california tahoe conservancy

A controversial proposed 550-site campground on the ridgeline of the Lake Tahoe Basin at Brockway Summit appears to be history as the US Forest Service announced today that they have entered an agreement to purchase the 120 acre site between Truckee and Kings Beach.

The City of South Lake Tahoe is still trying to work out a deal with the Halferty Development Company, a $4 million sale of the developable portions of the lots known as the "Knights Inn Properties."

During Tuesday's City Council meeting a purchase agreement was scheduled to be voted on, but SLT City Manager Nancy Kerry had to pull it off the agenda.

"We are still working on it," Kerry told South Tahoe Now. "We are still negotiating and have some issues to work out."

Beginning today, July 11, and going until October 14, the Truckee River will be closed near the South Lake Tahoe airport in order for the Upper Truckee River Reach 5 Restoration Project to be completed.

Community members gathered to restore and stabilize the banks of the Upper Truckee River in South Lake Tahoe as part of Restoration Day on June 4, a new annual day of environmental restoration organized by the League to Save Lake Tahoe.

The popular and long-time South Lake Tahoe business, the Cork & More, has sold. After almost 40 years of supplying wine, cheese, gifts and deli options to an adoring public, owners Jim and Kim Warlow have decided to retire. They were originally planning to close last Fall, but when potential buyers started to look into purchasing the store on Al Tahoe Blvd., the Warlows decided to hold off closure.

Escrow is expected to close around July 1 Jim said. After that, he's looking forward to enjoying Lake Tahoe's year round recreation from the slopes to the bike trails.

A 3.43 acre piece of land once owned by Randy Lane's Falcon Capital LLC may soon have a 22-unit condominium project built on it. The property (made up from two parcels) is underneath the gondola, adjacent to the Van Sickle Bi-State Park near the state line in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. The listed owner of the property is now Lucky Look LLC.

Even though construction won't start until 2019, a major step forward to the completion of the South Tahoe Greenway Shared-Use Trail Project occurred Thursday when the California Tahoe Conservancy approved the updated project and authorized an additional $200,000 in funding.

The South Lake Tahoe City Council will look at the new Master Fee schedule during the March 14 meeting, something they do annually. The proposed fees and charges for 2015-16 show no change for users of the recreation center or campground, a $2 to $3 increase in daily golf course fees, a $5 to $15 increase in golf course passes.

There are proposed amendments to the South Lake Tahoe Vacation Home Rental ordinance, ones that came about because of feedback from VHR permit applicants and those enforcing the ordinance.

The most recent VHR ordinance change took effect on October 1, 2015. Since then, there have been over 300 inspections scheduled, including new homes and renewals.

According to Amanda Nolan, the City's VHR Clerk, many of the properties inspected so far have required owners to make corrections to address inspection requirements.

The October 1, 2015 ordinance called for:

Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District, California State Parks and the California Tahoe Conservancy are planning to continue prescribed fire operations next week beginning Tuesday, January 19, 2016 in the following areas:

Tranquility - Between Round Hill and Zephyr Cove, 3 acres of hand piles will be burned. The ignition date is planned for 1/20/16. Fire and smoke will be present during five days of burn down time with smoke expected to travel to the north/northeast. Smoke may be visible from Zephyr Cove to Round Hill.

People at Lake Tahoe are working together like never before to restore our environment, revitalize our economy, and improve our communities. We saw significant progress all around the lake this year. And our progress is sustainable with continued partnership and collaboration, so critical to tackle the many challenges and important decisions on our horizon.

It was a changing of the guard during Monday's South Lake Tahoe City Council meeting. Wendy David moved from her position of mayor pro tem to mayor, and Austin Sass took over the second-in-command duties.

Councilmember Tom Davis, who has served as both mayor and mayor pro tem, was also interested in a fifth term in the pro tem spot but the nod went to Sass.

With predictions for one of the biggest winters in over a decade, now is the time to buy a Lake Tahoe license plate so you can ski for free in Tahoe. The popular “Plates for Powder” program is back, and once again offers individuals who purchase a new Lake Tahoe license plate in either California or Nevada two free lift tickets to one of 12 Tahoe resorts participating in the program.

Lake Tahoe has been recognized for another important conservation success. Our region’s proactive, collaborative strategy to protect Tahoe yellow cress, begun almost 15 years ago, is working so well that the plant does not need additional protections under the federal Endangered Species Act.

The final portion of the Class 1 bike trail network between Meyers and South Lake Tahoe was formally opened Wednesday with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Members of the El Dorado County project team were on hand along with current Area 5 Supervisor Sue Novasel and former Supervisor Norma Santiago. Partner agency staff were also there to celebrate the completion.

The newest multi-use trail connecting Lake Tahoe Blvd and Highway 50 will officially open with a dedication ceremony at 3 p.m. on October 14.

District Five County Supervisor Sue Novasel, the communities of South Lake Tahoe and Meyers and the Transportation Division of the County of El Dorado's Community Development Agency invite all interested parties to a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of the final connection of the Class 1 bicycle and multi-use path network connecting the communities of Meyers and South Lake Tahoe.

The United States Forest Service (USFS) and California Tahoe Conservancy (CTC) will be trading 1,961 acres under a proposed land swap on the north, south and west shores of Lake Tahoe. Urban lots would go to CTC and the larger parcels would go to the USFS.

The agencies will hold two meetings where the public will have the opportunity to review the plan and offer feedback.

The underwater scenes could be straight out of "Creature of the Black Lagoon." Long feathery tendrils of green plants, growing at alarming rates in the Tahoe Keys and attracting fish not before known in the crystal blue waters of the lake.

The plant described here is better known as the Eurasian Watermilfoil. It is joined by another nuisance non-native plant, the curlyleaf pondweed, in creating problems in the waters of the Tahoe Keys.

The California Tahoe Conservancy announced today that construction of the first phase of the South Tahoe Greenway Shared Use Trail will begin on Monday, July 6, 2015. The new bike and pedestrian trail extends about a half of a mile between Herbert Avenue and Glenwood Way and is scheduled to be completed by August.

A one-half acre parcel of land that once held two South Lake Tahoe businesses will soon be restored to open space after a land purchase by the California Tahoe Conservancy (CTC). The two buildings, located at 2122 Lake Tahoe Blvd, will be razed in the next few weeks according to Joe Pepi, Program Coordinator/Associate Environmental Planner with CTC.

Tahoe Psychic and Heads Up Smoke Shop have both been cleared out and a fence has been placed around the property. The smoke shop has relocated a block away.

The California Tahoe Conservancy will host an open house at the El Dorado County Public Library in South Lake Tahoe (1000 Rufus Allen Blvd.) to gather public input regarding reuse of the former Alta Mira building site. The primary purpose of the project is to enhance public lake front access within the El Dorado Beach corridor.

Members of the public are invited to stop by the library anytime between 4-6 pm to view concept drawings, ask questions and provide feedback.

"This is astounding and I have not seen anything to this degree in the years I've lived here." Those were South Lake Tahoe City Councilwoman JoAnn Conner's words after hearing how several agencies will work together to make the Middle School Connectivity Plan a reality.

Her sentiments were echoed by her fellow council members and the mayor after seeing how multiple agencies can leverage their funds and plan together for a network of connecting trails through South Lake Tahoe that will keep pedestrians and bikers off unsafe roadways.

Over 700 more acres of slash pile still remain to be burned around the Lake Tahoe Basin as part of the California Tahoe Conservancy, Nevada Division of Forestry and U.S. Forest Service fire operations.

Almost twenty years later and the Tahoe Valley Area plan isn't in place, yet. John Hitchcock, the City of South Lake Tahoe Planning Manager, gave the Council another presentation on the status of the plan and where things stand as of today during Tuesday's City Council meeting.

First proposed in the early 1990's, the resurrection of the Tahoe Valley Area plan made great strides towards adoption in 2014 with Hitchcock holding four public meetings where input was requested, presenting the plan to TRPA three times, three times to City Council and twice to the planning commission.