How Your Landscaping Affects Lake Tahoe

The Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association (TKPOA) Board has lifted last year’s outdoor irrigation restrictions, which means you are suddenly faced with a decision. How should you revitalize your yard?

Conservation landscaping is the best choice for the environment. These practices lessen watering and fertilizer use, filter stormwater, maintain fire defensible space, and provide habitat to pollinators and beneficial insects. Conservation landscaping can help protect Lake Tahoe’s unique environment while offering an attractive and desirable aesthetic that reflects the individual character of one’s property. To make it easy, TKPOA and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), partnered to develop the Tahoe Keys Landscape Design Book for conservation landscaping ideas.

As properties resume watering their landscapes, please adhere to the TKPOA watering schedule and landscaping requirements, including the use of phosphorus-free fertilizer. Irrigation systems that overwater lawns and landscaping can generate excess runoff, that transports sediment, pesticides, and nutrients to gutters, and storm drains. In addition to wasting water, this is a concern because storm drains in the Tahoe Keys convey untreated runoff directly to the lagoons and ultimately out to Lake Tahoe. Studies show that stormwater contributes to approximately 10 percent of the nutrients that drive weed growth. The two primary aquatic invasive plant species of concern, Eurasian watermilfoil and curly-leaf pondweed, grow abundantly with excess nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus found in fertilizer. Overwatering may contribute to favorable conditions for algal blooms and aquatic weed growth, which works against the ongoing investment TKPOA, its members, and partner organizations make to control Aquatic Invasive Species in the Tahoe Keys. The City of South Lake Tahoe (CSLT) Stormwater Ordinance was put in place with the purpose of protecting and enhancing Lake Tahoe and aims to reduce pollution discharged from urban areas. When landscape irrigation and lawn watering runoff contain pollutants, such as sediment, pesticides, or fertilizers, and enter the Storm Drain System, it is a violation of the Stormwater Ordinance. CSLT and TKPOA may issue citations and fines to properties observed to be in violation of the Ordinance and TKPOA Operating Rules.

How can residents conserve water & reduce runoff to the lake?

• Adjust sprinklers to run for shorter periods of time and aim away from the road or impervious paths like driveways, patios, and sidewalks. • Convert irrigation from overhead sprinklers to low flow sprinklers such as a drip irrigation system. • Reduce lawn areas to no more than 25 percent of yard areas in adherence of the City’s adopted water efficient landscape ordinance and replace with a conservation landscape incorporating low-water plants and lawn alternatives that lessen water and fertilizer need and require little to no mowing. • Provide a native planted buffer strip between lawn areas and roadways or lagoons to intercept and clean runoff before it reaches the lake. • Water for short periods of time after fertilizer application to avoid fertilizer washing off and reaching the lake. • Limit fertilizer application of lawns and use phosphorus free fertilizer. Fertilizer packaging shows percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, or N-P-K in fertilizers. Phosphorous free fertilizer, shows zero percent for the “P” in N-P-K.

The Tahoe Keys is in one of Lake Tahoe’s most sensitive areas and what occurs on a property directly affects the lake. TKPOA, CSLT and TRPA are working towards a common goal of improving the water quality and clarity of the lagoons and Lake Tahoe.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Jason Burke, CSLT Complete Streets Program Manager at jburke@cityofslt.us, Emily Frey, TRPA Aquatic Invasive Species Projects Coordinator at efrey@trpa.gov, or contact TRPA’s stormwater management program at bmp@trpa.gov or (775) 589-5202.

Notice of Change in Operating Rules

TEXT OF ADOPTED CHANGES

(Deletions are shown in strikethrough type and additions in boldface underlined type)

On July 20th, 2022, the TKPOA Board of Directors approved the following Proposed changes to Architectural Control Rules for a 28 day membership review period. These rules will be considered for adoption at the September 21st, 2022 Board of Directors Meeting. If you would like to provide any feedback to the Board prior to approval, please email your comments to Heather Blumenthal, Operations Manager at hblumenthal@tahoekeyspoa.org, or submit them in person at the TKPOA Pavilion Office.

Purpose and Effect of Proposed Rule Change

To further clarify Architectural Control Rules

Section 9 - Fences

09.09 When reviewing applications for fences, the Committee will take into consideration not only the aesthetics of the applicant’s property, but neighboring properties as well. All fences must be installed in a

manner which does not interfere with a neighboring properties view of the lagoons and waterways.

pumps, filters, or other equipment) will require soundproofing or a decibel rating low enough so as not to disturb neighbors. Electrical wiring and refrigerant

lines must be fully encased and painted to match the house.

Section 12 - Exterior Lot Accessories: Jacuzzis, Hot Tubs, Solar panels, Generators and Air Conditioner/Heating Units

12.03 Motorized or noise emitting installations (like

Notice of Change in Operating Rules

TEXT OF ADOPTED CHANGES

(Deletions are shown in strikethrough type and additions in boldface underlined type)

On June 15th, 2022, the TKPOA Board of Directors adopted proposed changes to the ACC Rules Section 13. At the July 20th, 2022 Board of Directors Meeting, the Board approved a clarification to these adopted rules. The complete ACC Rule Section 13 Rule, with the clarification text underlined, is below for Member Reference and Information.

Purpose and Effect of Proposed Rule Change

To further clarify Architectural Control Rules

ACC Rules Section 13 Dock Guidelines

Form 13 Dock Criteria Considered:

• Side Setbacks (5’ minimum) • Navigation Lanes and Channel (50’minimum) • Pierhead Line • Construction Materials • Protection of Ingress and Egress of Neighboring Docks • Location of Dock in the Middle of the Lot • Bottleneck Waterways with Restricted Access

Dock Dimensions: New docks: The configuration of any new dock (where there is no existing dock on the property) must be such that it does not exceed a limit of three moorings. Repair or Replacement of Existing Docks: Reconfiguration or replacement of an existing dock may not increase the number of moorings or exceed three, whichever is greater.

Dock Size: Allowable square footage for new or replacement docks will be determined based on the above criteria on a case-by-case basis.

Dimensions Applicable to All Docks: Height: 18 inches above water level or high water mark. Fascia will extend from decking to not less than 8 inches above the water line. All pilings must be contained within the dock. The height of all pilings must not exceed 3 feet above the high water line (HWL). Dock pilings must be a minimum of 2 ½ inches in diameter.