Property Care Guide

335 Placer St, Tahoma, CA 96142

Tahoma, CA 96142 · Elevation 6225 ft

Pine Crest

Location & Property Details

Elevation
6225 ft
Fire Hazard Severity Zone
Very High (CAL FIRE FHSZ)
Fire District
Meeks Bay Fire Protection District
Water
Tahoma Mutual Water
Electric
Liberty Utilities
Gas
Southwest Gas

Seasonal Maintenance Calendar for Tahoma

At 6225 ft in a Very High fire hazard zone, this property has specific seasonal maintenance requirements. Actual timing shifts 2–4 weeks in heavy snow years.

Spring

  • Clear winter debris, pine needles, and broken branches from roof, gutters, and around foundation
  • Inspect roof for damage from snow load; check flashing and shingles
  • De-winterize exterior plumbing and irrigation systems
  • Check deck boards and railings for rot or separation from frost heave
  • Schedule HVAC filter change and sealed-combustion system inspection per manufacturer schedule - modern units require annual service to maintain efficiency and warranty coverage

Summer

  • Create and maintain 100-ft defensible space (zones 0/1/2 per CAL FIRE)
  • Stain or reseal decks during dry weather window
  • Inspect and clean chimneys, stovepipes, and spark arrestors
  • Test smoke and CO detectors; replace batteries
  • Review smart home and monitoring systems: thermostat scheduling, camera battery backup, and leak-sensor alerts are especially valuable for unoccupied vacation properties

Fall

  • Clear pine needles from roof, gutters, and within 5 ft of structures (Zone 0)
  • Winterize exterior plumbing: drain hoses, shut-off exterior spigots, blow out irrigation
  • Service heating system and replace furnace filters
  • Check roof for loose shingles before snow season
  • Test smoke/CO sensor connectivity and remote alert delivery before closing for the season - post-2000 systems integrate with monitoring apps that require annual re-verification

Winter

  • Monitor snow load on roof
  • Keep attic and crawlspace ventilation clear of snow to prevent ice dams
  • Check for ice dam formation at eaves and roof valleys
  • Ensure heat tape on exposed pipes is functioning

What This Means for an Owner Here

Sitting inside a Very-High Fire Hazard Severity Zone changes the maintenance contract on a property. A parcel at 6,225 ft in Tahoma falls under Meeks Bay Fire Protection District jurisdiction, and the calendar of work is set by them rather than by the owner: spring clearance of Zone 0 before vegetation greens up, summer maintenance of Zones 1 and 2, and fall verification ahead of red-flag season. In the Pine Crest area, The penalty for falling behind isn't a fine - it's a non-renewal notice from the insurance carrier.

Service Area & Utility Context

Inside the Pine Crest community, shared maintenance responsibilities typically include common-area landscaping, road maintenance, and (in many cases) snow removal up to the property line. The CC&Rs are the document that defines exactly where owner responsibility begins, and reviewing them at purchase saves recurring confusion.

Property Profile

Public records show a 2,047-sq-ft home built in 2003 on a compact 0.21-acre lot, with 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms as of the last assessor update; current assessed value sits at $864,166. The combination of structure size and lot area at 6,225 ft typically drives both the seasonal-maintenance load and the defensible-space perimeter the Meeks Bay Fire Protection District expects; the last recorded sale was in 2016 at a recorded price of $730,000.

Fire District Inspection: Meeks Bay Fire Protection District

Inspection Window May through July
Program Defensible Space Inspection

Per the Meeks Bay Fire Protection District schedule, inspections fall within May through July. Meeks Bay Fire Protection District covers Tahoma, Homewood, Meeks Bay, and Rubicon Bay. Annual defensible space inspections are conducted in late spring. The Very High FHSZ designation applies throughout. The district is smaller than NTFPD or TPFD — inspection resources are limited, and owners should not wait for a formal inspection notice before maintaining clearances. A 2003-built home at 6,225 ft benefits from a written punch list that maps every inspection criterion to a specific maintenance action; the district's checklist becomes the owner's project plan, not just the inspector's reference.

Get defensible space help before inspection season →

Pine Crest — Community

This property is in the Pine Crest subdivision in Tahoma, El Dorado County. Contact TR Tahoe for property-specific information about local maintenance considerations, neighbor patterns, and service availability in this community.

El Dorado County — Permits, Taxes & Compliance

Permits

Portal: El Dorado County Development Services (edcgov.us)

El Dorado County Development Services (edcgov.us) is the entry point for any work on a 2003-built structure in El Dorado County. Building permits in El Dorado County route through Development Services; Tahoe Basin parcels also face concurrent TRPA review. The county updated its defensible-space and fire-hardening requirements after 2020 to track California's AB 38 disclosure rules at point of sale. For a parcel at 6,225 ft, the practical timeline runs longer than the published window - staging documentation early shortens the back-and-forth.

Short-Term Rental Rules

TOT Rate: 10%

If 335 Placer St is operated as a short-term rental, the El Dorado County 10% TOT applies and registration is enforced. El Dorado's STR regime - registration, 10% TOT, occupancy limits - is enforced more tightly than Placer County's framework. The lower STR density in West Shore communities (Tahoma, Meeks Bay) tracks back partly to this regulatory difference. Confirm current permit status with the county before underwriting a property as a vacation rental. The compliance overhead is roughly two hours per year of documentation if the operator is organized; multiples more if they are not.

Property Tax & Transfer

El Dorado County administers the assessor records for this parcel (current assessed value $864,166). El Dorado County follows the same California Prop 19 rules as other counties - parent-to-child exclusion limited to primary residences, capped exclusion amount. El Dorado County Assessor administers. The county also has its own Measure E special tax overlay in portions of the Tahoe Basin. A 2003-built structure that has been in a family for decades typically faces the largest gap between assessed value and current market - that gap shapes both transfer strategy and inheritance planning.

Fire Compliance

Agency: El Dorado County Fire Protection District and CAL FIRE — El Dorado Unit

Under El Dorado County Fire Protection District and CAL FIRE — El Dorado Unit oversight, this parcel sits in a Very High FHSZ tier. Tahoe Basin parcels within El Dorado County sit in Very High FHSZ. Inspection responsibility is shared between the El Dorado County FPD and CAL FIRE. After 2021, sellers must disclose defensible-space compliance status (or non-compliance) at sale, under the fire-hardening documentation rule. The maintenance cadence the agency expects is roughly: clear in spring, verify in summer, reconfirm before red-flag season - three touchpoints per year, not one.

Short-Term Rental Context: Tahoma / West Shore (96142)

6.3% of properties in this zip are registered STR operators
$30,000–$48,000 estimated median gross annual STR income
Peak months: July–August; West Shore attracts lower density but loyal repeat visitors

Tahoma and the West Shore (96142) have the lowest STR density of the core North Tahoe zips at 6.3%, largely because El Dorado County has historically applied stricter STR regulations than Placer County. El Dorado County's TOT rate is 10%. West Shore properties appeal to buyers seeking seclusion over activity — a distinct buyer profile that supports premium pricing for lakefront and pier-access homes. For a 2003-built 2,047 sq ft property at 335 Placer St, gross-revenue performance inside that envelope depends on three operator decisions: dynamic pricing through peak weeks, professional photography that survives the OTA crop, and a turnover crew that holds the property to a consistent inspection standard.

Income estimates are based on Placer/El Dorado County TOT filings and publicly reported AirDNA/VRBO North Lake Tahoe data, 2023–2024. Actual results vary by property type, condition, and operator.

Tahoma: Community Background

Development era: 1920s–1940s (West Shore)

Tahoma and the West Shore were among the first areas of Lake Tahoe developed for summer recreation, served by steamboat access before roads were improved. The name 'Tahoma' is a corruption of the Washoe word for the lake. The area's 1920s–1940s cabin character is more intact on the West Shore than the North Shore, partly because the lower STR density has reduced the pressure to renovate for rental marketability. El Dorado County jurisdiction. Inside that frame, 335 Placer St - a 2003-built 2,047 sq ft 3-bedroom 3-bath structure - is one of the 1920s–1940s (West Shore)-cohort parcels that defines the neighborhood's character. The practical takeaway: the property's long-term cost profile tracks the cohort more closely than the individual address, so understanding the neighborhood pattern is the first move.

Tahoma / Homewood / West Shore: Local Events & Lifestyle

The West Shore — Tahoma, Homewood, Rubicon Bay, Meeks Bay — is the quietest and most privacy-oriented sector of the Tahoe Basin. Fewer commercial amenities mean buyers here are self-selecting for seclusion and natural access over convenience. STR density is low (6.3%); the buyer profile trends toward long-term owners and families. For an owner at 335 Placer St, that character translates directly into property-level decisions: which weeks command rental premium, which seasons demand the highest maintenance attention, and which amenities matter to long-term resale.

Homewood Mountain Resort

December–April

A smaller, family-oriented ski resort on the West Shore with exceptional lake views from nearly every run. Homewood has been undergoing a redevelopment process that, if completed, would add lodging and village infrastructure. Currently operates as a classic Tahoe ski hill without resort amenities. A property at 6,225 ft in Tahoma sees this in the surrounding ecosystem of dining, lodging, and traffic patterns each year.

D.L. Bliss and Emerald Bay State Parks

June–September

Two of California's most iconic state parks, accessible from the West Shore. Rubicon Trail and Vikingsholm Castle are summer draws. West Shore properties near the park access command a premium among buyers who prioritize seclusion over amenities. A property at 6,225 ft in Tahoma sees this in the surrounding ecosystem of dining, lodging, and traffic patterns each year.

West Shore Café Summer Season

May–October

The West Shore Café and Bar is a lakefront institution in Homewood. Accessible by boat, it anchors the West Shore's social scene during summer and supports rental marketing for properties in the area. A property at 6,225 ft in Tahoma sees this in the surrounding ecosystem of dining, lodging, and traffic patterns each year.

Property Record

Bedrooms
3.0
Bathrooms
3.0
Living Area
2047 sq ft
Lot Size
0.206 acres
Year Built
2003
APN
098-174-013-000

Data from county assessor public records. May differ from current as-built condition.

Managing a Renovation or Remodel?

Out-of-area owner planning a project in Tahoe? TR Tahoe provides owner’s representative and construction oversight services — real-time photo documentation, invoice review with broker oversight, weekly progress reports, and budget tracking against your contractor’s estimate.

  • Real-time photo documentation
  • Invoice tracking with broker oversight
  • Weekly progress reports
  • Budget tracking against contractor estimate

See a Sample Project Project Management Services

Seasonal Care, Handyman & Maintenance

TR Tahoe has served North Lake Tahoe since 1997. Pine needle clearing, defensible space, snow load monitoring, pipe freeze prevention, deck staining, fire prep — the work that keeps a Tahoe property in good shape and your insurance in force.

Request Maintenance Quote

Considering Buying 335 Placer St, Tahoma, CA 96142?

I’m Tristan Roberts — a licensed Lake Tahoe Realtor (DRE #01259729, Coldwell Banker) and the founder of TR Tahoe Property Care. I represent buyers, and I bring both the brokerage and the property-care lens to every showing.

When you view this home with me, I’ll point out:

  • What this property’s elevation (6225 ft) and Very High fire hazard zone mean for ongoing maintenance and insurance.
  • How the Tahoma Mutual Water water source and Meeks Bay Fire Protection District district affect long-term costs.
  • Issues common to 2003-era construction in Tahoma.
  • STR (short-term rental) viability and county compliance for Tahoma.

By submitting this form, you agree to be contacted by Tristan Roberts (DRE #01259729), Coldwell Banker Realty (DRE #01259729). California law requires a written buyer representation agreement before touring a home; I will send one before any showing. This page is informational and is not a real estate listing, appraisal, or solicitation of a current client of another broker. VERIFY WITH ATTORNEY before relying on any legal obligation language herein.

Broker of Record: Coldwell Banker Realty — DRE #01259729 — 475 N Lake Blvd Unit 102, Tahoe City, CA 96145 (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §10140.6)

Equal Housing OpportunityEqual Housing Opportunity. We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation.

Or text/call directly: (530) 448-1734 · tristan@cblaketahoe.com