INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — The general improvement district last week took steps to address overcrowding at its beaches and recreation abuses amid an uproar from local residents.

The Board of Trustees on Thursday night unanimously voted to adopt an updated version of an ordinance that establishes rates, rules and regulations for recreation privileges and is hoping that the remodeled Ordinance 7 will alleviate the crowds that many feel have overrun private beaches in Incline Village.

The Board after a lengthy discussion voted 5-0 to adopt the new ordinance that goes into effect Wednesday, June 1. It’s the first time the ordinance has been updated in 24 years.

“I think we have achieved a fairly monumental task in the district,” said Board Chair Tim Callicrate after the ordinance was adopted. “Hopefully we’ve been able to dissuade some fears that were brought up by many community members. I feel like it’s a fair and equitable document. Time will tell. And at the end of summer we can hash through any changes that have to be made.”

IVGID General Manager Indra Winquest has spent the last year and a half reworking the ordinance along with a special committee of community members made up to provide input and he feels proud and confident they made positive changes.

“Over 24 years a lot has changed in our community,” Winquest said. “We really focused on beach access, the ordinance itself and making sure IVGID was in compliance with the deed (IVGID was granted property in 1968 through a deed that says, among other things, that the property will be a benefit to property owners and their tenants). I give the committee a lot of credit. This wasn’t an easy process, it was contentious at times. We wanted to restrict access in a way that was fair and equitable. And I believe with the goals we set that we accomplished what we set out to do. We’re confident it will make the beach experience better for everyone.”

The updated ordinance includes, among other things, limiting groups to 15 people, unless authorized by IVGID staff, no commercial boat launching, stronger sanctions for misconduct, which can include a 2-year suspension, and a more detailed list of activities that constitute misconduct, hotel occupants will be charged an occupant fee of $15.

“We had to eliminate the ability to have unlimited access, that’s really what started the issues,” Winquest said. “We have seen a lot of abuse with the daily beach pass, with people trying to sell them. There were different types of abusive behavior that needed to stop.”

Following are the Ordinance 7 summary of changes from the IVGID website.

1. Beach access shall be obtained by:

— An IVGID Picture Pass Holder.

— A parcel owner, tenant, or guest holding a Punch Card with a sufficient remaining balance on it to cover the entire cost of the guest beach access fee.

— A guest who accompanies an IVGID Picture Pass Holder at the beach gate (with a limitation as to the total number of guests per day per parcel described in 6. below).

2. Beach guest fee payment shall be made as follows:

— An IVGID Picture Pass Holder may pay for their guest(s) by credit card or by the use of a Recreation Punch Card, with a sufficient balance to cover the entire guest beach access fee(s). Cash is not accepted at the beach gates. An access fee is not charged for the IVGID Picture Pass Holder, only for their guest(s). An IVGID Picture Pass or Recreation Punch Card must be presented at the beach gate (physical or electronic versions are permitted).

— An IVGID Recreation Punch Card holder is required to pay the full amount of the guest beach access fee for each guest using the Recreation Punch Card. Therefore, the Recreation Punch Card must have a sufficient balance to cover all guest fees. When a Recreation Punch Card’s value has been used in its entirety, it may not be reloaded. Recreation Punch Cards are non-transferable other than to the guest of a parcel owner.

3. Each residential parcel/dwelling unit is eligible for a combination of up to 5 IVGID Picture Passes and/or Recreation Punch Cards. In addition, each residential parcel/dwelling unit is eligible to purchase up to a maximum of 5 additional passes/cards, of which a maximum of 3 additional Recreation Punch Cards (that cannot be used at the golf courses) and/or up to 3 additional IVGID Picture Passes (that cannot be used at the golf courses and cannot be used for guest access to the beaches) can be purchased for qualified family members within the Family Tree (Exhibit to the Ordinance) of the parcel owner residing at the property – it is a Picture Pass for the cardholder only. The maximum proposed number of passes per residential parcel/dwelling unit is limited to 10.

4. Occupants of hotels/motels: Occupants of hotels/motels shall be provided access to the beaches consistent with the terms of the Beach Deed subject to District administrative rules and regulations which shall include a verification process. This process, at a minimum, shall include payment of an occupant fee. Access shall be limited to occupants of the hotel/m Motel. The District has the authority to reasonably regulate access to the beaches by occupants of hotels/motels. The occupant fee, effective June 1, 2022, is $15 per person and payable via punch card or credit card only by the hotel/motel owner.

5. Boat/Watercraft launching is for valid IVGID Picture Pass holders or Recreation Punch Card holders for recreational use of such holders, and not for commercial use. The Beach Deed does not allow for commercial use of the beaches and a third-party launching service, provided to IVGID Picture Pass or Recreation Punch Card holders, is not considered a commercial use. All guest and launch fees are to be paid either by:

— IVGID Picture Pass holders may pay by credit card or a balance remaining on the Punch Card(s).

— Recreation Punch Card Holders must pay with funds on the Punch Card(s).

6. The total number of guests allowed access to each beach, by accompanying all IVGID Picture Pass holder(s) from one parcel, per day, is limited to a total of 15 guests per beach, per parcel, per day. Parties over 15 for any given parcel requires a group reservation to be approved, in advance, by IVGID’s Parks & Recreation Department. The applicable guest fee will be charged to each guest at each beach.

7. Unbuildable lots are not eligible for recreation privileges. For the unbuildable lots with privileges as of June 1, they will be allowed to continue to be eligible for recreation privileges until such time the property is sold, transferred, or until the death of the owner(s).

8. The definition of “guest” for the beaches is as follows:

— “Any person invited by an Owner of a parcel with beach access to use the District-owned beaches. A property owner or its assignees, including guests, can use the beaches for recreation purposes only and cannot sell access to the beaches or receive compensation for access to the beaches.” [Reference paragraph 29 from Ordinance 7.]

9. Any parcel/dwelling unit that is owned by multiple owners or that is held in the name of an entity (an LLC, corporation, etc.), must designate, on an annual basis, one person to authorize the issuance of recreation privileges for the parcel.

Other important changes include:

— Stronger sanctions for misconduct, which can include suspension of Recreation Privileges for up to two years.

— A more detailed list of activities that constitute misconduct.

— Specific requirements for parcel owners to be responsible for the actions and damage caused by their tenants and guests.

— Recreation Punch Cards are proposed to only be transferable to a tenant or a guest of the parcel owner to whom the Recreation Punch Card has been issued and cannot be given to other owners for their guests.

— The Family Tree has been updated to add registered domestic partners and their children.

— There is a requirement that all Picture Pass holders under the age of 18 must obtain an updated photo every three years. This is to ensure the IVGID Picture Pass holder is recognizable.

— Daily use and/or exchange passes are eliminated.