SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – On Tuesday, city council tackled a particularly packed agenda including the Chateau site, shared mobility devices (primarily electric scooters) and the user fee study. They also discussed the VHR ordinance’s first reading, which can be read in its own article.
Public comment
Melissa Soderston and Angie Reagan both asked for council to consider the resolution protecting immigrants in the community. John Carl Ruiz advocated for keeping streets safe and told council he had observed speeding multiple times on Glenwood.
Todd White, a representative from Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil, told the council they are working on wildfire insurance and that down the hill, they are holding a mountain lion council. He offered his help in dealing with bear issues in the city.
Danielle Hughes from TAHOE SPARK asked city council to support TAHOE SPARK’s protests, an investigation by the Little Hoover Commission, requesting consideration of a legislative audit, supporting bi-state consultation between Nevada and California as well as directing council to keep staff in contact with TAHOE SPARK.
Bob Poet inquired on the cannabis tax reduction that council voted on previously. He also asked for an update regarding Margaritaville and their interest in converting to timeshares.
Consent agenda
Ed Moser asked about how the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency was using $5,000 per acre in fuels reduction at the Cole Family Property.
Soderston spoke on the military equipment used by the police, saying that she was not interested in seeing it around the place, as she felt it was traumatic for the community. She cited an incident last year where there was military equipment that she said frightened children in the Tahoe Keys neighborhood.
Reagan agreed with Soderston and also noted the reduction of the cannabis tax that previously funded nonprofits in the community.
Councilmember Heather Horgan asked about previous bids for police patrol vehicles and purchasing vehicles in state. Councilmember David Jinkens and her agreed on wanting more purchases within the state.
Mayor Cody Bass spoke on the financing through Banc of America Public Capital Corp, which goes through Deustche Bank as an escrow agent. Bass expressed concerns about Deustche Bank’s history, including their involvement with Jeffery Epstein, funding Auschwitz and Russian money laundering. Financial director Olga Tikhomirova said that three years ago, Bank of America told her that they were unable to find a different agent for escrow.
Bass said that he was interested in having a policy consideration for local purchasing guidelines, which Horgan said she would second.
Bears Den Inn Rehabilitation
Horgan recused herself from the item due to proximity.
Housing manager Jessica Wackenhut Lomeli spoke on the community development block grant (CDBG) program’s funding for the Bears Den Inn rehabilitation. The project went through the Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless (TCH), which was awarded $505,632 to rehabilitate the 22 units in April 2021. In August 2024, they were awarded an additional $1,286,038, totaling $1,791.670 for the rehabilitation. 30 clients were served with 12 units with a temporary certificate of occupancy.
The Bears Den Inn required much rehabilitation, especially for electrical work, general demolition, removement of asbestos and fixing the parking lot.
TCH Board member Nicole Zaborsky expressed her gratitude for the city’s contributions and the staff’s work. “We couldn’t have done it without you.”
Councilmember Scott Robbins, having just voted no on the VHR ordinance, condemned the rest of council for their vote. He claimed they had voted to put tourists in homes and locals into hotels.
Jinkens and Mayor Pro Tem Roberts acknowledged the work from the TCH and city staff.
The council authorized staff to submit the required documents to close the grant agreement.
Follow up on the Chateau site
Roberts recused himself from the item due to business interests in the area.
Interim city manager Hilary Roverud presented on the follow up, which was meant to look at ways to revitalize the site. She told council that Supervisor Brooke Laine said she was interested in a tax increment financing district and recommended they follow up with El Dorado County staff. It could reportedly yield $8 million over the first ten years if it was established.
RSG Inc., who was the consultant on the feasibility assessment, did not see the market improving to produce a workforce housing project on the site and the current owners of the site did not seem inclined to sell. Reportedly, $50 million has already been sunk into the site over the years.
RSG said the greatest short-term value add would be to mitigate project uncertainties and position the site to be development-ready, potentially facilitating sale to another developer or allowing for construction to occur quickly when markets improve.
Robbins said that the site’s issues didn’t stem from just the developer, but also from the city commandeering the property with no performance bond requirement. However, he also insisted that the staff should have cited the developer more for not doing more work on the site—especially as nearly a year had passed since the developer said they would submit plans, with no changes on the site.
Bass was interested in seeing the site as another convention center, as well as working with the Washoe Tribe to be involved.
Property owner representative Carlson Chan, who purchased the property in 2017, said that they had constructed 16 units on the site and that they are working with city staff on the site entitlement. “We’re trying to build the most sound and economically feasible site. We’re trying to revitalize it. Our goal is to rebuild the whole site.”
Jinkens and Bass will be on an ad hoc committee regarding the site. Council directed staff to investigate options for the site and to extend their contract with RSG.
Ski Run Business Improvement District
Staff received an annual report and proposed budget from the Ski Run Business Improvement District, with projected revenues of $13,600 and expenses of $26,300.
Robbins was interested in asking about electrification for the Ski Run Farmers Market, which he decided to bring to council at the agenda planning calendar.
The public hearing for the report and budget is scheduled for May 5.
Shared mobility devices
The council discussed the ordinance amending shared mobility devices, which would increase the city’s liability protections, safety measures and updating the insurance requirements. The new ordinance would require the operator to hold the city harmless from liability and require them to pay the attorney fees for claims, lawsuits and similar matters. It would also add permit requirements requiring riders to re-scan their ID when they ride a shared mobility device.
Council discussed that shared use paths were getting more crowded and considered potential ways to increase safety there. They considered how to monitor underage riders, including hiring a bike police officer. They also decided to remove photo enforcement for riding on the sidewalk, riding on crosswalks and riding close to the right-hand curb as possible.
It is a state law that scooters should be walked across crosswalks, not ridden across.
Council also gave additional direction to staff to improve safety measures on shared paths.
User fee study
The city previously conducted a comprehensive user fee study in 2015. In 2025, they retained Government Consulting Partners (GCP) to conduct a comprehensive review of user fees, which were projected to increase cost recovery by 85% if implemented. Council was asked to provide policy direction, especially for subsidized services.
EMS services through fire rescue also require general fund support due to insurance reimbursement limitations.
Bass said that they were not necessarily looking for cost recovery in things like recreation and transit. A GCP representative noted that parks and recreation in other cities tend to put formal ranges of cost recovery for youth and senior targeted programs. He also expressed an interest in subsidizing costs for disabled people in the parks and recreation department.
Jinkens indicated he was interested in subsidizing or lowering costs, as higher costs would be detrimental to participation. He also noted that he was interested in having out-of-area people pay full cost to contribute to cost recovery.
Robbins said he was interested in seeing less fees for permitting and development for nonprofits building affordable housing. Director of development services Zach Thomas indicated that they should look at it on a case-by-case basis, due to the funding structures of affordable housing varying significantly.
Appeal fees at the city clerk are increasing from $380 to $1,253, which Horgan said she was interested in for cost recovery, especially as she felt it would “raise the bar” for appeals. Jinkens pushed back, but Robbins said he would be interested in it if the cost was subsidized if the appeal was won.
Bass noted that the city was in a unique position. “We are very fortunate to not be in a deficit. It is more difficult to run a business and be a business when the cost of everything has doubled and tripled, except for pay.”
The item was pushed to a future meeting in order to examine line by line items and to give council time to look at the mid-year budget. This also pushed the public hearing for the master fee schedule.
Agenda planning calendar
Three special meetings will be planned in April to interview city managers.
Roverud highlighted opening of the new recreation center in April.
Robbins asked for agenda items on electrification of Ski Run and illegal VHR enforcement. He also asked to discuss a bike cop position for the summer. He also asked to establish a sexual assault nurse examiner position with Barton.
Horgan requested a use report and safety/enforcement report on Ski Run.
Roberts asked on behalf of the Child Abuse Prevention Council to identify April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. He also requested to fast track the issue of the city assisting with getting green cards.
The next city council meeting will take place on March 24.
