Short Term Rentals

Update 2/11/26: Planning Commission Sends Short-Term Rental Ordinance Back for Revision

Monterey County’s proposed permanent short-term rental ordinance took an important turn this week. After extensive public testimony and deliberation, the Planning Commission voted not to support the ordinance as currently written.

This does not end the process. The County previously adopted an interim urgency ordinance that remains in place for now, but a permanent replacement must still be finalized. The Planning Commission’s action means the current draft will be revised before moving forward to the Board of Supervisors for further consideration.

The hearing made clear that significant questions remain about how the ordinance would function in practice and how it would apply to communities like Big Sur. Commissioners raised concerns about clarity, enforceability, and whether the proposed structure fully reflects existing land use policies. Public comment echoed many of these same issues, particularly around the potential for unintended loopholes, the definition and limits of hosted rentals, and how the ordinance would interact with Big Sur’s unique zoning and longstanding land use protections.

For Big Sur, this process is especially important. The Big Sur Coast Land Use Plan has long recognized that residential areas are intended primarily for residential use and are not well suited for visitor-serving commercial activity. With an extremely limited housing supply and some of the most environmentally sensitive lands in the county, even small changes in policy can have long-term consequences. Ensuring that any permanent ordinance is clear, enforceable, and consistent with certified land use policy remains essential.

County staff will now revise the ordinance based on feedback from the Planning Commission and the public. A new draft could return for further review before ultimately going back to the Board of Supervisors for a final decision. This revision phase will shape what the long-term rules look like not only for Big Sur but for the entire county.

We will continue to monitor developments closely and share updates as new drafts and hearing dates are announced. Thank you to everyone who submitted comments, attended the hearing, and stayed engaged. Public participation continues to play a critical role in shaping the outcome.

Call to Action: Speak Up on Vacation Rentals in Big Sur

Monterey County is moving forward with proposed changes to its vacation rental ordinances, and a critical public hearing is coming up soon. These proposed changes could have long-term impacts on housing, land use, and environmental protections in Big Sur.

The Monterey County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. The meeting will take place at the County Government Center in Salinas, with options to participate in person, online, or by phone. Link listed below.

Written public comments can be submitted by email to pchearingcomments@countyofmonterey.gov by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 10.

The proposed amendments to the County’s vacation rental ordinances are largely being driven by an ongoing lawsuit challenging parts of the regulations adopted in 2024 and 2025. The lawsuit argues that certain provisions treated non-resident and corporate property owners differently from resident owners. In response, Monterey County has paused enforcement of some ownership-related rules and is now proposing revisions intended to address those legal challenges and create a more legally defensible ordinance.

According to the newly released staff report, the County is proposing a revised framework that would eliminate the previous categories of homestay, limited vacation rental, and commercial vacation rental and instead distinguish between “hosted” and “non-hosted” vacation rentals. Under the proposal, Big Sur would allow only hosted vacation rentals.

The proposed ordinance would also allow vacation rentals in certain zoning districts throughout the county, including commercial, visitor-serving, and agricultural zones, and would create a pathway for vacation rentals associated with commercial agricultural operations. The draft includes updated licensing requirements, enforcement provisions, occupancy standards, and a phase-out process for existing or pending vacation rental operations under earlier regulations.

Because these proposed changes are intended to respond to legal challenges and will shape how vacation rentals are regulated going forward, the upcoming Planning Commission hearing will be an important opportunity for the public to understand what is being proposed and provide input before recommendations are made to the Board of Supervisors.

Big Sur has historically not recognized short-term rentals as a principal land use under the Big Sur Coast Land Use Plan. Community members are encouraged to review the proposed ordinance and participate in the public process to stay informed about decisions that could affect housing, land use, and the future of the Big Sur community.

This is a moment when public participation truly matters. Please take a few minutes to submit a comment or attend the hearing and stay engaged in decisions affecting Big Sur’s future.

Join the February 11 Planning Commission hearing:

https://montereycty.zoom.us/j/95316276581

Webinar ID: 953 1627 6581


Update: Sonoma County Shows a Clear Path on Rental Enforcement

Sonoma County has already taken a step that Monterey County supervisors are now “looking into,” and it offers a clear, workable path forward for addressing short-term rental loopholes in Big Sur.

Sonoma adopted a hosted rental framework that draws a bright line between a true room rental in an owner-occupied home and a whole-house vacation rental. Under Sonoma’s ordinance, a whole-house rental is never considered a hosted rental, even if the property owner lives in a separate unit on the same parcel. This clarity matters because it prevents corporate operators from disguising lodging as “leases,” blocks the misuse of ADUs and secondary units, and gives enforcement staff objective standards they can actually apply.

Importantly, Sonoma’s approach has been adopted locally and certified by the California Coastal Commission as part of its Local Coastal Program, meaning it is legally defensible and enforceable in the Coastal Zone. Big Sur has never allowed short-term rentals as a use, yet weak enforcement and vague definitions are now enabling exactly that outcome. Sonoma’s model demonstrates that housing can be protected without banning legitimate long-term rentals or reopening certified land-use policies.

We encourage community members to contact the Monterey County Board of Supervisors and urge them to support a Sonoma-style hosted rental framework that closes loopholes, protects housing, and upholds the intent of the Big Sur Coast Land Use Plan. This is not a new experiment — it is a proven solution Monterey County can adopt now.

Monterey County and the California Coastal Commission have now adopted ordinances regulating short-term rentals. While this is an important milestone, STRs continue to pose serious risks to the stability and character of our Big Sur community if not carefully enforced.

For decades, the Big Sur Land Use Plan has recognized that housing here is not just scarce—it is vital for maintaining a living, working community. STRs remove long-term housing from the market, driving up prices and making it nearly impossible for local residents and workers to live here. At the same time, they intensify tourism impacts—more traffic, noise, parking congestion, and emergency-response pressures—all of which erode the very qualities that make Big Sur unique.

The ordinances set important limits, including:

  • Banning Commercial Vacation Rentals in residential zones to preserve neighborhood character.

  • Requiring that Homestays be tied to a primary residence, ensuring accountability and neighborhood oversight.

  • Minimum stay requirements to reduce high turnover and disruptions.

  • Phasing out non-compliant permits so that all operators are held to the same standard.

These protections are not about “banning” tourism—they are about ensuring tourism is sustainable, fair, and balanced with the needs of those who call Big Sur home.

Moving forward, strong enforcement will be critical. Without it, loopholes and non-compliance will continue to undermine the ordinances and threaten our community’s future. STR revenues, including transient occupancy tax, should never outweigh the priority of preserving housing for locals and maintaining the integrity of the Big Sur Coast.

Big Sur is not just a destination. It is a living community, one that depends on the careful enforcement of the Land Use Plan and the new STR rules. We urge residents and visitors alike to understand these policies and support their enforcement—so that Big Sur remains a place where people can live, work, and thrive, not just visit..