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