Northstar Mountain 20-year master plan approved by Placer County Board of Supervisors

LAKE TAHOE, CALIF., - The Northstar Mountain Master Plan was approved Tuesday by the Placer County Board of Supervisors, providing a roadmap for the next 20 years for the North Lake Tahoe resort.

This new master plan allows the resort to expand the existing ski terrain including six new mechanized ski lifts and associated trails, a high-speed gondola that would extend from the Castle Peak parking area to the Northstar Village, new snowmaking and associated infrastructure, additional trails and trail widening, five skier bridges, four new skier service lodges and facilities (restrooms, food and drink service, seating), improvements to existing skier service sites, relocation of an existing cross country ski center and two new campsite areas.

Vail Resorts, the owner of Northstar, said in a press release that the plan is designed to help lengthen current guest stays and solidify Northstar as a premiere destination resort. It provides guests with a wider, more diverse array of terrain offerings and recreational activities, facilitating an improved and extended vacation experience for the destination and day-use guest.

“Northstar would like to thank the Placer County Board of Supervisors, Placer County Planning Commission and numerous community stakeholders for their unanimous support of the Northstar Mountain Master Plan, our 20-year vision to provide a premier destination resort experience,” said Nadia Guerriero, vice president and general manager at Northstar California. “We’ve worked diligently with our community partners for more than a decade to create a plan that meets the changing needs of the ski industry, while still focused on conservation priorities and community issues.”

There are environmental conditions built into the plan to protect wildlife as well as storm drainage and greenhouse gases.

They must retain a qualified biologist to determine if suitable breeding habitat for Sierra Nevada mountain beaver, Sierra Nevada snowshoe hare, and/or western whitetailed jackrabbit occurs within 250 feet of the proposed impact area. Protection measures also need to be in place for the Sierra red fox, Pacific fisher, Spotted owl and California wolverine, as well as habitat protection for mule deer.

Also in the approved permit are conditions for employee housing. Northstar is obligated to provide for 50 percent of its total Full Time Equivalent (FTE) generated by the project or 55 FTEs. They have to have an employee mitigation plan which will include construction or dedicated housing units for at least 75 percent of the FTE obligation (42 FTEs).

To read the complete document, visit the Placer County Board of Supervisors agenda for February 21 - http://www.placer.ca.gov/upload/bos/cob/documents/sumarchv/2017/170221A/bosa170221.htm

-South Tahoe Now staff report