SLO County may allow landowners to rent out campsites

October 13, 2021

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

San Luis Obispo County is considering changes to its camping ordinance that would allow property owners to rent out camping facilities on their land. [Tribune]

Proposed changes to the county ordinance would allow for permanent or temporary camping facilities on privately owned residential, agricultural and rural properties as small as one acre. A one-acre parcel could accommodate up to two campsites, and parcels of 30 acres of more could contain up to 15 campsites, according to the draft rule changes.

Additionally, the proposed rule changes would allow property owners to list their facilities on the popular campsite rental platform Hipcamp.

Supervisor John Peschong raised the potential camping ordinance changes earlier this year after trying to assist a Cambria property owner, who was ordered to stop operating a campground.

In August, code enforcement officials ruled a campground located on a hill above Cambria’s East Village was illegal. During the Aug. 5 hearing, the county asked Cambria landowner Michael “Buddy” Campo to stop operating his 4.12-acre property located at 2705 Main Street as a campground. Officials also ordered Campo to remove electrical, plumbing and gas connections. Campo’s property is now listed for sale with an asking price of nearly $1.9 million.

The board of supervisors will likely discuss the proposed camping ordinance changes during a Nov. 16 hearing about the board’s 2022 agenda.


Loading...
25 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Is proof of insurance required for a residential campsite? The actual logistics are insane! My ranch insurance already went up 300% because of wildfire risk. Now the idiot politicians want campers on ranch property that can start fires and drive injury liability insurance through the roof. My insurance company threatened to cancel me if I didn’t have water in my swimming pool. I can imagine the insurance company threats and hassles of getting insurance if there are campers on the property. I once allowed a nice woman to board her horse. Then without asking she started giving horse riding lessons on my property and then students with Klingons started trespassing after dark with some loitering. It’s a nightmare for neighbors when the campers have visitors and to landlords if there isn’t adequate insurance.


Good way to be put out of office. Make everyone’s neighborhood a campground, full of people who don’t care about the neighborhood because they are soon to be gone. Might as well invite homeless, they would at least be long term residents.


I’m surrounded by multiple Airbnb’s already. It has turned our quiet house community into a hotel district. This will make it even worse. Please NO! (Random people come to my place weekly, roam around my place thinking they are at a Park or something).


A friend of mine lives on a narrow Lane not a street or avenue …his neighbor across from his gate has been allowed by the county to fill the smallest lot on the Lane with buildings every 5 to 10 feet covering the entire small parcel 9000 sq feet .The county did move the right of way line to 5 feet in front of nearest structure closest to the Lane to stop the building of more buildings .But the owner put a travel trailer on the right away with tenants living in it .Every time I visit its a challenge to enter my friends gate the Lane is filled with a minimum of 4 vehicles sometimes 6 only about 7 feet of clearance to drive buy and then turn into gate opening …or squeeze past go to end of Lane turn around then enter his gate …the Lane was never designed to accommodate on street parking …there is no way a fire engine could go thru …has been going on over 20 years…sure its great to bring in more folks to live on same land but street must be made for the extra vehicles and the property needs its own parking ….another friend a few months ago came over to visit my friend ended up backing into one of the neighbors vehicles parked in the Lane … Cost that friend 300.00 cash to avoid a insurance claim to pay for damaged Lane blocking parkers tailight assembly …stuff like this always affects the innocent party


Getting a foot in the door to eventually allow homeless putting up tents in the front/back yards of homes.


That one acre rule will be eliminated before you know it.


Good idea, with appropriate (but not over regulated and complicated) standards.


Trash, fire hazard, inadequate septic and water, overburdened easements and local roads, all to under price our existing lodging … lousy idea Peschong. Put land use lawbreakers in jail before their greed sets the landscape on fire.


Don’t these Supervisors have anything better to do? Any ordinance change will be challanged these homeowners in Cambria are suited up and ready to go.


I wonder how they will write the ordinance so Dan Duvaul at Sunny Acres, and others like him, won’t be able to use these flexible zoning rules for their itinerant guests.


Loosening zoning rules in this manner is a good way to burn down Cambria.


I was wondering the same thing, this is pretty much what Duvaul has been doing and they are trying to shut him down.


This County has lousy code enforcement. Best argument I know of for a 3-2 Board the other way.