El Dorado County officials approve limits on Lake Tahoe vacation rentals

El Dorado County officials decided Wednesday to put a cap on the number vacation rentals in the South Lake Tahoe area.

The area has 726 permitted vacation homes in Lake Tahoe, an area that draws nearly 3 million visitors per year. The Board of Supervisors decided Tuesday to limit the number of permits at 900 in the unincorporated areas of the county, citing resident concerns.

“The increasing number of short-term vacation rentals in some areas of the County adversely affects residential character, neighborhood stability, public safety, and quality of life,” the ordinance said.

A survey of 181 resident opinions of the ordinance showed residents were split on the ordinance, with about 36% in favor of the ordinance increasing restrictions on vacation rentals, and 32% in opposition.

The ordinance stipulates that property owners must have a vacation rental permit granted through the county in order to operate. Without the permit, property owners will face fines.

This year, the county has opened 398 code violation cases and collected more than $82,000 in fines.

In the event the number of applications exceeds the number of available permits, the county will establish a waiting list.

The ordinance also authorizes the Sheriff’s Office to enforce the ordinance in the event a property owner violates the conditions by being the source of noise complaints, or not having the proper permits.

This story was originally published December 3, 2020 at 6:36 PM with the headline "El Dorado County officials approve limits on Lake Tahoe vacation rentals."