By Rhea-Frances Tetley
Staff Writer
and
Mary-Justine Lanyon
Editor
Ignacio Nunez, chief of San Bernardino County Code Enforcement, attended both the Crest Forest and Lake Arrowhead Municipal Advisory Council meetings by Zoom to answer residents’ questions.
He showed a PowerPoint presentation that explained the rules and changes in the complaint system for short-term rental units in the mountains and desert.
Complaints are submitted through a 24/7 hotline – (833) 722-7871 – managed by a third-party vendor hired by the county. The person manning the hotline determines if the location is an STR on file; if so, they notify the property manager of the complaint. They then notify Code Enforcement for further investigation.
The hotline is the preferred way to submit a complaint, Nunez said, but residents may also call Code Enforcement directly at (909) 884-4884 or send an email to shorttermrental@lus.sbcounty.gov.
On weekends, a Code Enforcement officer is on duty at the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Station from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m.; they may be dispatched to see if there is a violation, documenting any violation with videos and photos.
MACs-STR investigation questions
The investigation process, Nunez explained, is neutral, looking at a fair conclusion for all involved. They ask probing and specific questions to determine the severity of the violation. They want to know when the suspected violation began, whether it was resolved and they would like to witness the violation in progress. They will take evidence provided by the incident reporter, such as photos and video, but they need to verify time and location.
Examples of frequent violation complaints are for noise, trash, parking, advertising and number of people at a house, with trash, parking and noise being the top three.
A new code on the number of vehicles at a location will be posted soon as the previous code didn’t take all factors into consideration. But vehicles must not be parked on the street but on the property. If parking problems cause a conflict or accident and there is vehicle damage, the car’s owner is responsible, not the county.
The sheriff may also respond when called to noise violations; they will try to quell any disturbance by direct action. When the Code Enforcement office receives a notice of complaint, they can issue a notice of violation, which can lead to an administrative citation; if enough are received, that can lead to a suspension of the STR permit.
When an STR violation is confirmed, this is when enforcement action can be taken. The first citation is a $1,000 fine; a second violation citation is a $2,000 fine and third is a $5,000 fine. After that the permit is revoked for a year. Nunez did not state if any have had their permits revoked this last year.
“We have staff up there at the office, waiting for complaints, and we will respond in person. We usually get a few complaints every weekend,” said Nunez. On holiday weekends the agents are there through Monday as well.
In response to a question about STR renewal notifications, Nunez said because a renewal is not an appealable action, they don’t send out those notices.
A couple of residents posed specific questions about properties near them. Nunez will get those residents’ contact information and talk with them privately about those matters.
In answer to whether Code Enforcement looks for other code violations – like unstable decks or loose handrails – when inspecting a prospective STR property, Nunez said they do. “We conduct a field inspection and look for safety violations. If we determine there is an issue, we will allow the property owner to correct it.”
During a discussion of weed abatement, Nunez said he doesn’t know how the lack of green waste pickup by Burrtec will impact the fire clearance his department will be enforcing. Beginning in June, his inspectors will be out looking for fire hazard weed clearance.
By scanning this QR code, residents can request to be on Code Enforcement’s email list for weed abatement notices.
Nunez shared a QR code for residents to sign up for email notifications from Code Enforcement on weed abatement issues (see photo).
The Dark Skies ordinance was also discussed. They have a rapid response team that addresses this issue. Residents were given two years to change any violating light fixtures. Now, when reported, the investigators notify the violator of the law and suggest compliance.
“We are taking an education approach,” Nunez said. “We haven’t received too many complaints.”
Greg Rice informed the Crest Forest MAC of a road failure about to occur on Crest Forest Drive between Jobs Peak and Devils Canyon Road. If the road fails, over 1,000 residents would be cut off and unable to leave the area, as it is the only access road to the area. A couple of sandbags had been placed along the side of the road but have fallen off and down the hillside. He thinks the road needs to be shored up from below. It needs a support wall to be built to keep the road from collapsing, said Rice. If there was a fire or medical emergency, it is possible those homes would be cut off and unable to be reached, especially by a large vehicle or firetruck.
At the Lake Arrowhead MAC meeting, Capt. Craig Harris of the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Station reported their new Sno-Cat has been named: Catzilla. They put it to use in the recent spring snowstorms. Three new deputies will begin their three-month training on May 4.
County Fire Battalion Chief Anthony Rapoza encouraged residents to take advantage of their Residential Assessment Program where they will come to your property and give you hints on how to prepare it for wildfires. For more information, stop in at Station 91 outside of Lake Arrowhead Village or visit sbcfire.org/faq-category/residential-assessment-program.
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