Sonoma's 2017 vacation-rental ordinance limits overnight occupancy to a maximum of two persons per sleeping room plus two additional persons per unit, with no exceptions for children.
Under the City's vacation-rental operating standards (Sonoma Municipal Code §19.50.140, adopted by ordinance second-read December 4, 2017), maximum overnight occupancy at a permitted vacation rental is two persons per sleeping room or guestroom, plus two additional persons per unit. So a 2-bedroom rental tops out at 6 overnight guests (2+2+2), a 3-bedroom at 8, and a 4-bedroom at 10. This per-bedroom-plus-two formula is identical to the formula adopted by Sonoma County for unincorporated vacation rentals under County Code §26-88-120, providing a consistent regional standard. The cap is in addition to any building-code occupant load. Daytime guest counts are typically governed by the property manager's house rules and any conditions of approval on the original use permit; the City's posted ordinance does not separately cap day visitors but the noise and parking caps effectively constrain large gatherings.
Exceeding the overnight occupancy cap is a violation of the vacation-rental operating standards under SMC §19.50.140 and triggers the City's administrative-citation process: a Notice & Order requires the operator to cease the violation within a stated cure period; failure to cure proceeds to an administrative hearing within 45 days. Repeat violations within a one-year period can result in revocation of the vacation-rental permit — and once revoked, no new permit may issue because of the city-wide ban on new vacation rentals.
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