Attention, potential Coachella-goers: you're now going need to have someone who's over 30 chaperoning you at your Rancho Mirage vacation rental. The desert town about 30 minutes away from the staging area for the popular music festival passed an ordinance requiring all short-term rentals to have at least one 30-year-old in the house, reports the SCPR. This ordinance is a response to numerous complaints from full time residents about loud music and parties that they attribute to whippersnappers under the ripe old age of 30.
The ordinance supposes that riled-up "youths" might be on better behavior with an adult around, but the city council admits that 30 was sort of arbitrarily chosen. "There is no magic at that number. Twenty-one was the prior number and that didn't work, so we picked another number," a city councilwoman said.
Prior to the voting, some Rancho Mirage residents weren't so sure an age limit would be the thing to calm the party storm. "I've seen people in their 40s and 50s, perfectly responsible people, go to Coachella (music festival) and once you get a little beer in them they become totally irresponsible, and let anybody stay over," a rep for a vacation rentals outfit in Rancho Mirage told the Desert Sun last month; her vacation rental business won't rent to anyone in town to attend the music festival, regardless of their age.
The new ordinance will be enforced via resident complaints; fines for breaking the rules could be as much $500 per incident. If this ordinance doesn't do the job of quieting down the out-of-towners, the next step might be banning vacation rentals altogether, said the councilwoman.
· Staying in Rancho Mirage? Better have a 30-year-old with you [SCPR]
· Rancho Mirage looking to up vacation renter age [Desert Sun]
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