Property Care Guide
517 Elm St, Tahoma, CA 96142
Tahoma, CA 96142 · Elevation 6225 ft
Westlake Vil 3
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
TR Tahoe provides year-round property care across Tahoma and North Lake Tahoe.
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
- Inspect crawlspace and sub-floor - pre-1980 construction often has degraded vapor barriers and original insulation that retains moisture and reduces energy efficiency
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
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
- Check original single-pane windows and door weatherstripping; aging seals significantly raise heating costs in Tahoe winters and are a common source of pipe-freeze vulnerability
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
- Pre-1980 galvanized or original copper supply lines are more prone to freeze damage - verify heat tape covers all exposed runs under the structure, including any original un-insulated sections
What This Means for an Owner Here
Properties inside CAL FIRE's Very-High Fire Hazard Severity Zone - including this 517 Elm St parcel at 6,225 ft - carry a maintenance burden that is non-negotiable: defensible space at zones 0, 1, and 2 must be maintained on a calendar schedule, not on an as-needed basis. The Meeks Bay Fire Protection District performs annual inspections, and the most common owner mistake is treating Zone 0 (the five-foot ember-resistant ring) as a landscaping decision when it is in fact a structural-protection decision.
Service Area & Utility Context
Subdivision-level governance at this property shapes both the maintenance budget and the decision-making cadence. Most Westlake Vil 3 communities run on annual assessment cycles with periodic special assessments for capital projects, and owners who engage with the board meetings catch the cost surprises earlier than owners who don't.
Property Profile
Parcel summary - built in 1962, 1,142-sq-ft of conditioned space, 3 bedrooms with 2 bathrooms set on a compact 0.23-acre lot; 1-story configuration; current assessed value sits at $859,704. The annual maintenance schedule at 6,225 ft under Meeks Bay Fire Protection District oversight reflects the structure's age, its envelope condition, and the operational status of any mechanical systems; the last recorded sale was in 2024 at a recorded price of $1,058,000; 1 parking spaces of record.
Fire District Inspection: Meeks Bay Fire Protection District
Annual inspection cadence for this district: 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. The owners of a 1962-built structure at 6,225 ft who coordinate Zone 0 clearance with their gutter cleaning and roof inspection visits - three tasks, one site visit by a contractor - run the most cost-efficient compliance program in the area.
Westlake Vil 3 — Community
This property is in the Westlake Vil 3 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)
For 517 Elm St, structural and mechanical work routes through El Dorado County Development Services (edcgov.us). El Dorado County Development Services handles building permits. For Tahoe Basin properties, TRPA review runs concurrently. The county's defensible space and fire hardening requirements have been updated post-2020 to align with California's AB 38 fire hardening disclosure requirements. Owners of a 1962-built home at 6,225 ft should budget review time accordingly - TRPA overlap on Tahoe Basin parcels is the dominant timeline driver.
Short-Term Rental Rules
TOT Rate: 10%
Running this 1,142 sq ft property as a vacation rental falls under El Dorado County rules: TOT applies at 10%. Short-term rental rules in El Dorado County run stricter than Placer County's framework: mandatory registration, 10% TOT, and occupancy caps are enforced. West Shore communities like Tahoma and Meeks Bay show lower STR density partly because of this regulatory differential. Owners should verify current STR permit status with the county before assuming rental viability. For a 1962-built structure, registration and renewal cycles align with annual fire-district inspections - sequence them together.
Property Tax & Transfer
El Dorado County administers the assessor records for this parcel (current assessed value $859,704). 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 1962-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
Fire compliance at 517 Elm St is overseen by El Dorado County Fire Protection District and CAL FIRE — El Dorado Unit. 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 Very High FHSZ designation here means inspections are non-discretionary, and the calendar is set by the agency rather than by the owner.
Short-Term Rental Context: Tahoma / West Shore (96142)
The Tahoma / West Shore STR market sits at 6.3% registered operator density. 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. A 1,142 sq ft home at 6,225 ft typically sees the spread inside the $30,000–$48,000 band determined by amenity load (hot tub, EV charger, pet-friendly), not by raw nightly rate.
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)
Neighborhood texture in Tahoma is layered rather than uniform: 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. 517 Elm St sits in that mix, and a 1,142 sq ft home at 6,225 ft inherits both the advantages of an established neighborhood and the maintenance obligations that came with whichever 1920s–1940s (West Shore) build cycle produced the surrounding inventory.
Tahoma / Homewood / West Shore: Local Events & Lifestyle
Tahoma / Homewood / West Shore character: 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. 517 Elm St inherits this orientation. Owners who understand the area's annual cadence (peak weeks, shoulder seasons, off-season quiet) plan their maintenance and rental calendars to match, rather than fighting the rhythm.
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. For owners at 517 Elm St, this is one of the calendar markers worth knowing - both for personal use planning and rental availability.
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. For owners at 517 Elm St, this is one of the calendar markers worth knowing - both for personal use planning and rental availability.
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. For owners at 517 Elm St, this is one of the calendar markers worth knowing - both for personal use planning and rental availability.
Property Record
- Bedrooms
- 3.0
- Bathrooms
- 2.0
- Living Area
- 1142 sq ft
- Lot Size
- 0.23 acres
- Year Built
- 1962
- APN
- 014-292-005-000
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
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.
Considering Buying 517 Elm 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 1962-era construction in Tahoma.
- STR (short-term rental) viability and county compliance for Tahoma.
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 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
Looking to buy, sell, or value this property?
Tristan Roberts is a licensed Coldwell Banker real estate broker with 27 years in North Lake Tahoe (DRE #01259729).
View sale history and market data at cblaketahoe.com →
This page is a property care and maintenance reference, not a real estate listing or appraisal.