Six months, after Planning Director John Hildebrand gave the Board of Supervisors a six-month report on the implementation of revised Ordinance 927.2, “Regulating Short-Term Rentals,” he is now asking for an urgent interim ordinance.

This time neither the Hill communities nor the Wine Country are responsible or involved. Hildebrand requested a 45-day temporary moratorium on new STRs within the unincorporated areas of Thousand Palms, and B Bar H Ranch.

The moratorium will be in effect from its adoption on Tuesday, March 11 to Friday, April 25.

During the moratorium Planning staff will hold meetings to consider the appropriateness of density control measures and potential caps for these unique areas, while drafting amendments to Ordinance No. 927, according to Hildebrand.

“Together, these two small areas of the County have experienced impacts of an above average density of STRs; the areas currently include 68 active and pending Short Term Rental certificates. Additionally, the intake of new applications for STR certificates for these areas is growing,” he wrote explaining the need for the immediate moratorium elsewhere in the County.

Neighbors have been experiencing frequent (typical) adverse effects. Examples that he mentioned, familiar to Hill residents, include unpermitted large-scale events, excessive noise, disorderly conduct, traffic congestion, illegal vehicle parking, and accumulation of refuse.

The unincorporated County area of Thousand Palms is located along Interstate 10 at the intersection of Ramon Road, and is characterized by mobile home subdivisions, single-family residential neighborhoods and rural residential development, with some commercial and industrial developments, according to the request.

The B Bar H Ranch is an unincorporated community comprised of predominantly low-density residential, located between Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs in the Seven Palms Valley.