The Day the County Decided to Change Bonita-Sunnyside Into a Shantytown
- Susan Heavilin
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
September 4, 2025
That's the date that Vince Nicoletti, Director of Planning and Development Services defined Tiny Homes on Wheels (THOWs) as Dwellings per the Zoning Ordinance in unincorporated areas and signed them into usage. Why just the unincorporated areas when you could destroy the cities, too?
"This policy would not change the allowable density or number of homes allowed on a single lot. These requirements would still be governed under the Zoning Ordinance and General Plan regulations shall apply. The placement of a THOW must be within a private lot and may not encroach into County road right-of-way." —Vince Nicoletti, Director of Planning and Development Services
The first I heard of THOWs was at the April 7, 2026 Sweetwater Community Planning Group (SCPG) meeting, seven months after the Director's Determination was signed. There was a non-action (no vote) item on the agenda titled "Housing Unlocked: Options to Reduce Zoning Constraints on Housing Development".
It was presented by San Diego County Planning and Development Services Senior Planner Geoffrey Plagemann, Planning Manager Joshua Menvielle and Associate Planner Alexa Kerr.
Above is the slide presented at that meeting concerning THOWs. I thought it might be a joke because it is about the size of a chicken coop . . . and its on wheels!
Why would a THOW even be considered? I guess people are balking at the expense of building an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) or a Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit (JADU). I have a few friends who dropped their plans when the costs kept rising.
Others have left California where equivalent homes with more acreage are attainable at a pittance to what Californians pay.
Arkansas is often ranked in the top 3 most affordable states in the U.S.. The state offers a low cost of living (approximately 14% lower than the national average) and low utilities. As of early 2026, the average home sold for $234,667.
So, the County has devised another development plan to keep us engaged. Can't afford a home? Roll in a tiny home on wheels!
The Tiny Home On Wheels is still considered a vehicle rather than a home because item 4 in the Director's Determination states "The THOW is to remain licensed and registered with the California Department of Motor Vehicles."
I wonder when they're going to get to "live in your car" housing? (You'd probably have to remove the tires so it would no longer be operable.)
Two of the requirements, listed in Mr. Nicoletti's determination would disqualify many RVs from consideration:
6. The THOW cannot have any slide or pop-out features that increase the habitable square footage.
10.Extensions. All exterior walls and roof of the THOW shall be fixed with no slideouts, tip-outs, nor other forms of mechanically articulating room area extensions
As was asserted in the April 7th presentation many times, the Director's Directive states that these new Tiny Homes On Wheels will not affect density. That is confusing because if more homes are built or wheeled in, doesn't that mean more people living on the property?
"Density in unincorporated San Diego County varies widely, ranging from high-density, transit-oriented development (up to 30+ units/acre) in village cores to rural, low-density areas (1 unit per 20+ acres). Maximum densities generally do not exceed 43 dwelling units per net residential acre, with specific designations outlined in the General Plan Land Use Element."—Google
If you'd like to see how our community is currently zoned, you can take a look at the map below.
The good news? "The THOW shall be located a minimum of six (6) feet from any other structures measured from the face of the structures." Imagine if your neighbors on both sides decide to add a THOW.
And the County has the opportunity to take a swipe at your money one more time. If you ever decide to remove your Tiny Home On Wheels, you'll have to pay for a demolition permit.
The County of San Diego Communications Office wrote an article on this subject matter back in October 2025, just a month after Director Vince Nicoletti signed it into use. "County Adds Tiny Homes on Wheels to Housing Options" tells the whole story.
I'd like to thank the Common Sense reader who found the County article above and sent it to SCS.
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