Last week, the Riverside County Department of Planning issued a public notice announcing that the application process for Tier 2, Short Term Rental certificates was open for Idyllwild and the Wine Country. The two-page application is available online (https://planning.rctlma.org/sites/g/files/aldnop416/files/2024-11/Riverside%20County%20STR%20Tier%202%20Application.pdf) and must be submitted online by midnight, Sunday, Dec. 1.

Tier 1 certificates were awarded last spring. These went to STR owners who had been paying the Transient Occupancy Tax between Sept. 13, 2021, and Sept. 13, 2022 but did not have a certificate.

Ordinance 927.2, “Regulating Short-Term Rentals” established a cap or limit of 500 STRs in Idyllwild (including Pine Cove). At that time, 462 STR certificates had been issued for this area, which allowed the County Planning Department to issue an additional 38. Although 51 operators submitted applications for Tier 1 eligibility, 34 certificates were issued.

Since the cap is 500, four more certificates may be issued pursuant to Tier 2 requirements. If any certificate owner has given up their certificate, there may be more than 4 certificates to award.

If applicants and the current certificates exceed the 500 cap, a lottery will be held to award the new certificates. The total number of STR certificates on the Hill may not exceed 500.

Section 7 and 11 of Ordinance 927.2 establish the eligibility criteria for a STR certificate. Among the requirements and limitations, in Idyllwild, STRs must be separated, at least, 150 feet.

In addition, the announcement states, “No Owner or Owner Entity shall hold more than two (2) Short-Term Rental Certificates simultaneously.”