California Tahoe Conservancy moves forward with Conolley Beach project

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The California Tahoe Conservancy (CTC) has been working on improving public access at Conolley Beach in South Lake Tahoe for many years, along with other spots along the lake. During their October meeting, the CTC Board voted to spend up to $420,000 on the "Conolley Beach Public Access Project" for the execution of easements and other agreements to build stairs to the beach, construct a trail, add seating areas and stabilize the slope with boulders.

In 2003 CTC executed an exchange with Sierra Shores to provide access to Conolley Beach via what became known as the Conservancy’s Chimney Parcel (named such to reflect the shape). Sierra Shores is a housing development located on the lake side of Highway 50 at the Takela Drive stoplight. Conservancy staff completed this land exchange and has been managing the Chimney Parcel ever since as part of its Land Management Program. Currently, the Chimney Parcel is unimproved with user-created trails, and its slope to Lake Tahoe is steep and eroding.

The Chimney Parcel does not provide adequate public access to Conolley Beach, but that is about to be a thing of the past. The approved funds will lead to the building of a decent walkway and staircase to the beach.

An easement is needed from the Tahoe Beach Retreat, which is on the eastern side of the Chimney Parcel, to install the staircase and path. CTC staff said they are working with the new owner of the Tahoe Beach Retreat who has indicated it would like to reinitiate work with the Conservancy to facilitate the Project.

Once the easement is recorded, the design of the project will be completed in 2020, construction bids will be solicited and construction is slated for Summer 2021.
On a side note, there has been many spellings of Conolley Beach over the years and it appears in different spellings on maps and websites. CTC is using the spelling from the photo of a historic sign located on the beach.

CTC also revealed their next steps on their work at the Alta Mira site, another project created to both improve access to the beach and potentially add an overlook.

In September 2014, the Alta Mira building was torn down on Highway 50, just down from the above-mentioned project at Connolly Beach. Concept meetings were held in 2015 to gather ideas on what could be built at the old site.

Since that time, environmental improvements have been added and the next steps will include slope stabilization, a possible ramp to the beach and what is now being called the "Fremont Overlook" (It was named Lakeview Lookout in prior concepts). Before final plans are created there will be future meetings with stakeholders to decide on what the desired look will be.

CTC has invested millions of dollars in increasing public access to Lake Tahoe along this stretch, including helping with the building of Lakeview Commons and slope seating and the bike path to Alta Mira. They then purchased the Alta Mira building and tore it down.