County Extends Short-Term Rental Moratorium, Frustrating Some Property Owners

Riverside County supervisors unanimously voted this week to extend a moratorium on issuing new short-term rental permits in the Temecula Valley and Idyllwild areas. The decision gives county staff more time to finalize changes to the short-term rental ordinance but has drawn criticism from some property owners who were hoping to start renting out their homes.

The existing moratorium was set to expire on September 9th after being in effect for nearly a year. But county officials requested an additional 10-month extension, saying they need more time to tailor the ordinance to address specific issues in Temecula and Idyllwild. The county plans to hold public hearings on the proposed changes, likely within 2-3 months.

The moratorium extension was approved despite objections from owners like Gerardo Morales, who told supervisors that most short-term rental operators are "living in peace" and that the inability to get a permit for the past year has been "detrimental."

The county established a 45-day urgent moratorium last September in response to a major uptick in short-term rental permit applications. With licenses increasing by 54 per month on average, officials grew concerned about negative impacts to communities. The original moratorium was then extended to a full year in October 2022.

A new countywide regulatory framework was approved in October 2022. But Temecula and Idyllwild were excluded until issues specific to those areas could be addressed. The goal is to revise the rules to alleviate problems with noise, parking, and other "adverse impacts" from short-term rentals.

With an estimated 1,130 licensed rentals across unincorporated Riverside County, Temecula, and Idyllwild have some of the highest concentrations. The surge in permit applications countywide over the past year triggered worries that the continued growth could start threatening community health and safety.

Supervisor Kevin Jeffries expressed reservations about extending the moratorium again, saying property rights have to be respected on both sides. But in the end, he and the other supervisors agreed more time is needed to fine-tune the new regulations before issuing additional permits.

While the extension runs for ten months on paper, county officials say the actual moratorium period will likely only last 2-3 more months. Public hearings are expected this October to discuss the proposed ordinance changes. In the meantime, property owners interested in renting out their homes remain in limbo.

The county has a tough balancing act ahead. Permitting short-term rentals boosts income for property owners and the local economy. But unleashed growth also risks changing the character of tight-knit communities like Temecula and Idyllwild. Crafting enforceable rules to allow vacation rentals while preventing nuisance issues will be challenging.

For now, the short-term rental moratorium continues in Temecula and Idyllwild. But with public hearings on the horizon, changes to open up permitting could be coming soon. Property owners will be watching closely to see if the new ordinance strikes the right compromise.