ordinances

Enjoying nature around Lake Tahoe comes with a responsibility

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With throngs of people heading to Lake Tahoe over the holidays, not only did they travel during a regional and state stay-at-home order, they also failed to remove their broken sleds and other trash when they left. What was left behind has drawn numerous complaints left on social media and with local authorities.

Column: Recognizing the spirit of collaboration

For more than half a century, collaboration and partnership have been the bedrock of Lake Tahoe’s preservation. I speak often of the epic collaboration needed to restore our environment and lift up our communities. The creation of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) 50 years ago challenged us to bring people together to pull this majestic lake back from the brink. Today, TRPA is the backbone for 80 organizations and thousands of property owners working toward the common goals of clean water, a healthy watershed, and resilient communities

STPUD candidates respond to questions

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There are three open seats on the South Tahoe Public Utility Board of Directors this election season, two for a four-year term and one for a two-year term.

South Tahoe Now reached out to the candidates and below are their answers to a set of questions. For the two four-year terms, incumbent Kelly Sheehan is running for reelection, Duane Wallace is running after being appointed to fill Jim Jones's spot on the board until this election, and they are joined by David Peterson.

Public meeting for El Dorado County Ad Hoc Hemp Committee

Event Date: 
October 29, 2020 - 2:00pm

The El Dorado County Ad Hoc Hemp Committee will be meeting on Thursday October 29, 2020 from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. via Zoom.

Following a presentation on industrial hemp by the Agriculture Department on June 23, the Board of Supervisors requested the formation of an Ad Hoc Hemp Committee to include two members of the Board.

SLT Council Candidate John Friedrich

South Tahoe Now reached out to all nine candidates for South Lake Tahoe City Council and provided the same list of questions to each one of them. Once a day their answers will be published in the order received.

Today's candidate is John Friedrich

Profession: Founder and Director, Tahoe Green Jobs Initiative

How many years in SLT: 15

Sales of flavored tobaccos and vape juices banned in California

Blue Raz Cotton Candy, Peach Green Tea, Pink Spot and Frozen Lime Drop are just a few of the names of flavored tobacco that will no longer be allowed on the shelves in California after Governor Newsom signed SB793 Friday. The bill was created to stop kids from getting addicted to tobacco and vaping and is an addition to existing law, the Stop Tobacco Access to Kids Enforcement (STAKE) Act.

The bill takes effect Jan. 1, 2021.

The ban includes the sale of everything from menthol cigarettes to e-cigarette flavors, including pods for vape pens, tank-based systems, and chewing tobacco.

Douglas County Sheriff tells library to not count on emergency help due to its support of BLM

6:50 p.m. Update: Douglas County Library Director Amy Dodson and Douglas County Sheriff Dan Coverley met Tuesday to discuss the library's proposed Statement of Diversity, a topic that became very controversial after a letter from Coverley to the library was circulated.

Keeping Tahoe bears wild - COVID-19 closures can affect their behavior

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – Spring is in full swing in the Tahoe Basin and Tahoe black bears are searching for food. Intentional or unintentional feeding of bears results in unwanted bear behaviors, increased human-bear conflicts, and public safety issues as well as fines and possible jail time for violators. Each year, local law enforcement and state wildlife officers respond to hundreds of calls in which bears may pose a public safety threat or are damaging property. In some cases, the bear must be euthanized.

Special Douglas County meeting on Master Plan update and Park Ranch

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - The Douglas County commissioners will be holding a special meeting on a Development Agreement between Park Ranch Holdings LLC and Master Plan amendments on Tuesday, December 3 at 9:00 a.m.

Crafting South Lake Tahoe's wireless communications facility ordinance

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Most will say their cell phone coverage isn't great in Lake Tahoe or is severely impaired on big tourist weekends such as the 4th of July. With the growth of remote workers coming to live in Lake Tahoe, better internet coverage is also needed for them to work, along with the needs of many others.

South Lake Tahoe to create an ordinance for electric scooters

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - First it was Lime Bikes, but now the company's Lime Scooters have created both enjoyment and concern in South Lake Tahoe. The popular mode of transportation is used by millions worldwide and provides over 100,000 annual rides in South Lake Tahoe.

But the illegal use by minors and a flaw in the Lime app process has drawn concern from local law enforcement and residents.

Community newsletter from the City of South Lake Tahoe

The City of South Lake Tahoe has launched its October Edition of "At Lake Level." The monthly newsletter is prepared by City Manager Frank Rush in an effort to keep the community well informed about City issues and initiatives.

Development Commodities Available at No Cost for Qualified Affordable Housing, Town Center, and Distressed Property Development

Cannabis businesses not allowed under Meyers Area Plan, for now

MEYERS, Calif. - El Dorado County has opened the online availability of pre-applications and applications for commercial cannabis use permits and annual operating permits, but those wanting to operate in Meyers must wait. The Meyers Area Plan does not meet the permitted zones for the retail sales, cultivation, delivery and manufacturing licenses that will be issued.

There are a few locations in the unincorporated areas of El Dorado County on the East Slope (Lake Tahoe area) that could fit the requirements between Meyers and South Lake Tahoe and Tahoma.

Letter: South Lake Tahoe cell tower location standards needed

Thank you for the opportunity to share the concerns of residents in the Ski Run /Needle Peak Road residential area with the proposed 112-foot Verizon cell tower.

There is an urgent need for the South Lake Tahoe City Council to adopt a cell tower ordinance to give reassurance to existing residents that their neighborhoods will not be compromised. There needs to be certainty to telecommunications companies by making clear where they can locate their facilities. An urgency ordinance may be adopted by the City Council with a 4/5 vote of its members.

New partnership created to "Keep Tahoe Bears Wild"

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – The Tahoe Basin is bear country and natural resource and law enforcement agencies are working diligently to remind residents and visitors to practice proper food storage and trash disposal when living in or visiting bear country. To help spread the message, a new website has been launched, TahoeBears.org, where residents and visitors can go to learn everything they need to know about living, visiting and playing responsibly in bear country.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Report

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South and West Shore, including Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Meeks Bay, Tahoma, and the Echo Summit area. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at the time of the story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

8/1

South Lake Tahoe City Council to discuss possible change to Charter City

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - When the City formed in 1965 it was incorporated as a general law city for the purpose of having more local control over public services such as police, fire, and snow removal.

Now there is discussion about changing to a charter city. During their March 5 meeting, Councilmember Cody Bass asked that this subject come forward at a future meeting and Councilmembers Jason Collin and Devin Middlebrook said they were interested in learning more about what the differences are between the two, and what it would mean to South Lake Tahoe to switch.

County's ad hoc cannabis committee to meet and discuss rough draft ordinances

PLACERVILLE, Calif. - The public is invited to attend a meeting of the El Dorado County ad hoc cannabis committee on Monday, June 3 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Board of Supervisors Chambers in Placerville.

They will discuss the rough draft ordinances for commercial cannabis manufacturing, nurseries, and test laboratories. A presentation by County Staff will also be made. The El Dorado County ad hoc cannabis committee members are District V Supervisor Sue Novasel, and District I Supervisor John Hidahl.

Keep Tahoe Bears Wild - Practice proper food storage and trash disposal

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – Lake Tahoe natural resource and law enforcement agencies remind residents and visitors to practice proper food storage and trash disposal at all times while in bear country. Intentional or unintentional feeding of bears can result in unwanted bear behaviors, increased human-bear conflicts, and public safety issues, as well as fines and possible jail time for violators. Each year law enforcement and state wildlife officers respond to hundreds of calls in which bears may pose a public safety threat or are damaging property. In some cases, the bear must be euthanized.

Nevadans protest and testify against Senate Bee Bill in Carson City

Carson City was abuzz Thursday evening at the Nevada State Legislature, in which over 100 Nevadan residents gathered to support honeybees, and their ability to be kept by residents.

Senate Bill 389 relates to the ability to keep bees in residential zones in Nevada and has been hotly debated since it was announced on March 20. It was read during a Natural Resources Committee meeting Wednesday.

Residents attended to an extent that legislative staff needed to open an overflow room to provide for those gathered, in which the meeting was televised from down the hall.

Lime Scooters but not Lime Bikes return to South Lake Tahoe this summer

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - After two summers in South Lake Tahoe, Lime is not bringing back their green bikes to town this May and instead are concentrating on their popular electric scooters, the fastest growing segment of the San Franciso-based company.

El Dorado County Sheriff D'Agostini to speak in South Lake Tahoe

Event Date: 
March 19, 2019 - 1:00pm

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The public is invited to join El Dorado County Sheriff John D'Agostini as he presents "Criminal Activity: Awareness, Reporting & Prevention" on Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. at the South Lake Tahoe Library.

He will discuss topics the South Shore community is interested in including homelessness, crime trends and the most common financial scams targeting our communities and ways to avoid falling victim to scammers.

In addition, the Sheriff encourages questions from the audience on any other subjects that are of concern.

Food trucks approved for South Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Except for special events, food trucks have been missing from the South Lake Tahoe horizon, with a previous ordinance preventing an vehicle selling food items for stopping more than 15 minutes.

On Tuesday, the South Lake Tahoe City Council approved a new food truck ordinance that will take effect on March 19, 2019.

South Lake Tahoe cannabis ordinance approved

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Analogies of touchdowns and goals were given to today's approval of a cannabis ordinance for South Lake Tahoe, the culmination of many months of meetings, discussion, disagreements and committee work.

On March 7, 2019, South Lake Tahoe will have a cannabis ordinance, opening the door to retail sales, cultivation, manufacturing, and lab testing businesses.

New shoreline applications now available including registration of existing buoys

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) today released a series of updated permit applications for shorezone projects and activities under the recently-adopted Shoreline Plan that is taking effect this year.

Shorezone applications now available online at http://www.trpa.org/permitting/permit-applications/ include:

- Express Check applications for expedited TRPA review of in-kind shorezone structure reconstructions

The new year brings new laws in California

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There are new laws in California in 2019 that will affect those on the road, bike paths, eating at restaurants, paying bail and receiving minimum wage. In 2018, 1,217 bills made it to Governor Brown's desk and he signed 1,016 of them which are now new laws.

Here is a highlight of some of those laws which will soon be in effect:

Lake Tahoe grading season coming to a close

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) would like to remind residents and contractors that the annual grading and digging season for permitted projects will end on Monday, October 15, after which all construction sites must be appropriately winterized.

SLT City Council candidates respond to more renewable energy committee questions

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Eight of the nine City Council candidates responded to a series of questions given to them by the 100% Renewable Energy Committee. On Sunday we printed their first responses - http://southtahoenow.com/story/10/08/2018/slt-city-council-candidates-respond-100-renewable-committe... - and here are the remaining questions and answers:

SLT City Council candidates respond to 100% Renewable Committee questions

On April 18, 2017 the South Lake Tahoe City Council unanimously passed a resolution to do two things: Power the South Lake Tahoe community with electricity provided from 100 percent renewable sources by 2032; and reduce community carbon emissions from baseline by at least 80 percent by 2040. The 100% Renewable Committee was formed to help the City accomplish these tasks.

Column: Collaborative action needed to solve South Lake Tahoe housing problem

In classic Tahoe style, when there is a problem we study it. In the past five years, the housing issue has been studied on several fronts. In that time, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Placer County and the North Tahoe-Truckee area have all conducted Housing Studies and the City of South Lake Tahoe updated its Housing Element. What has been the result of all these studies? This column highlights the key recommendations from those studies and where we are now in terms of implementation.

Letter: This shouldn't be happening

There ought to be a compromise letting city homeowners rent out their houses to vacationers, but the topic is controversial. The city once felt residents should know what was permissible in their neighborhoods and maintained an online database listing. This has been removed. Maybe residents shouldn't know about rentals allowing 22 guests?

Location

1360 June Way
United States
37° 5' 24.864" N, 95° 42' 46.4076" W

Approval of cannabis ordinance in South Lake Tahoe greeted by applause

A unanimous vote of the South Lake Tahoe City Council brought applause from the audience during Monday’s special meeting. It has been months of expert testimony, community input, committee meetings, and almost two dozen public meetings that led to Monday’s approval of two new cannabis ordinances.

“You have done a remarkable job,” said local resident Oliver Starr on the Council’s sorting out what will be best for the community. Starr said they created an ordinance that is clean, safe and reputable.

Special South Lake Tahoe City Council meeting Monday

Event Date: 
July 2, 2018 - 9:00am

There will be a special meeting of the South Lake Tahoe City Council on Monday, June 2 starting at 9:00 a.m. in Council Chambers at the airport.

Cannabis is the topic of the main reason for the meeting, both a vote on a tax measure for the November ballot and a public hearing on the zoning and regulations of adult use cannibus businesses and the medical marijuana dispensary.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Report

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South Shore. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at time of story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

6/13

10:27 a.m. - Search and Rescue - Echo Summit - RESCUE FOR INJURED 56-YEAR-OLD FEMALE HORSEBACK RIDER AND HORSE.

City Council to look at marijuana sales ordinance during Tuesday's meeting

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - At their May 1 meeting, the South Lake Tahoe City Council gave direction to the City Attorney's office to draft ordinances to regulate sales, cultivation and distribution of medical and adult-use cannabis.

Consensus at that meeting was to allow for two micro-businesses, two retail businesses, two cultivation businesses up to 5,000 square feet and unlimited testing labs.

At that same meeting, the Council assigned councilmembers Austin Sass and Brooke Laine to an ordinance sub-comittee and they have worked on the ordinance will be voted on Tuesday.

Likely South Lake Tahoe voters to see two VHR ballot measures in November

Two South Lake Tahoe community groups have submitted petitions to get their vacation home rental (VHR) initiatives on the November, 2018 ballot. The first group, Tahoe Neighborhoods Group, submitted 1,651 signatures to the City Clerk on April 30, and the second group, Sustainable Community Alliance, turned in 1,827 signatures on May 21, less than 30 days after they started collecting them.

Save a bear - be smart about food storage/trash disposal in the outdoors

Several Lake Tahoe agencies have joined together to remind residents and visitors to practice proper food storage and trash disposal at all times while in bear country. Intentional or unintentional feeding of bears can result in the bear being killed, fines and/or jail time for violators. Every year law enforcement and state wildlife officers respond to hundreds of calls in which bears may pose a public safety threat and/or are damaging property. In some cases, the animals are euthanized.

Become part of the solution and help save our Tahoe bears!

Four vying for El Dorado County Supervisor, District 5

There are four people running for El Dorado County Supervisor for the 5th District on June 5: Incumbent Sue Novasel and challengers Kenny Curtzwiler, Norma Santiago and Jeffrey Spencer. The 5th District covers Pollock Pines to South Lake Tahoe and Tahoma.

South Tahoe Now asked each candidate the same questions, and here are all of their answers, exactly as they were presented to us.

Sue Novasel
Occupation: El Dorado County Supervisor – District V
Past political history:
2015 – Present: County Supervisor, District V

Food trucks, VHRs, new interim city manager all part of SLT City Council meeting

The South Lake Tahoe City Council will take a look at vacation home rental (VHR) fines at their meeting on Tuesday, May 15. In a story that has had national attention, the $1,000 fines for violations of parking, noise and other ordinances for each the renter and homeowner have become the spotlight.

Council will look at the fines and rules for parking and bear boxes, and the fact that both renter and homeowners are fined for each instance.

South Lake Tahoe City Council agenda

Monday night's special session of the South Lake Tahoe City Council was scheduled for not only Brown Act and AB 1234 (ethics) training, but it was also time to interview candidates for the interim position of city manager. Tuesday's Council meeting has a closed session scheduled to name the person to fill the position.

On Tuesday, the Council has a full agenda:

Letter to the Editor: Moratorium on County VHRs now

We can always count on either Supervisors Novasel or Ranalli starting off each VHR public meeting discussing VHR’s with the reminder that VHR’s are an allowed use for single family dwellings under TRPA’s land use Ordinances. They have attempted to make us believe the word of God (TRPA) has set this in stone, and that we should all now work together to allow these nuisance businesses to coexist in our neighborhoods.

TRPA enacts transitional shorezone permitting process

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board on Wednesday approved a temporary, transitional shorezone permitting process that will take effect in May and remain in place until January 2019 as the agency works to develop and adopt an updated Shoreline Plan this fall.

El Dorado County vacation rental committee meeting Thursday

Event Date: 
April 12, 2018 - 5:30pm

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE and MEYERS, Calif. - The ad hoc committee formed to research options and provide suggestions to the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors about their vacation home rental (VHR) ordinance is scheduled to hold a public meeting in South Lake Tahoe on Thursday, April 12 at the Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet School from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Report

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South Shore. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at time of story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

3/29

Letter: SnowGlobe's token changes not enough

On Tuesday, April 3, 2018, the City of South Lake Tahoe will consider the permit requirements for the 2018 SnowGlobe Event. As of this writing there are no contractual changes to sound levels which were arbitrarily created the 2nd year of SnowGlobe.

Meyers traffic plan has some success after first weekend

If you drive through Meyers on a Sunday you've most likely come across gridlock traffic through the neighborhoods as vehicles trying to head west after their South Lake Tahoe weekend look for the quickest route, courtesy of smart phone apps.

El Dorado County Supervisor Sue Novasel held a Town Hall meeting on February 28, providing a forum for residents, law enforcement and staff to discuss solutions. One suggestion that came out of that meeting was put into place on Sunday, March 4 and was fairly successful.

County and City vote to extend temporary bans on sales of cannabis

On Tuesday both the South Lake Tahoe City Council and the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors voted to extend their ban on commercial sales of cannabis as they work out the rules and regulations for their jurisdictions.

The ban on sales in South Lake Tahoe was set to expire on January 25, 2018, and without an extension or ordinance in place, anyone could have applied for a license to sell with the State of California.

Cannabis urgency ordinance continues in South Lake Tahoe

"This is not about making money, its about doing it right," said Mayor Pro Tem Tom Davis during Tuesday's City Council vote on cannabis sales in South Lake Tahoe.

Davis was speaking about their decision to approve an urgency ordinance and to take their time in creating the City's ordinance for legal cannabis sales in South Lake Tahoe. The moratorium will remain in effect for 45 days and expires on January 21, 2018 unless the City Council extends it before then.

South Lake Tahoe Police Blotter

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE - The following is a recap of activity the South Lake Tahoe Police Department responded to 416 calls between November 13 - November 27, 2017.

Calls Resulting in Arrests/Citations:

11/13 - 26 Total Calls

Battery in the 900 block of Ski Run Blvd
Warrant in the 3400 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd

11/14 - 28 Total Calls

Battery in the 2500 block of William Ave
Brandishing in the 2200 block of Lake Tahoe BLvd

11/15 - 26 Total Calls

Auto Theft in the 2300 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd

South Lake Tahoe Police Blotter

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE - The following is a recap of activity the South Lake Tahoe Police Department responded to 189 calls between November 6 - November 12, 2017.

Calls Resulting in Arrests/Citations:

11/6 - 33 Total Calls

Unlicensed Driver at Tamarack Dr & Blackwood Rd
DUI at O'Malley & Blue Lake Ave

11/7 - 19 Total Calls

Drunk in Public in the 3900 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd

11/8 - 39 Total Calls

Unlicensee Driver at Lake Tahoe Blvd & Silver Dolalr Ave

11/9 - 20 Total Calls

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