novasel

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Airbnb has responded to a letter written by local officials who asked for assistance in stopping short-term rentals (STR) during the current Stay at Home Order. From December 28 through January 1 the vacation home rental reservation platform said they are blocking guests from booking in Placer County, El Dorado County and the Town of Truckee.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - In a move initiated by the Republican-based North State Conference, a letter has been sent by the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors to Governor Newsom to ask for local control of the state's rules through the pandemic.

Assemblyman Kevin Kiley gathered leaders from 16 Northern California counties at this Fall's Conference of North State Leaders. No Democrat leaders were invited. The conference was held to obtain a joint response to counter Governor Newsom's approach and out of it came a "Healthy Communities Resolution."

Farwell 2020! We will always remember this year, but for most of us, we are also ready to kiss it goodbye with a swift kick to the curb. Our community, like all communities has been hard hit with lost income, closed businesses, stay at home orders, COVID and virtually learning at home. We have missed socializing, travelling, entertaining and being entertained, enjoying our extended family and cannot even see a friend’s smile behind their mask. We missed so much of 2020 and it has hurt, to be honest.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - The Board of Supervisors will consider changes to the El Dorado County Vacation Home Rental Ordinance at its November 17 meeting. The 2:00 p.m. time certain public hearing will contain consideration of a cap of 1,050 total permits issued in the unincorporated portion of the Tahoe Basin.

A waiting list would be created for those wanting a VHR permit after the 1,050 number is met. The waiting list request shall become void upon change in ownership.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - On Friday, El Dorado County Supervisor Chair Brian Veerkamp broke board protocol by announcing he is invoking Emergency Powers to require El Dorado County to pay for sending Sheriff John D’Agostini to a political “conference” on October 29th which is being held by a select group of state senators in Red Bluff. This action by the Board of Supervisors Chair, who is leaving office at the end of this year,

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - An emergency meeting of the South Lake Tahoe City Council has been called to discuss the impacts of tourism during the pandemic on the community and steps they can take to mitigate the problems associated with the increase of visitors.

The meeting will be held virtually at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 18.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - When the California Tahoe Conservancy Executive Director Patrick Wright was named interim director of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Forest Management Task Force, his temporary replacement needed to be found.

The agency's Board of Directors didn't have to look too far and selected the Deputy Director Jane Freeman and their interim executive director for the next six to nine months.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - The second virtual Town Hall meeting focusing on vacation home rentals (VHRs) in the El Dorado County portion of Lake Tahoe will be held on Wednesday, June 10 at 4:00 p.m. on Zoom.

Led by District 5 Supervisor Sue Novasel, she and staff will provide some background on VHRs regulations to date, review options for meeting the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency neighborhood compatibility Performance Review Standards, and review input received from the public, addressing questions and comments received.

Register in advance for the meeting here:

MEYERS, Calif. - An old campground at the base of Echo Summit in Meyers is undergoing a major transformation that will not only create new wetlands and restore habitat along the Upper Truckee River, it will also create public access.

Work gets underway this week at the old Tahoe Pines Campground on a $1.63M project that will include new accessible-to-all trails, bridge and parking lot, and other features along the river which is Lake Tahoe's largest tributary.

Please note, scheduling change)

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County Supervisor for Area 5, Sue Novasel, will be holding two virtual Town Hall meetings to discuss vacation home rental (VHR) issues. She will be joined by El Dorado County staff to discuss the rentals in the County portion of the Tahoe Basin.

The first will be held on Wednesday, May 13 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Tahoe Chamber is holding its second Virtual Town Hall meeting in as many weeks on the local response to the COVID-19 crisis response.

Last week, Chamber CEO Steve Teshara hosted South Lake Tahoe Mayor Jason Collin. On Friday, March 27, he will host El Dorado County District 5 Supervisor Sue Novasel, and the County's Health Officer, Dr. Nancy Williams. The event is on the Zoom platform from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

NO on Measure M. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has repeatedly told us they are willing to engage us with our GPS and to a lesser degree the VHR's. They told me to my face at the wed meeting that have contacted us and were working with us. Nothing could be further from the truth.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - In a move to help property and business owners save time and money, El Dorado County will begin processing additional permits on behalf of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) starting January 28, 2020.

Protecting Lake Tahoe’s environment is the paramount goal of the TRPA and in meeting that goal, a TRPA permit is required for most construction projects inside the Lake Tahoe Basin. This runs the gamut from the addition of a new deck to a sign for a new business.

MEYERS, Calif. - Due to a lack of viable bids from local snow removal contractors there will be no plowing of the multi-use trails on the lake side of El Dorado County this winter.

In July the Bicycle Advisory Committee of the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Facilities JPA awarded $22,000 to El Dorado County for bike trail plowing in the county for winter of 2019/20. When the project went out to bid they only received interest from Alpine Smith, according to Donaldo Palaroan, P.E., senior civil engineer for the County. Their $48,500 bid was more than double of what was budgeted.

MEYERS, Calif. - Residents attending the El Dorado County Town Hall meeting in Meyers on Thursday didn't hear what they wanted to about the upcoming winter and any plans that could be put in place to alleviate traffic jams in neighborhoods.

As is the case with all meetings concerning traffic in Meyers, there were several audience members with ideas from instituting maximum vehicles allowed in the Lake Tahoe Basin to turn restrictions and road closures during specific hours.

Caltrans addressed what they reported to be an increase of accidents at the intersection of US50 and SR89 with a $7.3 million roundabout in Meyers, and today there was a ribbon-cutting with local partners to officially open it up.

What used to be a T-intersection with one stop sign is now a three-leg roundabout with a bypass lane. Years of studies, planning, environmental reviews, and engineering led to this past summer's build by Q&D Construction.

11:30 a.m. UPDATE: Deputy Brian Ishmael of the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office died in the line of duty early Wednesday after being shot after arrival at a home in Somerset, Calif. They were responding to a call of theft from a marijuana garden.

El Dorado County Sheriff John D'Agostini held a press conference Wednesday morning, updating the public on some of what transpired earlier in the day.

MEYERS, Calif. - El Dorado County has opened the online availability of pre-applications and applications for commercial cannabis use permits and annual operating permits, but those wanting to operate in Meyers must wait. The Meyers Area Plan does not meet the permitted zones for the retail sales, cultivation, delivery and manufacturing licenses that will be issued.

There are a few locations in the unincorporated areas of El Dorado County on the East Slope (Lake Tahoe area) that could fit the requirements between Meyers and South Lake Tahoe and Tahoma.

There are many issues facing the West Shore of Lake Tahoe in the coming weeks and months and District V Supervisor Sue Novasel will hold a series of town hall meetings to discuss them. Topping the list are the fire stations operated by the Meeks Bay Fire Protection District, vacation home rentals, the lack of an El Dorado County Sheriff's deputy living in the area, County road work, snow removal, and fire insurance.

The first meeting will be on Wednesday, September 11 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Marie Sluchak Community Park in Tahoma.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There is more to do in South Lake Tahoe on the 4th of July than watch one of the top fireworks shows in the west.

To start off the holiday, the City of South Lake Tahoe is organizing the annual 4th of July parade down Highway 50 from Ski Run Boulevard to Bijou Community Park on Al Tahoe Boulevard starting at 10:00 a.m.

PLACERVILLE, Calif. - The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the 2019-20 budget on Monday, one that spends $688 million to fund the County’s programs and services. $313 million of that amount is the County’s general fund which primarily funds public safety and general government services.

In anticipation of traffic congestion during the upcoming 4th of July and Labor Day holidays, El Dorado County (EDC) is hosting a public meeting to discuss traffic control measures in the Lake Tahoe Basin on Tuesday, June 18 at 6:00 p.m. at the California Conservation Corps building.

El Dorado County Department of Transportation (EDCDOT) will present a traffic congestion circulation alternative that officially and temporarily closes portions of both Sawmill Road and North Upper Truckee at Highway 50.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Good news for the entire community on both sides of the California-Nevada border. Lake Tahoe College Promise, the free tuition program at Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC), is expanding from one year to three years starting Fall 2019.

PLACERVILLE, Calif. - The public is invited to attend a meeting of the El Dorado County ad hoc cannabis committee on Monday, June 3 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Board of Supervisors Chambers in Placerville.

They will discuss the rough draft ordinances for commercial cannabis manufacturing, nurseries, and test laboratories. A presentation by County Staff will also be made. The El Dorado County ad hoc cannabis committee members are District V Supervisor Sue Novasel, and District I Supervisor John Hidahl.