Attachment A
Ordinance No. 2464
ORDINANCE NO. 2464
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
VICTORVILLE, APPROVING AMENDMENT CASE PLAN25-00023 AND
ADOPTING AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 1, ARTICLE 3 , AND
CHAPTER 6, ARTICLE 5 OF TITLE 16 OF THE VICTORVILLE
MUNICIPAL CODE, WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL EXEMPTION , FOR
THE PURPOSE OF UPDATING CODE ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES
AND THE CITY’S EXISTING RESIDENTIAL RENTAL PROPERTY
INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS
WHEREAS, the City of Victorville (the “City”) is a California municipal corporation and charter city , organized under the Constitution and the laws of the State of California, and authorized to adopt and enforce local regulations and ordinances pursuant to Sections 5 and 7 of Article XI of the California Constitution; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Title 7, Division 1, Chapter 4, Article 2, Section 65850 of the California Government Code, the City may adopt by ordinance regulations affecting the use of buildings, structures, and land; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Title 7, Division 1, Chapter 4, Article 2, Section 65850 of the California Government Code, the City has adopted Title 16, Chapter 2, Article 1, Section 16 -
2.01.010 of the Victorville Municipal Code (the “VMC”), providing the authority to amend Title 16 thereof and the various regulations, requirements, exceptions and guidelines located therein; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to VMC Section 16-2.01.020, the City initiated amendments to Title 16 of the VMC (the City’s Development Code); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section Title 7, Division 1, Chapter 4, Article 2 of the California Government Code and Section 16 -2.01.040 of the VMC, the Victorville Planning Commission held a public hearing on January 14, 2026 to hear arguments for and against the proposed VMC amendments; and after hearing all testimony offered, the Planning Commission unanimously voted to adopt Resolution No. P -26-001, recommending that the City Council adopt the VMC amendments specified in Planning Case No. PLAN25-00023; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that updates to Chapters 1 and 6 of Title 16 are necessary to strengthen and clarify the City’s Residential Rental Property Inspection Program, ensuring that rental properties are properly identified, maintained, and regulated in a manner that protects public health, safety, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the proposed amendments to be adopted by this Ordinance modernize and refine key definitions, clarify the responsibilities of property owners and their local authorized representatives, and establish a clearer scope of applicability for all single‑family and multi‑family residential rental properties within the City; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that adoption of this Ordinance will enhance the City’s inspection framework by requiring initial and annual inspections conducted by the City, establishing objective maintenance standards, and eliminating the self‑inspection privilege to ensure consistent and verifiable compliance across all residential rental properties; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the proposed amendments contained in this Ordinance should strengthen enforcement procedures by establishing clear notice requirements, re‑inspection timelines, violation processes, and the ability to suspend or revoke Rental Business Licenses, or classify noncompliant properties as public nuisances subject to abatement; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds on their own independent judgment that this Ordinance is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) based upon CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), as there is no possibility that the amendments proposed herein will have a significant effect on the environment inasmuch as such amendment consists of updates to rental inspection procedures, licensing requirements, definitions, and administrative enforcement provisions within the City’s Development Code, none of which modify existing regulations in a manner that would result in a physical change to the environment; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Title 7, Division I, Chapter 4, Article 2 of the California Government Code and Section 16 -2.01.060 of the V MC, the City Council held a duly noticed Public Hearing on March 3, 2026 to hear arguments for and against the proposed Ordinance, and after hearing all verbal and written testimony offered, including the Planning Commission recommendation and meeting minutes, and after reviewing and considering the VMC amendments contained herein, the City Council approved the Planning Commission recommendation and adopted the VMC amendments included in Case No. PLAN25 -00023, and more specifically in Planning Commission Resolution No. P-26-001, as set forth in this Ordinance.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VICTORVILLE DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Recitals
That the recitals set forth above are true and correct and are hereby incorporated in this Ordinance by this reference as if set forth in their entirety.
Section 2. Severability
That the City Council declares that, should any provision, section, paragraph, sentence or word of this Ordinance be rendered or declared invalid by any final court action in a court of competent jurisdiction or by reason of any preemptive legislation, the remaining provisions, sections, paragraphs, sentences or words of this Ordinance as hereby adopted shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 3. Effective Date
That this Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after its final passage.
Section 4. Repeal of Conflicting Provisions
That all provisions of the Victorville Municipal Code as heretofore adopted by the City Council that are in conflict with the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed.
Section 5. Certification
That the City Clerk shall certify to the passage of this Ordinance and shall cause the same to be published according to law.
Section 6. Additions, Deletions, and Revisions to Chapter 1, Article 3 and Chapter 6, Article 5 of Title 16 of the Victorville Municipal Code That Chapter 1, Article 3 and Chapter 6, Article 5 of Title 16 of the Victorville Municipal Code are hereby amended to read as follows (legend defining existing, new, and deleted text, as well as editing notes, by means of strikethroughs, underlining, italicization, and asterisks included for reference only):
Legend
Existing Text
New Text
Deleted Text
*Editing Notes*
Chapter 1: Development Department
Article 3: Definitions
Sec. 16-1.03.010: - Definitions *Change*
Business Means, with respect to the provisions of this Title relating to City business licenses, any commercial enterprise, trade, calling, vocation, profession, occupation, or any means of livelihood, whether or not carried on for gain or profit, and includes the offering of real property for rental by the owner of such property. for the purposes of business license, professions, trades, occupations and every kind of calling, whether or not carried on for profit.
Chapter 6: Code Enforcement
Article 5: Residential Rental Property Inspection Requirements *Change* Sec. 16-6.05.010: - Purpose *Change*
The purpose of the enforcement of this aArticle is to identify rResidential rRental pProperties within the City and to enhance the quality of life for residents of those properties and in the community. These licensing requirements are intended to encourage all Rental Property oOwners to consistently meet applicable code requirements including those in Title 16 ("Development Code") relating to property maintenance and housing,; to have well-maintained and clean exterior areas,; and to ensure that rental unit oOccupants comply with such applicable code requirements.
These licensing requirements seek to will ensure that rental units do not create public nuisances that may be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare of the community. The inspection requirements will be self-funded by the required annual regulatory Rental Business License fee.
Sec. 16-6.05.020: - Scope *Change*
(a) The provisions of this aArticle shall apply to all single and multi -family rResidential Rental Property, as that term is defined herein, within the City. Not only does this aArticle apply to the exterior of single and multi-family residential rental structures, but it also applies to the premises on which such single and multi -family residential rental structures a Rental Property is are located, including but not limited to all yards, parking lots, driveways, landscaped areas, accessory structures, fences, walls, swimming pools, hot tubs and spas that comprise a Residential Rental Property.
(b) The provisions of this aArticle are supplementary and complementary to other provisions of Applicable Law, as that term is defined herein this Code and applicable laws. Nothing in this aArticle may be construed to limit any existing right of the City to abate nuisances or to enforce any provisions of such Applicable Law applicable law, statute or this Code, including provisions of the International Property Maintenance Codes adopted by reference in the Development Code.
Sec. 16-6.05.030: - Definitions *Change*
For the purpose of this aArticle, unless otherwise apparent from their context, certain words and phrases used in this aArticle shall have the meanings hereinafter designated. The definitions in this Section article are included for reference purposes only and intended to define the terms used in this aArticle in relation to the rental property inspection requirements. (a) "Applicable Law" means the Development Code contained in this Title 16, including without limitation, the International Property Maintenance Codes adopted by reference therein; all other titles of the Victorville Municipal Code; and any other applicable statutes, laws, regulations, or codes enforceable by the City relating to housing, building, land use, nuisance, and property maintenance.
(b) "City Manager" means and includes the City Manager of the City of Victorville and/or his/her authorized designee(s).
(c) a. "Occupant" or "tTenant" means any person who occupies a Residential Rental Property, whether as a tenant, licensee, or permittee of the oOwner. (d) b. "Owner's Local Authorized Representative" means a person, agent, property owner or property management company , or other individual or entity with respect to a Rental Property who has the legal authority to act upon the Owner's behalf with respect to a the Residential Rental Property and whose residence or place of business is located not greater than eighty -five (85) miles by road from the Residential Rental Property for which the Property Owner has given such representative the legal authority to act. (e) c. "Owner" or "Property Owner" means any person having legal title to Residential Rental real pProperty, including all individuals, business entities, partners, joint venturers, or stock owners, persons in care of the Residential Rental Property as shown as owners on the last equalized assessment roll of the San Bernardino County Assessor's Office, or an oOwner's
Local aAuthorized rRepresentative. If more than one person or an entity owns the Residential Rental Property, the terms “ oOwner” or “pProperty oOwner” refers to each person or entity holding any kind of ownership interest in the Residential Rental Property, and the property owners' obligations imposed upon such Property Owners by in this aArticle are joint and several as to each property owner.
(f) d. "Rental Business License" means the cCity business license issued per Residential Rental Property after the property has successfully passed a Residential Rental Property inspection performed by the City Manager enforcement personnel and the Property Owner has successfully complied with all other aApplicable lLaws, including payment of all applicable fees.
(g) e. "Residential Rental Property" or " Residential Rental Properties" means any single or multi-family zoned parcel(s) that are used for occupancy by a person(s) other than the owner of the residential structures unit located thereon and is are occupied or intended to be occupied for rent al purposes. This definition includes the exterior of the residential structure(s), and the entire real legal property upon which such residential the structure(s) exists, including but not limited to all yards, parking lots, driveways, landscaped area, accessory structures, fences, walls, swimming pools, hot tubs and spas. For the purposes of this aArticle, the following types of dwelling units or facilities are not considered Residential Rental Propertiesy/Dwelling/Unit.:
(1) Conventional hotels or motels (those that do not allow for rental for more than thirty (30) consecutive days).
(2) Accommodations in any hospital, extended care facility, residential care facility, convalescent home, nonprofit home for the aged, or dormitory that is owned and operated by an educational institution.
(3) Mobile Home Parks.
Sec. 16-6.05.040: - Rebuttable presumption *Change*
For the purposes of this aArticle, if a property tax bill, water, or sanitation, or other utility bill for a residential property is mailed to an address other than the that of the residential property's address itself, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the property is a Residential Rental Property.
This presumption can be rebutted by the owner of record by providing reasonable documentation to the City substantiating sustaining that the property is solely owner occupied or is not being used, actively or not, for purposes of generating rental income.
Sec. 16-6.05.050: - City Rental business license required; annual renewal *Change* (a) Every owner of a Residential Rental Property shall be required to obtain from the City a an annual city Rental Business License for each Residential Rental Property, pursuant to Chapter 7 , of Title 16 of this the Development Code, as may be amended . A Rental Business License shall be issued only after the Residential Rental Property has passed an annual initial Rental Property inspection as provided for in Section 16 -6.05.070 of this Article, or has submitted and met all the requirements to qualify for self -inspection as provided in Section 16 -6.05.080 and the Property Owner has complied with all other aApplicable lLaws, including the payment of fees. The Rental Business License shall not be transferable upon a change of property ownership. Upon property ownership change, the
Rental Business License issued to the prior pProperty oOwner shall be null and void and such Rental Business License file shall be closed.
(b) Once issued, a Rental Business License is subject to annual renewal thereafter, provided renewal business license fees are paid, and the Residential Rental Property passes an annual renewal inspection. A Rental Business License must be renewed timely, as the Rental Business License file will be closed ninety (90) days after the license expiration date.
Sec. 16-6.05.060: - Owner's local authorized representative *Change* (a) For purposes of this aArticle, all owners of Residential Rental Property may designate a lLocal aAuthorized rRepresentative with full authority to act on behalf of the oOwner for all purposes under this aArticle, including the acceptance of service of all notices from the cCity and the submittal of a self-inspection form, described in Section 16-6.05.080. (b) Any designated lLocal aAuthorized rRepresentative must establish and maintain, at all times, a working telephone number and a valid email address. A lLocal aAuthorized contact rRepresentative shall be accessible to the cCity through the provided telephone number between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., 7 days a week.
Sec. 16-6.05.070: Initial and annual inspection *Change* (a) All Residential Rental Property located in the City shall be subject to an initial inspection upon submittal of a Rental Business License application, and an annual inspection upon renewal of said license thereafter by the City Manager or his/her designee for compliance with all applicable laws completed by the City Manager or his/her designee . These inspections are conducted by the City Manager for Tthe purpose of these inspections. is to verifying compliance with Applicable Law the International Property Maintenance Code and the Victorville Municipal Code for housing, building, land use, and property maintenance codes.
(b) If agreed upon between the Owner's Authorized Representative and the City, tThe Property Owner, Tenant, or Owner's Local Authorized Representative need not be present during any either the initial or annual inspections required by this Article, so long as the areas to be inspected are accessible can be viewed from the public right of way. Should an inspection require the City to enter a Residential Rental Property, if agreed upon between the City and the Property Owner or Owner's Local Authorized Representa tive, neither the Property Owner, Tenant, nor Owner's Local Authorized Representative need be present during any such inspection, provided that the areas to be inspected are made accessible to the City.
Such agreement shall be made in writing upon the submittal of an initial Rental Business License application or upon renewal of a Rental Business License. (c) The City Manager, or his or her designee shall conduct an exterior site inspection of each Residential Rental Property prior to the initial issuance of a Rental Business License or and prior to the annual issuance of a renewal Rental Business License. The scope of the inspection shall include, but is not limited to:
(1) Exterior property maintenance and cleanliness;
(2) Landscape maintenance in accordance with theis Victorville Development Code;
(3) Land use such as off-street parking requirements, storage of inoperative vehicles, and accessory structures, and uses related to unpermitted business; and (4) Maintenance and upkeep of the primary structure such as windows, paint/stucco, weather protection, roof and other architectural features and accessory structures such as sheds, cabanas, trash enclosures, etc.
(d) Maintenance and Monitoring of Vacant Residential Rental Property. The Owner of a Residential Rental Property that becomes vacant or unoccupied shall continue to comply with the property maintenance requirements imposed by this Article and shall keep the exterior of any structure and the premises comprising the Residential Rental Property free of property maintenance violations or property conditions that create a public nuisance.
Vacant Residential Rental Properties that are found to be a public nuisance due to lack of property care or upkeep, shall be subject to the compliance processes and penalties in Chapter 6, Article 4 of this Development Code and such other remedies as are available under Applicable Law.
(e d) Rental Business License Initial Application Inspections. A Residential Rental Property for which an Owner has submitted an initial Rental Business License application shall undergo be subjected to an one initial compliance inspection conducted within thirty (30) days after the submittal of a Rental Business License application, and one compliance re -inspection to be conducted no sooner than fifteen (15) days after a failed initial compliance inspection.
Any violation found after the compliance re-inspection shall be subject to the penalties and enforcement provisions of Section 16-6.01.100 of thise Development Code. (f e) Rental Business License Annual Renewal Inspections. A Residential Rental Property for which an Owner is seeking a n annual renewal of a Rental Business License shall be subjected to undergo one compliance inspection conducted by the City Manager within thirty (30) days prior to the business license expiration date, and one compliance re-inspection to be conducted no sooner than fifteen (15) days after a failed annual renewal inspection. Any violation found after the compliance re -inspection shall be su bject to the penalties and enforcement provisions of with Section 16-6.01.100 of thise Development Code. (g f) Notice of Annual Rental Business License Renewal Inspection. (1) At least thirty (30) days Pprior to the expiration of a Rental Business License expiration, the Development Department will mail a Rental Business lLicense renewal notice and exterior inspection checklist to the Property Owner and the oOwner's Local aAuthorized rRepresentative (if any), notifying the Property Owner of the following:
(i) The Property Owner's requirement to renew the annual Rental Business License; and
(ii) Notice that the City Manager Development Department staff will inspect the exterior area of the Residential Rental Property within thirty (30) days from the date of the Rental Business License renewal notice.
(2) Said notice will be mailed by first class mail to the Owner at the Owner's last known address as it appears in the City business license records , and a copy will also be mailed to the attention of the Tenant of the Rental Property to be inspected . In the case of multiple Owners of the same Residential Rental Property, notice to any one of the Property Owners is deemed sufficient notice.
(3) In those cases when entry upon a Residential Rental Property is required to conduct an exterior inspection, should In the event an Owner, Owner's Local Authorized Representative, or Tenant in possession of the Residential Rental Property refuses to allow such access to conduct the exterior inspection, the City Manager or his/her designee, the City Code Enforcement Official, or his/her designee, and the City Attorney may use all legal remedies to ensure that an inspection is conducted as required by this aArticle.
(4) In those cases when entry upon a Residential Rental Property is required to conduct an exterior inspection, Iif the City is unable not able to obtain the consent of the Owner, Owner's Local Authorized Representative (if any) , or Tenant of the Residential Rental Property to conduct an inspection , the City shall withhold the Owner's Residential Rental Business License until the inspection is conducted. (h g) After completion by the City Manager of the initial Rental Business License application inspection or the annual Rental Business License renewal inspection, if where the Residential Rental Property fails the Iinspection due to having violation(s) on the property, the City shall send a written report to the Owner or the Owner's Local Authorized Representative by mail. The report shall contain:
(1) An itemization of any violation(s) of the Applicable Law applicable laws identified during the inspection;
(2) The period of time given for correcting each of the identified violations; (3) Notice that the City will re -inspect the Residential Rental Property at the end of the period of time given for correction;
(4) A statement indicating that if the violations identified in the report are found by the City Manager or his/her designee during the Residential Rental Property re-inspection to not have been corrected, the City will not issue the Rental Business License, and the City may pursue any legal remedies available to it, including but not limited to those provided under Section 16 -6.01.100 of this Development Code, in order to abate said violations.
(i h) After completion of a failed initial Rental Business License application re - inspection, or a failed annual renewal Rental Business License re -inspection, a report listing the violations shall be provided to the Property Owner and the Tenant, the which report database shall reflect the failed re-inspection, and the matter shall be remedied in accordance with Section 16-6.01.100.
(j i) If no violations are found during as a result of an initial or annual renewal inspection or re- inspection, the report and database shall so state and the City shall issue the Rental Business License to the Owner. All inspection reports shall be available as a public record upon request.
Sec. 16-6.05.080: - Self-inspection privilege. Reserved. *Change/Remove* (a) Owners of Rental Properties may qualify for the annual Rental Property Self-Inspection Privilege option after the City Manager, Zoning Administrator, Building Official, Code Enforcement Official, or their duly authorized designees, have completed an initial inspection of the Rental Property. The annual Rental Business License fee for self-inspecting Rental Properties in good standing shall be half of the annual Rental Business License renewal fee per property. Self -
inspection shall not relieve the Property Owner of the annual Rental Business License fee requirement.
(b) In order for a Rental Property to qualify for the self-inspection privilege, the Property Owner or the Owner's Authorized Representative may use its own inspection form as long as the inspection is conducted no more than sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the Rental Business License and the form contains, at minimum, the information stated below:
(1) Property address.
(2) Date of inspection.
(3) Name and contact information of the property management employee completing the self-inspection.
(4) A statement or checklist indicating a satisfactory inspection of the following exterior items:
(i) All yard areas visible from public view are free of junk and debris. (ii) Front yard landscaping is maintained and free of decayed or decaying vegetation or weeds.
(iii) Front landscaped yard areas are not being utilized for off street parking or storage of large or bulky items.
(iv) The property does not store inoperative vehicles.
(v) The primary and accessory structures and architectural features are aesthetically well maintained and free of substandard structure conditions as defined in Health and Safety Code 17920.3.
(c) The Rental Property self -inspection report/form shall be submitted to the City Code Enforcement Division 30 days prior to the expiration of the Rental Business License. A Property Owner may lose the privilege of the self -inspection option with respect to a licensed Rental Property if the City receives a nuisance complaint from a city resident pertaining to the Rental Property and finds the complaint to be valid. Any Property Owner or Owner's Authorized Representative who loses the self-inspection option with respect a licensed Rental Property may appeal such action in accordance with Sections 16 -2.02.010 through 16 -2.02.090 of the Development Code. Rental Properties shall be re -inspected by the City Manager, Zoning Administrator, Building Official, Code Enforcement Official, or their duly authorized designees, and upon passing the property inspection, the Property Owner or Owner's Authorized Representative may be allowed to self-inspect for the following Rental Business License renewal period. A request for re-enrollment for the privilege to self-inspect shall be made in writing by an Owner or an Owner's Authorized Representative and submitted to the business license division for review and approval.
Sec. 16-6.05.090: - Violations *Change*
(a) Whenever the City Manager or his/her designee determines that a violation of this aArticle exists, a Code Enforcement Officer shall issue a written notice of violation in the form of the Residential Rental Property inspection report and provide an order to correct the violation(s) located at the Residential Rental Property. The notice shall be provided (1) by mail to the Owner or Owner's Local Authorized Representative, and (2) either by mail or hand delivery to the Rental Property Tenant, or by posting said notice on the front door of Tenant's dwelling unit. Said notice shall be in writing and shall specify and describe with reasonable detail the
violation(s) so that the Property Owner has the opportunity to identify and correct any identified violation(s) specified. Any person who fails to comply with any provisions of this aArticle after receiving written notice of the violation(s) and has been given a minimum of fifteen (15) days to correct such violation(s) shall be deemed to be in violation of this aArticle. (b) A violation of this aArticle shall be enforced in accordance with Section 16-6.01.100 of thise Development Code. The Development Department may also take action to suspend or revoke the Rental Business License issued to the Property Owner if the Property Owner has failed to correct any or all violations.
(c) Any Residential Rental Property which has been subjected to enforcement actions under Section 16 -6.01.100 of th ise Development Code and remains out of compliance has continued to fail to comply with Applicable Law this Code, including any Residential Rental Property maintenance requirements, and the adopted International Property Maintenance Code, or any state or local law relating to housing standards, property maintenance, building codes, or land use requirements, shall be considered a public nuisance and subject to abatement procedures as set forth in Title 6, Chapter 6, Article 4 of this Development Code.
Sec. 16-6.05.100: - Complaint based inspections *Change* Nothing contained in this aArticle shall prevent or restrict the City's authority to inspect any Residential Rental Property in response to a complaint alleging Code violations of any Applicable Law or violations of any other applicable laws, or to pursue any all remedies available to the City thereunder this Code or applicable laws.
Sec. 16-6.05.110: - Fees; Failure to pay fees *Change*
The annual regulatory Rental Business License fee will be set from time to time by City Council resolution in an amount not to exceed the reasonable regulatory costs of conducting the property inspections required by this Article. Should a Property Owner fail to timely pay the annual Residential Rental Business License fee, any cost recovery fee, or administrative fine related to the enforcement of and compliance with this aArticle, such unpaid fees or fines shall be constitute a debt to the City, enforceable and shall be enforced in accordance with Section 16-7.05.080 of this Development Code.