SLT vacation home rental permit fees increasing
South Lake Tahoe is about to charge a more realistic fee for vacation home rental permits.
That is the major change to the ordinance that was amended on Tuesday.
As with all ordinances, they must be read and voted on a second time before becoming the law of the land. And while usually items on the consent agenda sail through without discussion, that wasn’t the case for something so controversial.
Still, only four people spoke at the April 21 City Council meeting. This compares to the April 7 meeting when 30 people voiced their opinions.
The council, with Tom Davis recusing himself because of his ownership in Tahoe Keys Resort, did not make any changes to what had been voted on two weeks ago.
Fees will go up starting June 1. They are based on the number of bedrooms and the number of violations an owner has incurred the previous 12 months. It also involves the manpower required to deal with the fees – including the city attorney’s office and other departments that were not previously included.
Money raised will also support the hiring of additional enforcement personnel and a full-time auditor.
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In other action:
- No one made a motion to grant Councilman Tom Davis’ request to be reimbursed for driving to Placerville to see Supervisor Sue Novasel sworn in, so he has to foot the bill and not taxpayers.
- Awarding of the contract for the multi-million dollar Sierra Tract erosion contract was delayed because one of the bidders is challenging the process. The dispute will go to a hearing board and then be brought back to the council.
- The mid-year budget was approved.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
Really?? Tom Davis wanted his neighbors to pay for his gas to drive to Placerville? (sounds a little different when you say ‘neighbors’ instead of the anonymous sounding ‘taxpayers’. ‘Cause the taxpayers ARE the officials’ neighbors.)
I’m glad nobody made the motion, but it’s enlightening to see just how much our noble leaders expect us to cover their day-to-day expenses. It’d probably be interesting to see exactly what ALL the percs are, beyond their pay and medical insurance.
If you read the Police blotter and the Sheriff’s blotter, it looks like a significant number of calls made by law enforcement are to problem vacation rentals. How much does this cost the tax payer and how much does this divert officers from other calls?
Dog, I would have loved to have you as an employee, because i would now know that i would not have to reimburse you for any expenses that you incure on my behave, esp if i sent you to meet with a client 60 miles away. That would save me 57:5 cents a mile. I would make sure that all driving neede would have been done by you, as you are willing to pay for all gas and maintaince.
Dealing with problem vacation rentals is part of Law Enforcements job.
Vacation rental permits should start at $1000.00 and go up from there. Violations should carry a fine equal to one nights lodging. It makes no sense to allow vacation rentals, if all the fees and TOT go for enforcement of rules and police enforcement. All costs should be paid for by the vacation rentals, above and beyond the TOT.
Reloman, I wish you could talk to some of my former employers. Any one of them would hire me again. I ALWAYS put in more time and effort than I asked compensation for.
But that’s me, and I am not made of the same stuff most of our noble leaders are, for certain.
It’s beginning to look like the days of “la famiglia” at the Lake where comps were plentiful, backroom deals were the norm, and hands being greased are being curbed some. Corporate run businesses and greater transparency in some local governments have created scrutiny, checks and balances, and specific procedures for receipt of advanced approval if reimbursements are wanted.
Every service industry ‘boss’ or owner loves the brown nose-suck up/kick down-tattlerjerk-
some people are just made of that kind of ‘shift’-f
Tea total :)
steven, its obvious you are speaking from your hatred of vacation rentals and not an informed position. The fees currently being collected were enough to cover enforcement, there was even money for a complience officer, that position was left vacant for years and even when it was filled this officer was doing things that had nothing to do with enforcement of vacation rentals. That is why there is an excess of $225k in this fund. The doubling of fees is a way for the city to add more money to the police budget, nothing more. But hopefully they will also start enforcement, we will have to wait and see.
reloman,
using your informed position, maybe you can explain how enforcement is billed ? If 2 law enforcement vehicles, with 2 officers show up at a vacation rental, how are they paid ? How about if 4 vehicles show up with 4 officers ?
How is the person paid who handles the issuing of permits, the mailing of citations, the collection of TOT, the tracking of TOT to be paid, oh wait, there is no tracking. There is a person who inspects the VHR’s before a permit is issued, isn’t there? and how are they paid ? I think that $225K is long gone if the VHR’s pay for themselves.
Fees – ” They are based on the number of bedrooms and the number of violations an owner has incurred the previous 12 months. ”
The fees should also be based on the amount of rent charged. Two homes with the same number of bedrooms can rent for a huge range in prices.
So, if the city council decided that you aren’t allowed to use your home to run your business, unless you paid them a fee, would you be okay with that? How is it okay for an agency to tell you what you can do in/with your private property? Where do you draw the line?
Sure, you say that if the rentals disturb the peace, they should pay. But that goes without saying; if YOU, in your own house, disturb your neighbor’s peace, you must pay. Why are the rules different for some? The laws as they are written should apply to everyone equally.
The city has BEEN getting money all along, supposedly for enforcement of rental problems, and they have done a lousy job. Why is giving them MORE money going to make things better???
And no, I don’t own a rental within the city limits. I just happen to believe that other people have rights too.
Social contract.
I want to put in a paper mill next to your house, powered by the sewage I collect from everyone. I want to make money, I don’t care about the value of your property or your living standards. Tough luck, there is no zoning or agreed upon authority to prevent me from making business. I have more money and thus am more important. Also your other neighbor doesn’t want to pay me for the sewer connection, and we can’t force them to, so they are going to put their waste on their property, which is above grade from yours. Where does ‘it’ roll? Rolls down hill.
In your fantasy land there is nothing wrong with this scenario.
Society is far too complicated for your ‘you can’t tell me or anyone else what to do’ philosophy to sustain a civilization.
Social contract?
I didn’t sign SQUAT.
(If you infringe on my rights, I have the right to bring suit against you. And vice versa. Private property rights are inherent.)
Wow, the shamelessness of it all! The City’s previous response to all the vacation rental complaints, and to the total disregard of zoning laws was, “Give us more money, and that’ll solve all the complaints.”
The City got their money, but didn’t do what they promised to do with it. Instead, they just kept the money.
But NOW, we’re told give the City even more money. And this time!, they really mean it when they say the money will go towards enforcement?!
And those mini-motels disguised as homes being built near CA Base Lodge. “Oh, they’re okay cause we’re REALLY getting paid off well with the new fee!”
Yes, have enough $, and you can get away with whatever you want!
Again, the shamelessness of it all!!
So, how much money do I need to come up with so I can run whatever business I want to out of my home?
It would be incredibly hard to believe that the only net result proposed by the City to all the complaints and proposed changes to the Vacation Rental Home ordinances, was not to regulate numbers of occupants, hot tub hours, zoning restrictions, parking, or other solutions, but instead to simply raise taxes (fees). Surely this cannot be complete.
Umm Steve, how much are you charged every time a police officer comes out to your property? How much extra do you pay above your real estate taxes? Each of these homes pay TOT to the city that more than covers the 150 police calls last year out of the 20,000 calls the police had last year. The fees are to pay for the enforcement of the ordinance. Believe me the visitors pay for 22 million of the general fund taxes and the locals pay for only 8 million.
Duke, its lost on them, they dont get it and never will. But good try. :)
They’ll ignore residences for the sake of businesses, that amazingly look just like homes but are NO doubt- businesses. But try to open a little art studio or hobby shop in your neighborhood and suddenly zoning is what will stop you. Money talks.