Not just L.A., the City of Angels Is Everywhere
From 2017, read Transcripts documenting the coup interviews with Malcolm Nance
Funded by readers through PayPal, available for all to read

Sunday, April 5, 2020

Transcript: April 1 emg meeting re Short Term Rentals citations/fines in South Lake Tahoe

Another entry in The Covid-19 Transcripts

Transcript begins 1:15:24 into video
(Discussion before vote on "Citations and Fines for Violations of State Stay at Home Order" in third in a series of emergency meetings Wednesdays of South Lake Tahoe, California, City Council responding to the Covid-19 pandemic.)
***
Assistant City Attorney Beverly Roxas: Fines for violations of state stay at home order [reviews state law and acts so far by state and city]
Mayor Jason Collin: Questions?
Councilmember Tamara Wallace: This is for VHRs correct?
Roxas: It's more of a general order that encompasses anything in the governor's stay at home order, an umbrella which VHR violations fall under.
Wallace: We've been inundated with complaints against specifically the VHRs currently taking them anonymously, is there a way to assure they use their names?
Roxas:  No because P-B would go in and confirm and they would be the ones with personal knowledge of stay at home order.
Interim City Manager Brad Kilger:  At the end of comments, I can give update on how enforcement is going. We do have individuals in community who are taking it upon themselves to, uh, assist in our enforcement and it has become a little problematic.  We're happy to provide additional information. [OVERLAPPING CONVERSATION]
Wallace:  We talked about the stay at home order for several reasons, can it be extended do inessential business, such as driving around to VHRs checking driveways looking for people who are possibly doing something wrong and making frivolous complaints?
Roxas: The order applies to anyone in violation of the governor's order as clarified in the county's directive.  IF they aren’t leaving their homes for essential purposes, they aren’t in compliance with the orders.
Councilmember Brooke Laine: I guess my concern is what I've been talking about for years now, the fact that we aren’t able or choose not to, I don't know which it is, to proactively enforce in our community our own rules, is what the problem is.  The fact that we ask for our community to turn people in is what has created this- people don’t like VHRs going out to bust VHR's, we've created that problem by not having a proative way to enforce our own rules.  At this stage, I would ask the city manager or police chief, is there a way to enforce this and rigorously? Take our citizens out of the middle of it? [OVERLAPPING CONVERSATION]
Male:  We're prepared to respond. I'll introduce and then turn it over to the lieutenant.  The staff has been very proactive and he will explain more- the nature of change in orders, we have had to ramp up in the last week, two weeks ago there wasn’t even a shelter in place order, now it's changed drastically.  They had to triage it initially, lieutenant will explain. 
Acting Chief of Police Shannon Laney:  They're not just checking VHR properties, they are protecting hotels and businesses for what looks like people checking in, verification that they are one of the exemptions.  Last weekend we checked, drove by a hundred and fifty one VHRs.  If they're occupied, what we're doing is we're trying to contact the owners, see if it's an owner or vacationer or an exception to order from.
So far we have not found any vacationers in VHRs.  We have had a lot of them are owner occupied, for instance out of eighty three that were occupied, thirty nine of them were owner occupied.  I know complaints from community members is do we have a way to verify it's an owner and not a vacationer.  We're not running backgrounds on people contacted, we are having our staff handle most of the business over the phone, to keep our own staff healthy. 
A lot of the questions I've gotten are owners that want to come up and check their property because nobody is there, there might be repairs needed, want to come up and stay a couple weeks, what we're telling them is it's the governor's order to stay in your primary residence. 
City Manager Brad Kilger:  I think the staff is being proactive regarding VHRs and hotels.  Second homeowners and VHR owners who come up to their residence, at this point we're treating them the same.  That's really where the bone of contention is now.
Laine: My follow-up question would be do the police department feel they can execute this order internally without a need to accept complaints from the community.  Can we go to all fourteen hundred plus vacation home rentals and make sure they're complying with order?
Laney:  With fifteen hundred VHRs, two different shifts, they're making headway but we're also checking hotels and handling day-to-day business too.  I do want to caution community members taking it upon themselves to drive around looking, that's a violation of order. If they call when we can get to the house, we will check it.  A lot of calls come from a small contingent in our community.
Laine: One final question, since this order was executed March 27th, how many fines have been levied to date?
Laney: We haven’t issued any citations because we haven’t found one that was a violation at a VHR.  Hotels we were asking for voluntary compliance and gave them time to have people check out and leave.  And they all have.
Councilmember Cody Bass:  Just to clarify you've gone by 183, how many did you actually approach people staying there?
Laney:  I don't know the number, the shift were instructed if there's someone in day hours there to contact them, try via phone leave message with owner. At night we're not going to knock on door.
Bass:  Order stays people must stay in primary residence, is there enforcement around people not in primary residence?
 photo credit CBS Sacramento
City Attorney Heather Stroud: The word "usual residence" is in county order. So it would be a violation of state and of county as clarified.  But for a number of reasons, second home owners don’t have permit or license and we have no way to contact them unlike VHR owners.  There are a number of our own residents leaving their house to go elsewhere in state and we're not in position to enforce that when they come back into town after visiting family elsewhere and the like.  It's a question of resources and where do we best put them. Put on those with greatest public health impact, where there are large groups of people gathering and or bringing visitors in for short term lodging.
Bass:  I believe in property rights one hundred percent without a doubt and if someone has a piece of property here they have a right to use it but we are without a doubt in unprecedented times and seeing real results in California with governor's order, I mean look at New York.  When somebody doesn't have a permit, it's difficult to say they are not just occupying their second home, but if they've gotten a VHR permit, that's proof it is not their usual home, it's a VHR.  e need to make unprecedented moves in unprecedented times, an administrative fine- can we enforce it?
-----
Our death rate in California is much lower than other states that did not take these precautions- Councilmember Bass
----------
Mayor Jason Collin: I've gotten numerous emails from angry people saying they're permanent residents here and live here full time and have VHR permits, whether to use it as a shared rental or renting their home out when they're on vacation.  They feel like they're being harassed by people calling in because they see cars there and have a public VHR permit.  That doesn't mean it's not their usual residence?
Bass: Who would be occupying a VHR as their usual residence? I'm just trying to point to the governor's order, and "usual residence" if somebody is down the street and working on this VHR- you can't say that if the permit has been issued as a second home- this just goes against the grain of property rights and everything I believe in.
But we need to look at the results of the governor's order and compare California with New York and do everything we can to be in line with that order.  For me as a usual resident if there's a permit for a VHR that's not a usual resident, correct?
Collin: Let me give you an example. Prior to getting on city council, we had a VHR permit at my primary residence because we had basically a mother-in-law unit.  But we did not need a VHR permit, we got it to make sure everything was in order.  We lived in our house and rented the unit out for about a year.  That's probably a very small subset of the total number but I've heard from people this week.  [OVERLAPPING] you don’t have to have it but a lot of people do.
-----
It's not fair to kick people out of a home that they pay taxes on, it's just inhumane. Our main home in San Francisco is now being occupied by family who had health issues, there are unique situations -Female caller
----------
Bass: I'm not trying to say we do this for the long term, but I think to really be forward about it. The fact is our death rate in California is much lower than other states that did not take these precautions.  And having people come from outside the community right now, we need to send a strong and clear message.  It's unacceptable, it's violating the governor's orders that clearly worked, and I just feel strongly that we need to send a strong message.  And if things improve, we can change this next week and open the VHRs back up.  We're meeting weekly.  But right now we're at a point where we clearly need to send a strong message.
Collin:  We need to take public comment. 
Bass:  That did start as a question. . .
Stroud:  Based on example mayor gave, it's not a black and white issue. VHRs are used for essential workers, some VHR owners are renting to visiting nursing, construction workers and others are thinking of doing it but not doing it yet. 
Bass:  We'd include exemptions for all those persons.
Stroud:  The one we are to pass today does. [OVERLAPPING CONVERSATION]
Bass: I totally want to see VHRs used for medical staff and for all those exemptions, can we make the order to the PD those are allowed and here is list where that is happening.  Other than that VHRs are shut down.  We're meeting every Wednesday we can change this when times change, times are what they are, we need to take real measures.
Collin: Any more questions before discussion, now to public comments.
-----
Comment: I did see tourists taking pictures of lake, I asked where are you from and why are you here, received a predictable angry response.  They were aware they were violating the order.
----------
City Clerk Sue Blankenship: These are emails I've received since beginning of meeting.  Noel F: It says, the VHR activity and tourist activity in my neighborhood, Heavenly Valley area, thank you for closing them to protect our systems, also thank you to the VHR companies that operate- as you know, my neighborhood is overrun with homes with indoor pools and elevators, without exception they were empty this weekend.  It was apparent few were renter owned. I did see tourists taking pictures of lake, I asked where are you from and why are you here, received a predictable angry response.  They were aware they were violating the order. I checked the VHR enforcement site to discover it was not updated for several weeks so emailed their office, attached is that correspondence. This is vital information for the citizens who live adjacent to these properties. Social media indicated a number of violations reported, so staff is acting in contrary to the council's ordiance. I question who actually runs the city, the council or the staff.
This one is from Diane R:  This is a time when decisive action has to be practiced.  Last week's meeting mentioned "warnings" before citations, calls from community best, flexibility with dates- were all part of the conversation.  The mandate says all residents must shelter in place in their primary home.  Covid-19 is a clear and present danger, we are relying on people we elect to ensure our safety.  Bass says this is not a joking matter and the community felt our voice was being heard.
Next comment from Pam S:  I understand that the number of U.S. cities established fines for violations of stay at home orders. I feel that proposed thousand dollar fine is heavy handed for a first violation. I request the council clarify whether use of and travel to postal service is essential- please clarify. The city has acted to activate police powers, the city has taken action contrary to public health and welfare by constructing cell phone towers that emit microwaves, which can hurt immune systems in their fight against Covid-19 or other coronaviruses.  The city should close down the cell towers.
Stu R:  Thank you for implementing this strict enforcement for violating shelter in place order.  How will enforcement be carried out in short term lodging such as hotels and motels, and for owners of second homes, regardless of permit, will the thousand dollar fine be issued for owners who leave their primary residence to shelter in South Lake Tahoe?
Blankenship: That is all the public comments we've received via email, now open the phone lines for people to call in:  You have three minutes to address council:
Male: Thanks for taking my call, I'm a concerned local, concerned about the flow of people coming to shelter in place in Tahoe.  It limits our supplies here, it bothers me that Bay Area homeowners here will stock their shelves and we as locals go and there's still no toilet paper or paper towels, it burdens our supply chain.  Also it seems that from a lodging standpoint, a population coming up here with this virus, we can't be allowing it to happen. My question is are second home owners in violation of the state order.  If they are, then with all these people coming up here to shelter in place in Tahoe, are in violation then we need to do everything we can to make sure that they leave.  Easy things to do, we have chain controls on the highways, we can use that to check people coming up, if they don’t live here, tell them they have to turn around. Use news channels, signs on all entrances and exits of stores, the ones open, you need to go to your residence where the infrastructure supports you, not here. WE could be checking licences at the checkstands at stores, compassionately of course, but we need as Mr. Bass said to send a strong and clar message, if you are here and don’t live here, you need to go home.  Think about the worst case scenario, if the worst case scenario happens is our city capable of handling the population that comes in. In Barton hospital there is only so many beds, so what are we going to do. 
Blankenship:  Thank you sir your time is up, your name? Thank you Mike. City Council meeting: I'll put you on speaker phone you'll have three minutes :
Female: Hi I'm calling as a second homeowner who has been up in South Lake Tahoe for the past three weeks.  We came up here before the shelter in place order.  We have been just staying in our home, our main home in San Francisco is now being occupied by family who had health issues, so we aren’t able to go back there.  So some people's situations are a little bit different.  I'm here with my family and my three boys and we're staying in place and we got here before the order was issued and other people are staying in our primary residence.  There are unique situations out there that need to be taking into consideration. We're not taking anymore than we need, we have stuff at our home, but there are situations and I think that that needs to be taken into account. It's not fair to kick people out of a home that they pay taxes on, it's just inhumane. We don’t have a home to go to, other people are staying there.  I'd like to think the people of South Lake Tahoe would understand that.
-----
When you're surrounded by six VHRs and second homes right next door to you and two across the street and four behind and everybody decides to come up this weekend, there's obviously an issue.  And my doctors office tells me that there are cases of Covid at Barton, where we have limited beds and supplies. -Caller
----------
Blankenship:  City Council, hold the line one second I will put you on.
Female: Okay, I understand everything that Mike said because I tried to email the mayor about that, closing down the roads would be easy, it's used for chain controls, it should be easy for this epidemic. As far as people going around trying to find people to fine, that's just crazy. I can understand the boonies, but when you're surrounded by six VHR and second home VHRs right next door to you and two across the street and four behind me and everybody decides to come up this weekend, there's obviously an issue.  And my doctors office tells me that there are cases of Covid at Barton, we only have sixty three beds and limited supplies.  You guys caused this epidemic, not the violence, all this VHR stuff by allowing them, and thank goodness people voted no more, but as many as there are already, he's right, it needs to be announced on the news, in Sacramento also, that no- 
Barton Hospital personnel 
The city of South Lake Tahoe is closed. And that lady who called is an exception, I bet she's the only one, just like no fines have been ordered with the cops going to doors.  Listen to the locals, they know who is not supposed to be in their neighborhood, and mine say oh we just wanted a change of scenery.  Right not nobody is going into Barton, why can't the grocery stores do that, don’t tell me that lady has been up here the whole time and not gone to the grocery store.  Shut down Tahoe, to anything but emergency vehicles, VHRs it's just going to be more time. The governor said stay at home, people who aren’t abiding by that need to be fined.  Stay out of Tahoe, Tahoe is not open, don’t go to our grocery stores, do not come here.
Blankenship:  Thank you Miss Johnson.  We'll wait and see, here's another call. 
Male: I'm from South Tahoe and I have some people coming from out of town, and they're going to shop here.  When are the grocery stores going to sanitize the stores? Do you have any information about that?
Blankenship:   Sorry, Council will not respond, you can just make a comment, thank you sir.  All right, Mayor, I'm not receiving anymore telephone calls.
Mayor Collin: To clarify a few things. One, it's important for people to remember the governor himself said his initiative is to educate, even at the state level they're not enforcing.  We're levying fines if they're necessary, but education is very important first. A lot of the comments today have been addressed in regional news, four times last week telling people to stay away.  We want our visitors back here when this is all over. We've put messages on boards discouraging travel as well.
Really take a look at everything that's going on, we used a multi modal approach to get messaging and to follow the governor's direction.  Be thoughtful that we're doing what we can, we don’t have authority to close roads down. Rules are important things for everybody to remember, also locals. I've been told of people who travel off the hill for non essential travel, and then coming back, we can impose a risk to our own community as well.  WE need to protect ourselves and our community.
Okay bring it back to council.
Blankenship: If a caller tried to get through, please send an email and I'll forward it to council. I'm sorry I couldn't take every call. 
Bass:  Again I think we need to send a stronger message.  I agree we did, I just don’t know if it's being followed. There are still people coming in from out of town, you hear it from stores that are open. I appreciate the governor for making this order early, but it's going to take a bit longer to get the epidemic to flatten.  Yes there's going to be unique situations, but to me it's very clear, if there's a VHR permit it's usually not the person's usual home.  Then you have local owners, there's going to be situations.
I want people to know, we can change this next week, we're right in the middle of this and we should do what we can.  We're also very unique to a lot of places, to come to Tahoe is a desire of people in San Francisco and Sacramento, we need to get the message out.
Collin: That's what we're trying to do, get the message out. What do you think gets the message out faster if someone is levied a thousand dollar fine or if they are educated that they should leave?
Bass:  I totally don’t want to give people fines, but there's a lot of people who say they're the second homeowner, then we need to make the call, fourteen hundred VHRs clearly are not someone's usual homes. There's lots of things we'd love to have them occupied for and if they're not for something essential,
Even the people who own the VHR's we don’t want you occupying them, the governor put order in place to protect the whole society. Obviously I'm not the type of person who wants to go around enforcing laws and giving out fines, that's not my M-O.  Regardless if it's acceptable or not, the citizens enforce it because the ordinance was written that way, so we need to do something else.  This is not by any means long term, we need to help with the governor's order.
-----
In these trying times, everyone remember we also need to have empathy and sympathy for our fellow human beings. I understand the community is upset and scared and I'm scared. -Councilmember Devin Middlebrook
----------
Middlebrook: I agree we need to be stricter with enforcement, but in these trying times, everyone remember we also need to have empathy and sympathy for our fellow human beings. I understand the community is upset and scared and I'm scared. No one knows what all is going on but the calls and the comments were very much us versus them and the tourist and homeowner is vicious evil people and it's not helpful in this situation. We do need to enforce more and go down Mr. Bass's line of logic where is this really their- occasional or frequent residence or is it regularly rented out as a VHR. We should be enforcing that. I just encourage everyone in the community to have some empathy for other people in other situations, and just because there's a car in a driveway doesn't mean someone is up here to play in the snow and cough on doorknobs, I want everyone to be sympathetic during these times.
Collin: Another thing to clarify from comments is that while the supply chain has been taxed at times, toilet paper is an interesting one, you talk to grocers and they say there's plenty of food.  We have the necessities to fill the needs of this community and we are still actively asking people not to come to Tahoe now, so our essential needs are not at risk for the community at large.  It's important especially the produce area, there's lots of great produce out there right now, great time to get healthy.
Laine: It's interesting listening to the conversation, I agree with Councilmember Bass and position he's coming from, no point in making laws if you don’t enforce them and no point if you choose- if people have the job of enforcement choose not to enforce, I don't understand how that process would run.  We're being asked to ratify this as a permanent ordinance a thousand dollar fine and needs to be strictly enforced.
I was surprised to hear from police department there's only one community service officer, I find that surprising.  We're not at the point where Measure T has eliminated VHRs, we're not having a lot of income to date, but we've had a lot of income in the enforcement pool and I think we need to beef up our CSO's.  Not out there asking for you to write that tickeg, but only a couple need to get that ticket.  When we issued thousand dollar parking fines for VHRs we were on national news.  I support this ordinance.
Wallace: I'm supportive of this order: however, also support what police department is doing. I agree with Ms. Laine we need more than one CSO- at last meeting I heard there are five. Maybe we need to put more out there and be more proactive. Making the calls, I prefer we are not complaint driven, because it can be a vigilante approach that can exacerbate the problem, it is not helpful.  It is making it us versus them that has gone on in this community with regards to VHRs so much worse and we need to stop that.  If anything that this Covid-19 situation has produced, it's that we all need to work together to get through this. Not all VHRs are bad and not all second homeowners are coming here, it's a few and we need to work through this. I'm in support of this order but also in support of more staff time so we can be more proactive.
-----
The VHRs in there, a lot that were occupied before March 20 which makes it allowable, they're here for the long term. And there are residents who rent it out during seasons.  It's hard to have a hard and fast. Lt. Laney 
----------
Collin:  My understanding is there were five as well and that they have been actively canvassing.  Can you give a number and describe that?
Laney: First of all I'm getting corrected by my staff- we have checked all fifteen hundred VHR's driven by them got our eyes on them.  A hundred and fifty one were occupied. Just to clarify those numbers, we only stopped at ten, there were some internal questions about CSO's where they're going to land.  We did double up on weekend, we had one on overtime, we plan to again this weekend. I think that answers the question.
Collin: There was just one on at a time but we have five.
Laney:  We have four coming in to work and one staying home because he's working at home, making phone calls and follow-up.  The ones on during week are normal staff, the ones checking VHRs we're increasing that to two.
Collin: What is the geographic area they'll drive?
Bear seeks VHR scofflaws
Laney: They each have a zone, they become familiar with the VHRs in there, a lot that were occupied were before March 20 which makes it allowable, they're here for the long term.  And there are residents who rent it out during seasons.  It's hard to have a hard and fast if it's occupied write a ticket, but do we want to- VHR owners coming up here and staying in their own residence. I have the same conflicts as Councilmember Bass does but I also understand that council wants to cite them, and if you don’t get compliance, then you do the citation route. There are different options, that's the direction we're looking for from Council for the police department.  [Procedural discussion ]
SB: Sam was wondering if grocery stores are cleaning and are we enforcing them cleaning their shelves and surfaces.
Wallace: Okay, I didn't understand.  I would make comment, the PD are ones on ground, contacting and reaching out, I would hesitate making decisions for them, when we're not the ones talking to the individuals in the home.  It's like micro managing, when they're the ones on the street going up to the door. We can say if violations are flagrant enforce and fine them, but they're the ones- every case is an exception, special instances, we can't make a blanket statement.
Bass:  The police department use discretion every day and they're still able to use discretion.  But asking for a policy decision, which is basically do we give citations or warning before the citation to get people to move along. A hundred and fifty one occupied VHRs and out of all of them, that's a lot more than a hundred and fifty one visited.  I agree, there's exceptions, but I don't believe there's a hundred and fifty one of them.  We just got another order to extend it to April thirtieth, if we don’t make it a heavy handed message, it's going to grow to a lot more than 151 with people having excuses.  And again, it goes against my grain you can't occupy your house.  If it's somebody's second home it's a different legal- we have a strong legal ground to stand on.  Nobody can occupy the home unless there's a building permit or some other kind of of action happening there.
Wallace:  I saw the 151 in complete opposite light, out of four hundred VHRs, 151 I can absolutely see that there might be 151 exceptions, people using them where they live in the home, using them for nurses, I can see absolutely twelve percent of them being exceptions.
Bass:  Okay maybe so, I guess what I would ask Lieutenant Laney- when you're checking somebody's ID, do they show Tahoe addresses or a lot out of San Francisco or Bay Area. Main thing with this virus is we don’t want people who are coming from high infection places in our grocery stores, the virus spreads in ways- they're trying to get everybody to stay in their region- Tahoe is a huge region to escape to.  So in my opinion I would say we allow the police department to give a warning rather than right off the bat- out- but we need to give them direction to enforce more than they have.
Collin:  I agree with you, Mr. Bass, and levying a fine, education is very important whether it's a full time resident or second home owner, or residents just out and about.  Should the vigilantes be given a thousand dollar fine or educated and the police lieutenant said that he educated people. And I think that's the appropriate thing.  A week from now, once we get the message out there, I definitely agree with Ms. Laine and the rest of council, we need to back it up-
Reno Tahoe airport recently
If you listen to public comments and emails we're getting are people saying things that we absolutely need to do that we've done already.  Week ago, multiple times. People are paying attention, get information from one place or another, it hasn’t trickled into their funnel.  We owe it to the community at large to educate and get it to people outside of here. People told me they saw me in Sacramento saying last week, stay away from Tahoe right now. Also somebody in L.A. and in Colorado saw that message.  So the message-
Bass:  That's why I'm saying give a warning before you write a ticket, and if the police department does use discretion and there's a situation like the lady that called in, they use it like they do every day.
Collin: That's what I want to reinforce. We need to continue to get the message out there loud and clear, don’t come to Tahoe, and let the police department levy penalties. The biggest piece is fines or education?
But we are seeing a dramatic decrease in traffic and people coming up here.  So while there are people who are disregarding it, it is working and it doesn't mean we need to put our foot off the gas, but we are seeing far fewer people coming to town. Mr. Kilger?
-----
Private property rights are somewhat lessened during a time like this of emergency.  However, there's always the risk of taking it too far and ultimately it's a policy decision.  It's not an easy question. - City Attorney Heather Stroud
----------
Kilger: I agree that it has had an effect, are there still people coming up, yes, but it's dropped dramatically. The first policy we need to be clear on is enforcement- we have been. The issue is around how does the order from state correlate with private property rights, which our city attorney was counseled on.  I'm not talking about exceptions just whether it's occupied by individuals who own it, are we respecting private property rights.  A secondary issue is citation versus initial warning, I think the lieutenant explained that. The first level is notwithstanding exceptions, addressing the issue of treating second homes and VHRs similarly.
Wallace: You're asking us to let you know if an owner of the home and permit is in the home, whether you would enforce that?
Kilger: Let's start with second home owners first.
Stroud:  Are private property rights implicated if we cite owners for staying in their own home, potentially yes.  I think the state order does encourage but not require persons to stay in their permanent residence, so private property rights are somewhat lessened during a time like this of emergency.  However, there's always the risk of taking it too far and ultimately it's a policy decision.  It's not an easy question.
Wallace: My opinion is if they own their homes, whether they are a VHR permit or second home owner and occupying a home that they own, although it was bad judgment that- they own that home, they can be in that home.  It was bad judgment that went against government orders, I would be against giving them any kind of fine.
Bass:  Can I propose something okay we've got the 151 that are here and we know are going to be here. What we're trying to do is we don’t want the other VHR owners to be invited to come up.  So can we make an order saying okay, the hundred and fifty one that we know are here are here.  But these other twelve hundred and fifty that are not occupied cannot be occupied.  Because we know that if they become occupied after today, it's somebody coming from outside our community to stay in the house.  That way the police department is not having to kick somebody out who's already been here such as the lady in the public comment.
Collin: We also have to come back to resources that it's takes.  We intend to allocate- [discussion of procedures] the ones that are still advertising places for rent should be top priority, because that's encouraging people and essentially luring people to come to Tahoe. We need to do whatever we can- with the fines the message will get out but I think we need to do everything we can to keep people from coming up here. That's what the officers are paid to do, use their judgment. 
Bass:  My only other thought is if we took the twelve hundred and fifty other VHRs sent a letter to those permit holders about the council's decision- there will be a thousand dollar fine- we are not going to allow them to be occupied. There is going to be situations, but we're in a three week critical time with the virus, so the stronger the order the better.
Collin: That comes down to administration they've got eyes on the ones that are occupied- once they leave, that people don’t show up again.  Any more discussion? Around second homeowners, that's the tough one, we don’t have any idea how many second homeowners are up here. People have six month ski leases and use that as primary residence, that gets gray and we need to leave it to a judgment call for law enforcement.
Cody:  I agree and if a second homeowner doesn't have a VHR permit, that's completely different than a VHR. I think- more strong messaging around second homes- aligned with state order as well. [procedural discussion]
Council then voted as reported in these news stories:
Tahoe Daily Tribune:
April 1, 2020
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — After a lengthy discussion, the South Lake Tahoe City Council voted to approve administrative citations and fines for violations of the shelter in place order. .. https://www.tahoedailytribune.com/news/city-puts-fines-in-place-for-shelter-in-place-violators-votes-down-eviction-protection-for-businesses/
And South Tahoe Now:
Wednesday, April 1, 2020 - 5:44pm
POST NOTES:
Found on Twitter Sunday April 5:
Gov. Newsom, Please re-issue stay- at-home orders focusing on people who have vacation homes around Truckee-Tahoe area. Nevada County Eastside is experiencing disproportionate outbreaks of COVID 19 likely caused by vacationers and individuals escaping the city to stay.
***
Next meeting Wednesday April 8 and I will transcribe it, as I think the story of South Lake Tahoe, VHRs, and the coronavirus pandemic is very interesting. 
*
Links:
The Covid-19 Transcripts https://cityofangels25.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-covid-19-transcripts-origin.html
SLT City Council Meeting April 1 https://slt.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=6&clip_id=1087
*
Posted by Kay Ebeling
Producer, City of Angels Blog
the city of angels is everywhere
*
NOTE: I transcribe The Covid-19 Transcripts as the virus killed my job as an online transcriber living in Tahoe. The transcripts distribute information that I don't think is available in print anywhere else about the coronavirus pandemic. Please show your appreciation by clicking some cash to me through PayPal using "Donate" button at top of left hand column. Thank you.)
***
Related story in news:
Why an Idaho Ski Destination Has One of theHighest COVID-19 Infection Rates in the Nation, 
New Yorker April 3, 2020 
Ski-resort areas in California, Colorado, and elsewhere “show higher infection rates than more densely populated cities nearby,” Adventure Journal noted, including Mono County, California, the home of Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, which now has the highest per-capita rate of covid-19 in the state. In Europe, several governments tracked hundreds of coronavirus cases to one Austrian ski town, with some epidemiological reports identifying beer-pong tables as a potential source of infection. In Mexico, the chairman of the Mexican Stock Exchange tested positive after returning from a ski trip to Colorado’s Vail resort.....
*
-ke

No comments:

Post a Comment