Mono County holds extensive workshop on short‑term rental policy; board debates cap, waiting period and Interlochen

MONO COUNTY, Calif. — On Oct. 21, the Mono County Board of Supervisors held a day‑long workshop to review a comprehensive short‑term rental (STR) policy package, including a General Plan amendment (GPA 25‑01), proposed zoning and permitting changes, and locally targeted measures for condominium complexes such as Interlochen in June Lake.

The county’s Community Development director, Wendy Sigimura, told the board the draft package is the product of roughly two years of study that began after a moratorium on new STR permits. "This whole report and all of the information before you is really the culmination of that last 2 years of work," Sigimura said. The board took public comment, asked staff for clarifications and signaled several policy directions; staff will return Nov. 18 with a redlined package for formal action.

Why it matters: The package aims to limit the conversion and commodification of residential housing into visitor rentals while preserving visitor capacity. Staff said the proposals are designed to protect community housing without immediately reducing the county’s visitor bed base; the board’s decisions this fall will shape how July and winter visitor economies and local housing availability interact going forward.

Key points from the workshop

- Scope, outreach and data: Staff summarized outreach (online survey, RPAC meetings, Planning Commission workshops) and research from a February 2024 STR study. Staff told the board Mono County had about 106 permitted STRs as of February 2024 (85 of…