to allowable density may be rebuilt 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, § III(Exh. A), 12-10-2024; Ord. No. 6398, § III(Exh. A), 12-13-2022)