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Ordinance in effect for vacation rentals

Susan Wood, Tribune staff writer

South Lake Tahoe experienced its first weekend under the guidelines of a vacation-home rental ordinance that will lay the groundwork for El Dorado County’s version.

Interim Police Chief Rich McGuffin said no calls came in over the past weekend regarding disturbances related to the new law, but his department plans to make a concerted effort to monitor the activity. The ordinance went into effect Feb. 21.

Last month the City Council approved the ordinance that has been in the works for more than a year after a group of residents complained of chronic, obnoxious behavior from renters.



The ordinance has put into place a tracking mechanism on the 1,100 housing units within the city limits because it was unclear where the repeat offenders were located.

Vacation-home activity will be recorded through a disturbance advisement card the city has printed. The warning or arrest for disruptive behavior could be aimed at either the property owner, renter or host of a party.



The city plans to hire a permit technician to manage the tracking system by the end of March, Attorney Catherine DiCamillo told the council Tuesday.

Property management firms await further instructions from the city on the ordinance, which could lead to fines for the owner of up to $1,000 for repeat offenses.

Tahoe Keys Resort Vice President Renee Miller said the property management firms are in “a waiting pattern” in receiving more direction from the city on related materials. By the same token, the company has waged a proactive role in monitoring its 250 units.

Tahoe Keys Resort recently introduced an ambassador program in which staffers visit units one hour after renters check in.

The city’s ordinance on vacation-home rentals — which have changed the profile of the town and bring in a quarter of the city’s transient occupancy tax revenue each year — will serve as the model code for El Dorado’s version.

Supervisor Dave Solaro said the county planners are working with the board to draft an ordinance.

“We’re in the process of writing it now,” he said.

— Susan Wood can be reached at (530) 542-8009 or via e-mail at swood@tahoedailytribune.com


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