Idyllwild residents and STR owners weigh in on new ordinance

At Tuesday’s Riverside County Planning Commission meeting, more than 50 people spoke during the public comment period. Seventeen of them were either Idyllwild residents or have property in Idyllwild. Below is a summary of each of their comments to the commission about the proposed changes to Ordinance 927, Short-term Rentals (STR).

Alexandra Koromzay expressed concerns about the density limitation of one STR per 150 feet. “I’m concerned about the equitability of the density restrictions. They are patently unfair … It will foster anti-neighbor sentiment … these permits have to be merit-based.”

She appears to be one of the property owners who have been paying her Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), through Airbnb, without an STR certificate.

Joel Feingold began his comments by reciting John Donne’s poem, “No Man is an Island,” to the commission. His point is that Idyllwild is a community and whatever happens in one neighborhood can have reverberations through the Hill.

“Idyllwild is inundated by the STR business,” he stated. “And we’re all connected as STRs reach a certain percentage … What the industry fails to acknowledge is how each individual and the town as a whole are negatively affected by STRs … A majority feel we’ve reached that limit with a 10% cap and 300-foot density.”

Leigh McArthur said he and his wife bought a home in Idyllwild in 2020. It is primarily for his children and grandchildren. But they have been renting it occasionally. They have carefully vetted their renters and there have been no parties, he said.

While they’ve paid the TOT, they have not received a permit. “I think it is because of the transition [between owners]. The information was sent to the previous owner and not me. I support the ordinance.”

Woody Henderson of Pine Cove suggested that the lottery, or system for issuing new certificates, give priority to applications within the existing commercial zone in Idyllwild. He also stressed that the cap limitation of 500 does not reflect the danger from potential wildfires and possible evacuations.

Shane Stewart, a large Idyllwild property owner, noted that many properties “downtown” already have mixed use. He has encouraged the Planning Department to issue more STR certificates during the moratorium for properties in this area, “so we can have more STRs that don’t affect residential neighborhoods.”

He did object to the proposed limit of two STRs per individual or business and acknowledged he currently has four STRs. “We’ve done everything asked of us, including paying the TOT, installing noise monitors and signage improvements … Only three years to continue is not equitable. Especially since we have no complaints, no violations, so please revisit this and not cut us off after three years.”

John Jacobs, a 30-year resident, stated, “The most destructive source of the quality of life is the proliferation of STRs … It’s frustrating to see the county capitulate to loud voices. STRs are commercial entities similar to hotels and inns.”

Daniel Miracle expressed the view that Ordinance 927 has not been in effect long enough to know how to change it to solve the potential problems and concluded, “Just let capitalism do its job, then bad actors will go away.”

Kelly Halbersen said her family has been in Idyllwild for 20 years. They own several STRs and operating them has built a small family business. She is concerned that the two-STR limit will effectively close their business. “Please do not punish us for holding a business that follows the current rules and regulations.”

The following speakers called into the meeting to give their comments.

Claude Kilgore, who is a Palm Springs resident and has a cabin in Idyllwild, recommended that the issuance of new certificates, either by the lottery system or other mechanism, give preference to local residents.

Jon Brown, a longtime Idyllwild resident and STR owner, expressed opposition to the proposed new Ordinance 927. He recommended the board give it a few years before making changes.

Among his objections, he noted two specific provisions. The 150-foot density restriction “will disenfranchise existing property owners just on the basis that their neighbor might already have a permit. This is inherently wrong.”

Brown also noted that the off-street parking for STR guests should not be automatically illegal. There are streets where parking is legal; the issue is when vehicles are illegally parked, not whether they are local residents or visitors.

Melanie Bomar also expressed concern that there has not been sufficient time to know how 927 will work and “does not support the current proposal.” She opposed the cap and density restrictions. Bomar argued that an STR certificate should transfer with a property title rather than being canceled.

Brian Tracy took the opposite position, arguing that “… having an STR [permit] as an absolute property right is not true.” Further he argued that STRs are businesses. “400 STRs in Idyllwild with two bedrooms each is equivalent to 1,000 hotel rooms … There has been no study of their environmental quality. The effect of STRs in R-1 zones has been monumental.”

Nicole Mirante-Matthews and her husband have a second home in Pine Cove they bought in September 2020 on a private road. In the time since then, two of the nine homes on their road have flipped to STRs and a steady stream of problems began. Unfortunately, a disaster nearly occurred one weekend when the guests were too casual about the possibility that a fire might start. She shared, “The guest lied to us, lied to the fire department. Very serious matter that trumps investment.”

Matt Center has been restoring a 1935 cabin in Idyllwild. “I think it is totally absurd that anyone can hold two STRs and I can’t even get one.”

“It’s ironic the concern about over saturation,” he added. “A hotel is being built down the street and another bunkhouse. I’m not buying the over-saturation argument.”

Stacey Grant noted that the whole community is vulnerable to fires, floods and earthquakes. “I urge adoption of the ordinance with a 10% cap and 300-foot density limitation and [STRs] accessible by fire trucks.”

Amy Stahl-Gunduz was adamant that the county’s operation of the STR program is inept and is displacing blame. She attributes the STR issue to a handful of incidents and mostly anecdotal notions. “The county has not disclosed any data or a professional report to support the claims as it applies to homes in Idyllwild … and homes or dwellings in Idyllwild have historically been used by visitors or as secondary homes.”

She has suffered a loss of property rights and a severe financial impact during the moratorium. Stahl-Gundez argued that the operation of the program is contributing to the problem much more than people recognize.

Darica Diers is another STR owner who did not realize her permit had expired and did not reapply. Although she has been paying TOT this year, she did receive a “cease and desist” letter from the county. She would like to receive a new certificate but will have to wait for the moratorium to expire or be eliminated, according to Charissa Leach, director of the Transportation and Land Management Agency.