South Lake Tahoe City Council hopes to get Vacation Home Rental compromise

Submitted by paula on Tue, 01/08/2019 - 7:06pm

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - During their closed session meeting Monday, the South Lake Tahoe City Council expressed interest in working together will all the stakeholders involved in the Vacation Home Rental (VHR) battle to come up with a compromise.

In November Measure T, a voter-initiated ballot measure to ban VHRs by 2021, won by a very narrow margin, sparking the South Lake Tahoe Property Owners Group to file a lawsuit against the City to stop their implementation of the measure. Even though most of Measure T doesn't got into effect for two more years, occupancy levels for rental homes was immediate (two per bedroom with a maximum of 12).

"City Council respects the will of the voters of South Lake Tahoe and supports the continued implementation of Measure T’s provisions that prohibit new VHRs in

residential areas and the phase-out of VHR permits in residential areas while the case proceeds through the legal system," said the SLT Communications Manager Chris Fiore. "Noting the impact on previous visitor reservations, the City Council expressed its support for a continued delay in the implementation of new maximum occupancy limits while the case is pending."

The Council had to meet in closed session to discuss their view on the measure prior to the January 24 preliminary injunction hearing on Measure T. That hearing
could potentially block the full implementation of the measure until the court decides the merits of the case. No trial date has been set.

The Council said they encourage all sides getting together to work out a future compromise, both as part of the upcoming legal process and through their continued efforts with City Staff to get an ordinance that works for all.

"The City of South Lake Tahoe will provide additional guidance to our residents, property owners, and visitors as this case proceeds," added Fiore.

Also on the closed session agenda was the discussion of the Tahoe Wellness Cooperative lawsuit against the City of South Lake Tahoe now in the appellate court. Mayor Brooke Laine said there is no reportable action on this matter.