Local Emergency Order ends in South Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif - Due to COVID-19, the City of South Lake Tahoe issued a proclamation of local emergency on March 19, 2020, to relax some of its rules to help local businesses during trying times. Since there is a significantly reduced public threat of COVID-19, City Council terminated the local emergency.

Several previous rules had been exempted through the emergency ordinance, including continuous sandwich board advertising over the previously allowed Friday-Sunday only, outside dining over the approved occupancy, and curbside cannabis sales.

In a transition to a pre-COVID environment, the City will work with affected businesses through education and not by fining, according to City Attorney Heather Stroud. City Council also said they would like to see outside dining come back in updated code in the future and directed staff to work on those possible changes which would require work with South Tahoe Public Utility District will sewer units. An increased occupancy through outside dining added use to the sewer.

Many restaurants had taken advantage of the emergency rules and offered customers seating in areas previously not allowable, many at a great expense.

Curbside cannabis transactions may be ended for now through the termination of the emergency order, but they are being considered at the state level and may be approved in the future.

Sandwich board advertising is prohibited 24/7 via the area plans in South Lake Tahoe except for the Tourist-Core area and is only allowed in the rest of the city Monday-Thursday. A change in that code permanently would need to be addressed by changing area plans and approval by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA).

The emergency order has also put a moratorium on residential evictions, and reduction of building permit fees.

Under the California Emergency Services Act, the City Council is required to proclaim the termination of a local emergency "at the earliest possible date that conditions warrant."

The orders now rescinded:

1. Order No. 1 Regarding Administrative Fines for Violation of State and El Dorado County Stay at Home Orders (issued Mar. 27, 2020, amended on May 14, 2020, and rescinded Jun. 9, 2020);
2. Order No. 2 Regarding Deferred Payment of Business License Fees for Businesses Deemed “Non-Essential” by State and El Dorado County Stay at Home Orders (issued Apr. 30, 2020, amended July 21, 2020);
3. Order No. 3 Regarding Moratorium on Residential Evictions (Jun. 1, 2020);
4. Order No. 4 Regarding Modified Fee Schedule for Shared Mobility Devices (Jun. 11, 2020);
5. Order No. 5 Regarding Administrative Citations for Violations of State Guidance for Use of Face Coverings (issued Aug. 19, 2020, amended Nov. 17, 2020, and terminated Jun. 15, 2021);
6. Order No. 6 Regarding Curbside Pickup at Cannabis Retailers (Dec. 16, 2020).

Of the emergency orders that have not been terminated or rescinded, all of them except Order No. 6 have expired by their own terms because the applicable dates within the orders have passed. The California Department of Cannabis Control is undertaking a rulemaking to amend 4 Cal. Code Regs.
sections 15025 and 15402 to permanently allow curbside pickup at cannabis retailers that is expected to be finalized later this year.