Riverside County planning commission backs stronger enforcement, sends short‑term rental amendments to Board

The Riverside County Planning Commission voted 4‑0 on Jan. 21 to send proposed amendments to the county's Short Term Rental Ordinance (Ordinance 9 27) and related fee changes to the Board of Supervisors, with explicit directions to tighten enforcement and clarify who residents should call when problems arise.

Staff told the commission the county now has about 1,100 certified short‑term rentals (STRs) and presented a package of changes intended to improve enforcement, close procedural gaps and update STR application fees. Scott Bruckner of the county planning department said staff also plans a parallel administrative update to Ordinance 6 71 to align STR application fees with current deposit‑based fee rates.

The proposal would broaden the types of written notices code enforcement issues (advisory notices, cease‑and‑desist orders and citations) so violations create a clearer paper trail for escalation. "We are going to change it to a notice from code enforcement," Code Enforcement Director Brian Contino said, explaining that clearer notice language will allow staff to gather the documentation needed to suspend or revoke permits when operators repeatedly violate the rules.

Staff described a strengthened pre‑issuance screening so new applicants or owners seeking additional certificates could be denied if they have multiple verified violations on record. Contino said the proposed rule would permit withholding a permit where an applicant or owner has three verified violations within the…