At its next meeting Tuesday, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors will again discuss whether or not to allow a “new type of transient habitation” referred to as “Low Intensity Camping.”
According to the staff report prepared for the Feb. 11 meeting of the board, the supervisors are expected to discuss, and possibly provide direction to the Department of Planning and Building Services on allowing a “limited number of short-term commercial campsites on properties within the inland areas of the county.”
In their report, Planning and Building Services staff explain that they “sought preliminary direction from the Mendocino County Planning Commission on Nov. 7, 2024 and (are) now seeking preliminary direction from the Board of Supervisors before proceeding with any stakeholder/public meetings. During the review of the Inland Zoning Code Update, the Commission recommended against adopting regulations for this use type (and the) board did not adopt regulations for this use type as part of the Inland Zoning Code Update, but directed staff to come back with a subsequent ordinance amendment to regulate this use type.”
Staff explain that some of the reasons the commission did not recommend adopting Low Intensity Camping provisions at that time were: “Additional time is needed to hear comments from emergency service providers, especially fire districts, and resource agencies, (and there was) concern that separate regulations may be necessary for the western portion of the county that… is generally seen as being part of the Mendocino coast, which generally has greater demand for transient habitation and impacts to traffic and services in the Mendocino Coast area that already includes several permitted campgrounds.”
Other comments and concerns expressed by the commission included:
Traffic/transportation impacts to local roads and state highways. Require more robust permitting process if located on a private road. Notification to neighbors if located on a private road. Impact on fire insurance policies both where campsite is located and adjacent landowners. Fire risk. Nuisance to neighbors from noise such as barking dogs, car doors closing, music, generators, etc. Exclude residentially zoned properties or limit number of campsites. Ensure solid waste removal from site.Staff also listed several specific items they are requesting direction from the board on, including: “are there certain zoning districts that should be excluded from consideration, does the board desire to have a minimum parcel size requirement, a cap on the number of campsites that are allowed on any one parcel, a cap on the number of campsites allowed within areas subject to the Inland Zoning Code, and to have an on-site host requirement, essentially meaning that a dwelling unit shall be required and is occupied by a designated host, along with several other questions.”
The board meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. on Feb. 11, and will be held in the Board of Supervisors Chambers, located at 501 Low Gap Road in Ukiah. Meetings are live streamed and available for viewing on the Mendocino County YouTube page, at www.youtube.com/MendocinoCountyVideo or by toll-free, telephonic live stream at 888-544-8306.
Comments can be submitted using an “online eComment platform at mendocino.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx. All submitted eComments will be made available to the Supervisors, staff, and the general public immediately upon submittal.”
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