city council

"I call upon you to with every ounce of respect to please take your community's engagement to heart and hear their voices as their elected officials," said resident Jenna Palacio during the South Lake Tahoe City Council's meeting Tuesday. "This is your opportunity for leadership."

Palacio was one of many who spoke in front of the Council and asked them to stay on their original track and keep the single use plastic bag ban in place.

If you own a home or business in the City of South Lake Tahoe you will soon be able to install renewable energy, energy efficiency, and water conservation improvements and pay for it with a voluntary lien against your property.

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) is a volunteer program which will give property owners a chance to improve their properties. Figtree Financing and the California Enterprise Development Authority (CEDA) will facilitate the program in the city.

On June 17, 2014, the City Council held a workshop regarding the City’s five-year financial forecast and the overall economic forecast for the local community. While the forecast has improved, we need to attract substantial capital investment over the next ten years to grow the economy, meet the community’s needs and fund projects protecting the natural environment.

Voter will be voting for three City Council members, the City Clerk and City Treasurer on the November 4th ballot in South Lake Tahoe. The filing period opens on Monday, July 14 for all interested City residents who are interested in running for the open seats.

The terms of Council members Angela Swanson, Tom Davis and Brooke Laine will end this fall as well as that of City Clerk Susan Alessi and Treasurer David Olivo.

For the Love of Animals in South Lake Tahoe

Congratulations to the Lake Tahoe Humane Society on their new home! This summer will be like no other for the Lake Tahoe Humane Society as they just purchased 884 Emerald Bay Rd for their new corporate headquarters.

Food vendors/grocery stores in South Lake Tahoe have complied with a single use bag ban ordinance since January 15, 2014.

Many panicked business owners and residents expressed their reluctance at the time, afraid of unknown costs that might be involved as well as not having the convenience of plastic bags at check out.

If one looks at the attendance at the City's workshops for both residents and business owners on the subject, they'd assume everything is working out due to lack of participation.

The fourth session of the City of South Lake Tahoe’s Citizens Academy graduated during Tuesday’s city council meeting.

The Spring 2014 academy was held from April 9-May 21, 2014 and consisted of 13 attendees including: Douglas Bolton, Tom Burkart, Ian Caruth, Tobias Devor, Janill Gilbert, Misty Johansen, Jen Menzel, Jo Mutz, Lannette Rangel, Jonathan Schank, Leslie Schultz, Brandon Swartz, and Judy Weber.

The Draft Tahoe Valley Area Plan and accompanying documents were released Wednesday, paving the way for finalization after agency and public review and upcoming comment periods. After community meetings and months of review and planning, the "Town Center" concept has been adopted along with "Greenbelt" portions.

The plan reflects the City of South Lake Tahoe's effort to rekindle the economic vitality and spirit of the Tahoe Valley Community. The plan outlines the community's strategy for resurrection.

South Tahoe Now sent a questionnaire out to all of the candidates for El Dorado County Supervisor and Douglas County Sheriff. This is the last of the submitted responses. Candidates Sue Novasel, Kenny Curtzwiler and Angela Swanson were the only County Supervisor candidates to respond, and Douglas County Sheriff candidates Ron Pierini and Dave Brady were the only Sheriff candidates to respond. We thank those that took the time to reply.

1) What do you see as the Number 1 issue facing residents of District 5?

The following is an opinion article and does not necessarily reflect the views of South Tahoe Now:

The City of South Lake Tahoe has two opportunities for locals to become involved in their community!

First on tap is Tuesday's night South Lake Tahoe Neighborhood Team Meeting at the SLT Recreation Center, located at 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Neighborhood Service Team program serves to improve and preserve neighborhood vitality by fostering public participation and facilitating interaction between residents and your City government.

All residents within City limits are welcome to attend, regardless of which neighborhood you reside.

South Lake Tahoe City Council members, City staff, project contractors and a few members of the public gathered Tuesday to celebrate the beginning of the Harrison Avenue Project.

City Council members Tom Davis, Angela Swanson and JoAnn Connor joined Mayor Hal Cole, City Manager Nancy Kerry, Police Chief Brian Uhler, Fire Chief Jeff Meston, Public Works Director Jim Marino and Mitch Grayson of Sierra Nevada Construction, the project's contractor.

South Lake Tahoe City Clerk Susan Alessi received the 2014 Presidential Award of Excellence from the City Clerk’s Association of California. Ms. Alessi was presented with the Presidential Award at the annual conference which was held in Pasadena and attended by hundreds of City Clerks from around the state.

It's long been joked that South Lake Tahoe has two seasons: winter and road construction.

Get ready for the latter as it's time to begin the South Lake Tahoe projects.

At Tuesday's City Council meeting, Jim Marino, the City's Assistant Public Works Director, outlined all 13 different projects happening within city limits this year.

On the photos in this story you'll their locations, and which ones are deemed to create the heaviest traffic as a result of closing intersections or reducing travel to one lane.

Learning about how to run a business in South Lake Tahoe isn't always the easiest task, but the City took one step closer to stream lining the process at a community meeting Wednesday night.

City Attorney Tom Watson led a discussion group in the City Council chambers, trying to find out what issues businesses have with the City and the City Code.

As Edgewood Properties moves forward with their plans to reconfigure holes on their golf course to accommodate for a new lake front lodge, they asked the City of South Lake Tahoe City Council today for a change in the area's general plan. The original Edgewood Tahoe plans were to have 100% of the golf course in the state of Nevada, but have now altered those plans to have some of the course venture into California on Edgewood owned land.

California Governor Jerry Brown has called for a 20% reduction in water usage state wide in order to prepare for the anticipated water shortage not only for 2014, but also in coming years.

A presentation was made by South Tahoe Public Utility District at Tuesday's City Council Meeting on just how everyone can cut back, from private homes to city projects.

Long range planning is important for communities to survive cutbacks to water supplies. The District outlined their response to conservation:

A landscaped plaza near the intersection of Lake Tahoe Boulevard and Lakeview Avenue intersection will be named Champions Plaza. The plaza was part of the previously approved plans for the Harrison Avenue project and will be renamed after the suggestion by City Manager Nancy Kerry at Tuesday's City Council Meeting. Champions Plaza will recognize local athletes who have gained worldwide attention for the South Lake Tahoe community.

The approximate location of the plaza is identified in the photo by an "x."

3/4/14 10 am update: Passes will not be available until 3/5/14.

In an effort to keep up their end of the "parking bargain," the City of South Lake Tahoe has started selling annual parking permits to local residents in the 89448-89449 and 96150-96158 zip codes. In last month's City Council meetings with the public and a group opposed to paid parking, city leaders had promised to work out a parking plan that would address the issues proposed, and a paid permit for locals is the first step.

Several South Lake Tahoe residents showed up at the presentation of the Tahoe Area Plan at the airport on Thursday. Most agreed that the area known as the "Y" needs to be changed with an area plan, but which direction to a take to a final plan is where people differ.

The evening consisted of a presentation by John Hitchcock, who is on loan to the city from the TRPA for this project as Planning Project Manager. After he spoke the group broke out into three breakout sessions, each focuses on one of three choices presented as the future concept for "Y" area.

A public workshop on the vision for the South "Y" area will be held on Thursday, February 27 in the South Lake Tahoe City Council chambers at 6 p.m.

Future planning and land use guidance for what is known as the Tahoe Valley Area Plan will be discussed as the City's project leaders seek input from the community as to what the area should be.

The Tahoe Valley Plan reflects the City’s effort to rekindle the economic vitality and spirit of the Tahoe Valley Community and to enhance the area's unique characteristics.

The South Lake Tahoe City Council is holding their normal 9 a.m. meeting on Tuesday, as well as a second session at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at the airport.

The morning meeting will contain several agenda items, including the Harrison Project bid approval.

The City of Berkeley's camp at Echo Lake, located at the top of Echo Summit just west of South Lake Tahoe, has long been a tradition for many families to visit and vacation.

It's also been one of the lowest cost family camp bay area families could attend, but that may be history after Tuesday night's Berkeley City Council meeting.

The City of South Lake Tahoe is encouraging residents to be informed and engaged in the community and is offering several opportunities in the coming weeks to do just that.

"In an engaged community, every person has the information, the opportunities and the support needed to take action and lead change throughout their lives," according to the Knight Foundation. "When people become involved, and exercise their full democratic rights, they make their lives and those of others better."