Big House Parties, Events In Unincorporated RivCo: New Rules

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — The Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved amendments to the "temporary events" ordinance that regulates the size and scope of gatherings in unincorporated communities, defining when private property owners must obtain permits to conduct activities.

The changes that the board authorized in a 5-0 vote were requested by the Transportation & Land Management Agency following a two-year cycle of public hearings and meetings that attempted to gather a wide cross-section of input from residents countywide.

The process was inspired by noise, traffic and other complaints impacting various communities, officials said.

The substance of the amended ordinance, No. 348, boils down to limiting the number of times per year that a private property owner can hold events, and when permits are mandatory.

According to the new regulations, generally owners can hold only four large-scale events in a 12-month period, and once the crowd size reaches a certain threshold, a permit must be obtained via TLMA.

Under the ordinance's former provisions, large-scale events were limited to 10 for the entire lifetime of original property ownership.

The amended regulations specify lot sizes to determine when temporary events permits are required, depending on anticipated crowd sizes.

A property owner with a parcel that's less than 10,000 square feet, for instance, will have to receive a permit any time a gathering might exceed 50 people, and no permits will be issued if over 100 people are expected.

By contrast, an owner with a parcel that's one to five acres in size will not have to apply for a permit as long as gatherings are less than 100. But any number above that will require a permit, and anything over 600 isn't allowed.

For properties over 20 acres, temporary permits won't be necessary until hitting the 300 level, and there are no specified limits on crowd sizes.

However, TLMA officials emphasized that temporary events on private parcels must not be commercial in nature. Instead, birthday parties, weddings, quinceanaras and related functions fall within the permissible list of activities.

Commercial activities, including those occurring on short-term rental properties, fall under a different classification and permitting regime.

Supervisor Kevin Jeffries questioned whether the temporary events amendments were added without full consideration of potential pitfalls in communities west of Murrieta, such as De Luz and Tenaja, where the roads are exceptionally narrow, often unpaved and built along hillsides.

"There's obvious fire danger issues," Jeffries said.

TLMA officials said each permit will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and code enforcement officers will always have discretion to revoke a permit in the event circumstances warrant.

Penalties may also be imposed for violating the conditions of permits.

"For some big families, four times a year may barely take care of them," Supervisor Jeff Hewitt said.

However, he did not find fault with the amendments in general.

Seasonal temporary events, such as Christmas tree and pumpkin sales, will be considered outside of the standard temporary events regulations, requiring a different vetting process, and in a few sections of the county, no temporary permits will be issued because of terrain and other considerations, according to the ordinance.

It will take effect on Nov. 18.