19-06-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
‘Nightmare' or ‘right thing to do'? Exclusive Tahoe village may open private beach to local workers
A private beach on the north shores of Lake Tahoe may soon be opened to dishwashers, ski instructors and other local workers, provoking an uproar from some property owners who want to protect one of the most exclusive stretches of sand on the lake.
A five-member board representing Incline Village, a recreational paradise in unincorporated Nevada, moved forward last week with plans to allow seasonal and full-time employees of the village, and their families, to enjoy beach access alongside roughly 7,800 parcel owners and their guests. Workers keep recreation and utility services running at Incline Village, which functions as something between a city and a homeowners association.
'To me, it's the right thing to do,' said David Noble, a trustee for the Incline Village General Improvement District who introduced the Employee Pass Program to the board. 'It also serves as both a recruiting and retention tool.'
But the proposal drew dissent from several community members and one trustee who worried that it could jeopardize the amenities and rights of property owners, who each pay a $655 annual beach fee for beach maintenance. The controversy offers a window into the tensions that flare inside wealthy communities that rely on workers who typically commute from more affordable areas.
'It puts the whole beach deed at risk,' said Ray Tulloch, a trustee and Incline Village property owner of 18 years. 'I'm not sure why owners should be paying that much money for a private facility that is then potentially opened up to the world.'
Another opponent, who identified himself as Frank Wright, said during the public comment portion of the June 11 meeting that the Incline Village beaches would be opened to 'people who don't belong here.'
'The exclusive beaches will become public,' Wright told the board. 'You're going to have a nightmare on your hands. The people in town are going to rebel.'
Incline Village employees have free access or discounts to golf, tennis, ski and other recreation amenities in the village. They had also enjoyed beach access for decades before trustees revoked it in January 2023. At the time, trustees said worker access could invite lawsuits or violate the terms of a deed authored in 1968, which grants beach access to property owners, their tenants and guests.
After the board rescinded employee access, even people whose jobs entailed working at the beach had to leave during their breaks, Noble said.
Noble said there are roughly 500 staff members during the peak season. But many workers commute from outside Incline Village, meaning few took advantage of beach access in their free time when it was available, he said.
Employees and their family members represented just 1.5% of beach visits in 2022, when they were last allowed access, according to documents shared in the meeting.
'It's still exclusive,' Noble said. 'Nobody will notice whether they're there or not there.'
With only Tulloch dissenting, the board voted to approve employee beach access, although the program will not immediately go into effect. The board will first send letters to property owners to find out whether residents are willing to sponsor employees as their guests on the beach.
With enough buy-in from owners, Noble said, employees will soon be allowed on the beaches.
In addition to sand and swimming areas, the beach area includes an outdoor pool with a waterslide, playgrounds, picnic and grill areas, paddleboard and kayak rentals, a snack and drink bar, and a boat launch, among other amenities, according to the Incline Village website.
The board directed staff to monitor beach visits on a weekly basis per visitor type to keep an eye on potential overcrowding. Beachgoers must bring a recreation pass or punchcard on each visit.
Despite the opposition during a meeting that at times became heated, at least one property owner volunteered to sponsor employees as his own guests.
'As any competent executive knows, the employees of a company are their most valuable assets,' said a speaker who identified himself as Rob Watson. 'These are our employees.'
