Are there restrictions against short-term rentals in the Forest?
DMFPO has lobbied the Board of Supervisors for a prohibition of short term rentals in the residential neighborhoods of the Forest, similar to that in Carmel and Pacific Grove. However, any regulation passed by the County that affects the Coastal Zone requires Coastal Commission approval as well. The Coastal Commission has failed to act on such regulations in the past, and since the County cannot enforce a regulation in one part of the County (non-coastal zone) without enforcing it in another (coastal zone), we are left with a bureaucratic stymie. The current situation is that short term rentals are allowed for two weeks out of each year with a permit from the County Zoning Administrator. The DMFPO supports this limited short-term rental, which is consistent with IRS regulations that allow a homeowner to rent their home for up to two weeks without incurring additional taxes.
