TRPA and other agencies cracking down on illegal boat rentals on Lake Tahoe

LAKE TAHOE, Calif.Nev. - Just as homes became a popular rental possibility through websites like Airbnb and VRBO, boats have followed, but in Lake Tahoe, most are not being done legally.

There has been a surge of illegal boat operators on Lake Tahoe over the last two years, luring people to enjoy the lake through third-party boat rental websites like getmyboat.com and boatsetter.com that operate much like vacation home rental sites. Not all rentals listed on these sites are missing the appropriate permits, but many are not operating within the rules of the 2018 Shoreline Plan.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is cracking down on rental boats operating outside the permissible uses outlined plan that controls the activity along the shores of Lake Tahoe.

"The plan calls for enforcement of illegal moorings and ensuring shoreline concessions such as boat rentals are safely managed under a TRPA permit and with the permission of launch operators," said Jeff Cowen, TRPA press information officer.

There are several permitted companies that pay their fees to TRPA and are permitted to rent boats legally, but they only pick up passengers on piers and docks where allowed. The illegal operators tend to park off beaches around the lake and have people board from the shore, which is not an allowed use.

TRPA recently won a case against one of the illegal rental operators, Danil Reziapkine. TRPA had filed a civil action against Reziapkine on December 3, 2021. The defendant was served previously with a summons and complaint but he did not "file a timely answer, responsive pleading, or otherwise appear in this action," according to court documents in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. On April 21, 2023, TRPA filed a motion for default judgment, followed by a magistrate judge ruling on June 21 recommending the agency's motion for default judgment be granted.

There is no record of Reziapkine responding to any of the court judgments and the 14-day objection period passed without comment. He must now pay TRPA civil penalties of $75,000 and is permanently enjoined from operating a rental concession without a permit and from anchoring or mooring any watercraft that he owns or controls in the waters of Lake Tahoe, except for moorings that have been approved by TRPA. He has a current business license with the City of South Lake Tahoe to operate as DK Boats.

In 2021, TRPA initiated two other cases of illegal anchoring along Regan Beach. One private boat owner complied. A second, Shan Wooldridge, was also renting boats without a permit, and, according to TRPA, was unwilling to settle violations directly with them so he was taken to court and, in May 2022, entered into a settlement agreement with for $30,000. Just like Reziapkine, Wooldridge is no longer allowed to operate on the lake.

"TRPA is aware Reziapkine is still anchoring and operating illegally, possibly from multiple locations," said Cowen. "We are in the process of enforcing the judgment. The TRPA boat crew and compliance team are coordinating with marinas, the USDA Forest Service, local law enforcement, and public launches and marinas that sell fuel to help stop them from operating."

Reziapkine and DK Boat Rentals did not respond to our request for comment.

Cowen said they know of at least one boat rental website that has removed listings they know are connected to Reziapkine. He said it also helps that public boat launch and beach owners are able to enforce their permit requirements when they identify an illegal activity.

"It takes time, but TRPA and our partners are making the lake smaller and smaller for operators like Reziapkine," added Cowen.

Once the rules outlined in the 2018 Shoreline Plan were in place, the TRPA boat crew started educating boaters on the updated no-wake zones as well as assisting the compliance team. That team set out to start enforcing illegal mooring buoys, long-term anchoring, anchoring off public beaches, and shoreline concession permit requirements. The team started with some boats anchoring near the Valhalla estate on the South Shore and then focused on boats and buoys off Regan Beach, also on the South Shore.

"TRPA is not a typical law enforcement authority, so when someone doesn’t comply after being warned, the process can take time, but TRPA staff continues working through necessary channels until it is resolved," said Cowen.

The TRPA and public beach and boat ramp managers have stayed busy responding to reports of unpermitted boat rentals and continue to address issues as they come up. Among our other enforcement activities, TRPA has started working with boat rental website owners and sharing information about our permit requirements. Those sites have been helpful and willing to work with TRPA and public beach owners to remove clear violators, including Reziapkine.

The Shoreline Plan created programs to ensure shoreline structures and boating activity do not harm the environment, scenery, or recreation experience in Lake Tahoe’s iconic shoreline. Stronger boater education and enforcement to protect boaters and paddlers were some of the priorities in the plan.