New Regulations To Protect Lake Tahoe´s Scenery

A lawsuit has been filed challenging new regulations to protect Lake Tahoe´s scenery from the visual impacts of shoreline development.

Opponents say the new rules amount to an unconstitutional taking of property rights.

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Reno was prepared by the Committee for Reasonable Regulation of Lake Tahoe. It was served on the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency in the dispute over what Nevada Secretary of State Dean Heller describes as “monster homes.” The suit claims the scenic regulations unanimously adopted by TRPA in November lack any scientific support and represent an illegal taking of property without compensation.

The scenic system assigns a numerical value to a new home proposed within 300 feet of Lake Tahoe´s shoreline. Scoring is based on the homes size, design, color and amount of the structure visible from the lake or from roads.

An unacceptable rating would mean a builder would have to return with revised plans to reduce scenic impact through more landscaping to screen views of the home, use of earth-toned paint or similar steps.