South Lake Tahoe vacation home rental policies examined

Many South Lake Tahoe residents find themselves dreading weekends, especially during ski season and the summer. Why you may ask? Because of the throngs of people headed for the vacation rental homes in their neighborhoods.

The picture in this story was provided by Stacy Cook, a homeowner near Heavenly Valley. The buses in the photo had just dropped off college students renting the three vacation homes surrounding her year round residence, and this wasn't the first time. Cook said that the students, walking back and forth between the homes, were noisy late at night, and when she asked the renters to be quiet. Instead of consideration and noise reduction, according to Cook she got several profanities yelled at her.

While not every vacation home brings in rowdy and drunk college kids or bachelor parties, many residents bothered by the noise, trash and parking problems created by renters are making their issues known, either by calling the South Lake Tahoe Police Department or, for those in the county, the El Dorado County Sheriff's office. Some of those residents also showed up at Tuesday's City Council meeting to voice their concerns.

SLT Police Chief Brian Uhler gave a presentation to the Mayor and Council on the City's Vacation Home Rental Policy. There are 1,544 homes in the city limits that have a permit to have a vacation home. Not a large percentage of homes when compared to non-rentals yet they make up 25% of the police department's noise complaints. The policy states that the maximum number of people that can stay overnight at a vacation home rental (VHR) is two per bedroom, plus four. There can be no large parties, weddings or commercial events at a VHR. The number of cars allowed is determined by the home size (a three bedroom home can have five cars).

Of the 158 noise complaints attributed to VHRs last year, 22 required more than one visit by the police, 19 were noise from hot tub related, 12 were quiet upon the police department's arrival and two were unfounded.

The revenue generated by the vacation home taxes and permits is not an amount to be ignored, $2,054,890.91 in the last fiscal year.

Residents don't necessarily want to the rentals to go away but they do want current ordinances to be enforced. Chief Uhler said he would like to add an enforcement officer during the hours that most complaints come in, between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m.

There were many comments from the community members gathers for the Council meeting. Many asked for code enforcement while others, like Lake Tahoe Accommodation Station owner Jim Morris, feel there is no problem. "I think the ordinance is working quite well," Morris said. He also said he felt that the issue made it to the Council's agenda because of two people. "Get rid of the chronic complainers," he said.

Others just asked for code enforcement since there already is a policy on the books.

The issue of VHRs in the city will be back on the agenda in January or beginning of February once staff has time to research and work on new wording for the ordinance.