This summer, vacationing in South Lake Tahoe may be a different experience as a new ordinance will bring stricter regulations to Vacation Home Rentals (VHR). The South Lake Tahoe City Council passed a new ordinance on June 17, requiring a 150-foot buffer between single-family residential VHR properties outside of the core tourist areas to minimize the impact on the community’s permanent residents.
Councilman David Jinkens stated during the council meeting, “Enforcement will be strict and fair. We can have a community with VHRs and also have a peaceful community.”
Furthermore, the ordinance mandates that each guest room can accommodate a maximum of two people, with an additional maximum of five children under 13 years old allowed. It also requires video surveillance (typically installed in areas like entry hallways) and noise monitoring equipment, as well as enhanced identity verification.
Property managers must be on-call 24/7 to respond to violations and complaints. The ordinance is set to take effect on July 17.
The application fee for VHR permits will increase. When applying for a VHR permit, applicants must provide external and internal signage, bear-resistant trash enclosures, designated parking spaces, and property photos. The South Lake Tahoe Community Services Department will be responsible for enforcing the ordinance, and violators will face fines.
According to the city regulations, any facilities generating significant noise – such as jets in pools, spas, and hot tubs, blowers, or other mechanical equipment – are prohibited from use between 10 pm and 8 am the following day.
During public comments at the June 17 meeting, landlords expressed concerns that installing the new equipment would incur high costs for their properties. The lengthy permit waiting period could also lead guests to choose alternative locations, impacting tourism revenue in South Lake Tahoe.
However, council members noted that these regulations were a compromise following years of complaints from local residents about noise, trash, and overcrowding during the peak summer tourist season.
As far back as November 2018, voters approved Measure T, which phased out certain legal VHRs in specific areas. The South Lake Tahoe Property Owners Group filed a lawsuit against Measure T and won on March 13 of this year, with the El Dorado County Superior Court ruling Measure T unconstitutional for violating interstate commerce provisions. The South Lake Tahoe City Council decided not to appeal the court’s ruling.
Permits for VHRs will not be issued before July 17, but a 60-day preliminary VHR permit application period will commence on June 23. This initial application period is for qualifying operators who previously held a permit but were unable to renew after 2021 due to Measure T. After the 60-day period, new applications will be accepted.