SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The next meeting of the South Lake Tahoe Planning Commission will be held on Thursday, Sept. 17 at 3 p.m. in City Council chambers at the airport. The meeting can also be viewed online.
On the agenda:
Major design review and special use permit discussion on the parcel at 1050 Fremont Avenue, the former location of Nel’s Hardware (and the first South Lake Tahoe Police Department). The property owner wants to build 11 multi-family units within six three-story structures.
The original plan for the project was approved by the Planning Commission at a height of 25 feet, eight inches, but now that City Council approved the Mid-Town Area Plan last week, the developer wants to go to 40 feet, three inches (the maximum allowed by the plan is 42 feet with the planned roof pitch).
The project was scheduled for a public hearing at the August 20, 2026, Planning Commission meeting. However, at the request of City staff and agreement from the applicant, the item was continued and rescheduled to September 17.
There has been comment against the project both at City Council and at the Planning Commission level. A homeowner on Treehaven Avenue backs up to the proposed project, and their two-story home will be shadowed by the three-story building. The complaint states their home will no longer receive sun and they have concerns about drainage.
The other agenda item concerns the temporary sign ordinance. At one time, no temporary signs/sandwich board were allowed. A previous council implemented
temporary signage as a mechanism to boost economic activity. A following council updated the code to only allow portable signage in front of South Lake Tahoe businesses on holidays and weekends. The council at the time didn’t like the cluttered look of sandwich board signs spread through the town, but still wanted businesses to attract business on their busiest weekend days. The code was temporarily relaxed during COVID to help businesses as they reopened.
The current City Council is proposing allowing temporary sandwich board signs every day and the Commissioner’s decision would go back to Council for final approval.
Staff met with the chamber and restaurant association to get input on a new ordinance.
Portable signage would be permitted every day between 8:00 a.m. and
10:00 p.m. and during city-sanctioned community events.
Staff is recommending adopting a maximum square footage for sign copy of six square feet per side and capping the maximum height of a portable sign at four feet. Language has also been added to address sign materials, colors and sign maintenance.
Posters would not be allowed.
For the full agenda and participation instructions, visit https://www.cityofslt.gov/84/Watch-City-CouncilCommission-Meetings.