Letter: EDC needs to reel in VHRs

To the community,

In writing this letter, I am only expressing my own opinion and not that of any organization or entity.

Vacation home rentals (VHRs) in El Dorado County are out of control. As is evidenced by the number of residents complaining about noise, parking, trash, over-occupancy, etc., it is time for our government representatives to act and change the current ordinance to respect our rights to live in peaceful neighborhoods.

Leona Allen at her parents’ property, which is now a garden in the burn area. Photo/Susan Wood

There are many issues surrounding VHRs that need to be addressed, but I believe public safety should be in the mix. Visitors to our area do not understand our fire danger predicament, and are often negligent when it comes to the use of campfires, charcoal briquet and ash disposal, propane use, discarding of cigarettes, and illegal fireworks. In addition, the overloading of people in homes built for significantly smaller occupancy puts undue stress on our fire and emergency medical systems.

My suggestions for solutions are twofold: require defensible space inspections and compliance of every VHR, and compel them to receive annual fire agency business inspections. Defensible space requirements are already the law (Public Resource Code 4291). All businesses in the El Dorado County portion of the Tahoe basin are required to be inspected annually for safety issues – so why not VHRs?

Until our representatives can work with the community and develop a strict but fair ordinance, we must demand that a temporary moratorium be put in place on all new VHR permits in the Tahoe basin. Please call your Board of Supervisors representative Sue Novasel at 530.573.7955 or bosfive@edcgov.us and let her know that you support the moratorium.

Thank you.

Leona Allen, Meyers