The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors voted in February 2026 to advance a draft ordinance to the Planning Commission that would legalize and regulate private commercial campsites on private land, a move that could bring roughly 80 small operations currently functioning without permits into a formal regulatory framework. The action comes as California counties grapple with how to address the growing market for low-intensity camping experiences, and outdoor hospitality operators throughout the state are watching closely to see how this Northern California county implements its approach.
The proposed ordinance aligns with California’s Assembly Bill 518 standards and would permit property owners to host up to nine individual campsites per property. County supervisors debated lowering that maximum during deliberations but ultimately kept the threshold aligned with state guidelines. To assess the program’s impact before broader implementation, the county will cap the initial rollout at 100 properties, allowing up to 900 individual campsites total. The nine-site cap creates specific business model considerations for property owners, and successful low-intensity operations commonly utilize digital management platforms for self-check-in, reservation handling, and guest communication to reduce staffing needs while maximizing revenue potential within limited site counts.
Geographic restrictions form a significant component of the ordinance, prohibiting private commercial campsites within designated urban clusters. The measure specifically excludes areas in and immediately around Fort Bragg, Willits, and Ukiah, with the intent of preserving residential character in denser population centers while directing camping tourism toward rural, unincorporated regions of the county.
These zoning restrictions mean that approved operations will necessarily be located where traditional utility infrastructure may be limited or unavailable. This makes self-sufficient development approaches a practical necessity rather than merely an environmental preference. Modern composting toilet systems, self-contained waste solutions, and small-scale solar installations have become standard throughout the outdoor hospitality industry for exactly these scenarios, reducing groundwater contamination risks while lowering initial development costs compared to traditional septic and utility installations.
County financial projections estimate that bringing private campsites into compliance could generate approximately $75,000 annually in Transient Occupancy Tax revenue. Supervisor John Haschak was among those advocating for the measure, noting that the ordinance provides a necessary framework to regulate activity already occurring throughout the county. The Board voted to fast-track the proposal by sending it directly to the Planning Commission, bypassing additional preliminary hearings to expedite implementation.
The decision to advance the ordinance was not without opposition. Residents and some supervisors raised concerns about increased wildfire risk, noting that many remote areas lack adequate cell service and emergency access. Additional concerns focused on potential impacts to rural neighborhoods, including noise, traffic, and groundwater contamination. The deliberations did not include detailed discussion of optimizing campsite placement to minimize county road wear, a point of contention for those worried about strain on already challenged infrastructure.
In fire-prone markets like Mendocino County, established safety practices have become increasingly common among outdoor hospitality operations. Creating defensible space by clearing brush and vegetation around campsites represents a fundamental practice in wildfire-prone regions. Designated fire rings with spark arrestors and strict campfire policies during high-risk seasons have become standard features at operations seeking to demonstrate responsible management to both regulators and neighbors.
Emergency communication infrastructure has received particular attention given the cell coverage limitations cited by concerned residents. Satellite-based emergency messaging devices and two-way radio systems have become common practice among operators in remote settings where cellular service is unreliable. Pre-arrival information packets covering fire safety rules, evacuation routes, and emergency procedures serve both guest safety functions and create documentation valuable for insurance and liability purposes. Accessible fire suppression equipment with clear instructions at each site has become another common feature at operations in fire-prone areas.
Operators who document these safety protocols have generally found permitting processes smoother and community acceptance more forthcoming in similar jurisdictions. The concerns raised during the Board’s deliberations provide a roadmap for what regulators and residents will be evaluating as applications come forward.
For established RV parks and campgrounds already operating in Mendocino County or similar regions, this regulatory shift creates differentiation opportunities. Traditional permitted facilities can market their existing safety infrastructure, emergency preparedness capabilities, and established relationships with local emergency services as advantages over newly legalized private sites still developing their systems. The 100-permit cap suggests the county will monitor and potentially adjust the program, creating opportunities for established operators to contribute expertise to ongoing policy development as the ordinance evolves.
Property owners entering this market have increasingly turned to cost-effective approaches to infrastructure development. Water conservation through rainwater collection, gravity-fed stations, and centralized filling rather than individual hookups reduces both infrastructure costs and consumption. Permeable surfaces and natural drainage solutions help reduce erosion while maintaining access. Seasonal operational adjustments, such as closing certain sites during wet periods to prevent road damage, represent practical approaches that can address infrastructure concerns raised during permitting processes. Pack-in, pack-out waste policies where appropriate offer another method for maintaining site cleanliness without extensive plumbing infrastructure.
These sustainable development approaches represent methods for creating commercially viable operations without capital-intensive investments, particularly relevant given the site-count limitations under the proposed ordinance. The nine-site maximum requires operators to think strategically about how to generate adequate returns while keeping development costs manageable.
The ordinance now moves to the Planning Commission for review, where additional public input will likely shape final implementation details. How Mendocino County structures this framework, and whether the initial 100-permit cap expands based on program results, will be watched closely by outdoor hospitality operators and property owners throughout California considering similar low-intensity camping ventures. The county’s approach could serve as a template for other jurisdictions seeking to balance tourism revenue with safety standards and community concerns in an era of growing demand for private camping experiences.