We are disappointed to see that the South Lake Tahoe City Council appears ready to water down its efforts to set sensible guidelines for vacation home rentals.
The League to Save Lake Tahoe does not oppose vacation home rentals, and we realize that much of the debate and controversy relates to neighborhood and community concerns. Our focus more narrowly addresses the environmental impacts that the disorderly expansion of vacation home rentals will have on Lake Tahoe.
Studies have shown that when homes are used as vacation rentals, they are associated with more cars and more car trips than when homes are used as primary residences. No one needs to be reminded of the explosion of traffic at Tahoe, where we now welcome more annual visitors than the top five national parks combined.
Darcie Goodman Collins, PhD, is the executive director of the League to Save Lake Tahoe, also known by its iconic slogan “Keep Tahoe Blue.”