TRPA

Closure of Echo Summit may be closer to mid-October

9.6.19 Update: At this time Echo Summit will be closed for 14 days starting on October 18, 2019.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Due to a delay in receiving needed supplies, the Caltrans contractor working on the US 50 Echo Summit Sidehill Viaduct project will be moving their expected full road closure date.

Caltrans today told the South Lake Tahoe City Council it is looking more like mid-October for their closing the artery between the lake and Sacramento for up to 14 days. They said the actual closure date is still a moving target.

Keith Klein ~ 1941 - 2019

Keith Karl Klein, age 78, died peacefully at his home in South Lake Tahoe on Tuesday, August 6, 2019, surrounded by his wife and close friends, following a recent diagnosis of cancer.

South Lake Tahoe City Council agenda includes Echo Summit, commodities, new logo and budget

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Tuesday's City Council meeting will include several items including a closed session at 8:00 a.m. that includes Liberty Utilities' claim that a City snowplow damaged a light pole, causing $56,883.41 in damage.

Public comment sought at South Lake Tahoe US 50 Main Street Open House

Event Date: 
August 27, 2019 - 5:30pm

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The next public US Highway 50 Main Street Management Plan open house will be held on Tuesday, August 27 at the Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel Tallac Room from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The event will consist of a series of informational stations where residents can give input on the planning stages of this transformational project. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) are seeking comments as different options for the design of the corridor come into focus.

Community meeting on vision plan for Kahle Drive and surrounding area

Event Date: 
September 4, 2019 - 4:00pm

STATELINE, Nev. - A draft of the vision plan for the Kahle Drive and Lower Kingsbury areas along the US 50 corridor between Lake Parkway and Elks Point Road will be unveiled during a community meeting on Wednesday, September 4.

The meeting will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Tahoe Transportation Center, 169 US Highway 50, across from the Lakeside Inn and Casino where LTVA and Tahoe Chamber have their offices.

City in driver's seat on affordable housing projects after MOUs with TTD and developers approved

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - After much discussion, the South Lake Tahoe City Council voted to sign Memos of Understanding (MOUs) with the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) and two developers to build affordable housing in the community.

Pacific Development Group and United Housing Corporation have identified properties, some which have already been purchased, to build housing for those who would be displaced by the proposed US 50 South Shore Community Revitalization Project which would move the highway through the Rocky Point neighborhood off Pioneer Trail.

Two-year SnowGlobe contract signed; New location to be identified by 2021

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The popular outdoor music festival SnowGlobe will be returning to South Lake Tahoe for at least 2019 after a new two-year contract was received by the City this week. MTV/Viacom, owners of the festival, has signed the contract approved by City Council during their June 18, 2019 meeting.

Organizers originally asked for a ten-year contract starting with their ninth annual event in 2019.

New bike lanes, bike trail and reduced lanes in upcoming South Lake Tahoe project

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - After three years of a major highway project through South Lake Tahoe from the Y to Trout Creek, a 2021 planned project will further address needs in South Lake Tahoe from Emerald Bay Road at the Y to Viking Road, the entrance to South Tahoe High School.

Letter: City needs to hold onto their leverage in Loop Road housing proposal

When is low-income housing developed by a Transportation Agency? This seemingly simple question is looming before our City Council and has been pushed back to the next City Council meeting. It is, in fact, the first domino in the efforts of the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) to move forward with the Loop Road II Project.

Final piece of the Lake Tahoe fire camera network now in place

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - What would happen if fire-fighting agencies could stop a wildfire before it gains momentum and wipes out homes, communities and/or forests? That is being answered with well over 100 fire cameras now in place across the west, all because of foresight of Dr. Graham Kent, the Director of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory at the University of Nevada Reno (UNR).

Two affordable housing companies interested in South Lake Tahoe projects

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A Memo of Understanding (MOU) to show the cooperative and constructive intent to build affordable housing between the City of South Lake Tahoe, Tahoe Transportation District, Pacific Development Group and United Housing Corporation was to be voted on during Tuesday's City Council meeting.

Boating on Lake Tahoe: There’s an app for that!

STATELINE, Nev. – With 72 miles of shoreline and a massive surface area of 191 square miles, navigating Lake Tahoe can be challenging. This summer, there's a new way for boaters to navigate Lake Tahoe's waters. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and its partners launched a new Tahoe Boating app to inform boaters and paddlers about Lake Tahoe, no-wake zone boundaries, area attractions, and how to enjoy the lake safely and responsibly.

Boaters and paddlers can download the free Tahoe Boating app from either the Apple or Android stores or at tahoeboating.org.

South Lake Tahoe City Council to address housing, commodities and sale of properties

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The City Council has a long agenda to go through during their meeting that starts at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 6.

Some of the highlights:

South Lake Tahoe family fights planned cell tower next to their home

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - "This is a nightmare," says life-long South Lake Tahoe resident Monica Eisenstecken.

Her summer has been filled with preparing to fight the South Lake Tahoe Planning Commission's decision in June to allow Verizon to place a 112’ monopine cell tower next door to the home her dad built (it could go as high as 123' with a ten percent change allowed).

Douglas County superintendent updates Lake Tahoe families about their schools

ZEPHYR COVE, Nev. - With a change of leadership at George Whittel High School and Zephyr Cove Elementary many rumors have been circulating around the district. Douglas County School District Superintendent Teri White has supplied a list of facts to give kids and parents an update on their schools.

Is the District closing ZCES or GWHS?
No. The District has no plans to close either school at this time.

Who is the principal of our school?

What could addition of Accessory Dwelling Units mean for South Lake Tahoe?

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Perhaps you know of them as mother-in-law units, tiny houses in the backyard or an extra apartment above a garage for renters. The term Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) has become a popular one in describing these types of housing as the affordable housing conversation turns towards solutions.

From the California Department of Housing and Community Development:

What are the benefits of ADUs?
- ADUs are an affordable type of home to construct in California because they do not require paying for land, major new infrastructure, structured parking, or elevators.

20,000 miles pedaled during Lake Tahoe Bike Challenge

During the first two weeks of June, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition teamed up to lead the 14th annual Tahoe Bike Challenge. 285 people took the challenge and biked 20,420 miles at Lake Tahoe.

The basin-wide challenge is a friendly competition that encourages individuals and teams to track trips and miles on their bikes. Starting June 1 and running through June 14, Tahoe Basin bikers prevented an estimated 6,945 pounds of carbon dioxide from escaping into the atmosphere.

Column: Wildfires happen. Is your community prepared?

Welcome to summer! The solstice officially arrived Friday at 8:54 a.m., welcoming in the longest day of the year. As the snowpack melts away, and the lake fills above rim, we enter the warm and dry months that we relish after winter. As Lake Tahoe’s landscape begins to dry out, wildfire danger will grow.

Our respite from the seasonal dangers of wildfire here in the basin is coming to an end. With temperatures climbing, relative humidity lowering, and afternoon winds blowing across the lake, the basin will become susceptible to wildfire.

South Lake Tahoe's SnowGlobe: "It’s a great event, it's in the wrong location"

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The South Lake Tahoe City Council voted Tuesday to give SnowGlobe a new five-year contract with the criteria that organizers must be working on locating a new location for the event at the end of two years.

If they do not have a good plan in place after those first two years the City could terminate the contract.

Letter: New SnowGlobe contract still doesn't address concerns

SnowGlobe remains a popular and divisive event in South Lake Tahoe. It brings thousands of visitors during our busiest holiday and drives room rates through the ceiling. It also is now proven to violate El Dorado County noise regulations which the County refuses to enforce. It violates the Bijou/Al Tahoe Community Plan noise regulations which the TRPA refuses to enforce. It violates the requirements of the Temporary Activity Permit which both the City and TRPA are working to revise.

Five year contract for a revamped Snowglobe on City Council agenda

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Even though the Snowglobe Music Festival is held in South Lake Tahoe for just three days a year, it's a year-long series of negotiations and discussions between staff, agencies, the No-Globe Alliance and the public to work out details for the next December's event.

During the June 18 City Council meeting, a new, multi-year Special Event Agreement

Public meetings to discuss control of aquatic invasive weeds in the Tahoe Keys

Event Date: 
June 25, 2019 - 5:00pm

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif.- The problem of aquatic invasive weeds and nuisance plants in the Tahoe Keys continues to grow, even with the Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association (TKPOA) investing time and money to control the problem. The aquatic invasive species (AIS) continue to spread and the costs continue to grow.

NV Energy and Liberty Utilities outline wildfire mitigation plans for Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With electrical transmission lines found to be at fault in recent California fires, agencies responsible for supplying electricity to communities have been creating plans to prevent fires in the future.

Both companies that supply power to Lake Tahoe, NV Energy and Liberty Utilities, have announced new mitigation efforts to reduce the risk of fire.

Sunken sailboat to be removed from Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - If you've been near the shore of South Lake Tahoe at Regan Beach at any time since fall you've most likely seen a partially sunken sailboat sitting just offshore. The boat's mast and wet sails have been sticking up through the water, an eyesore to many trying to take photos of the scenic view, a topic of conversation to others trying to figure out what happened.

Summer 2019 edition of Tahoe In Depth now available

STATELINE, Nev. – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) has published the summer 2019 edition of Tahoe In Depth. The award-winning newspaper, in its seventh year of publication, strives to provide residents, visitors, and policymakers with information about protecting, enjoying and exploring the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Bike Rodeo in South Lake Tahoe

Event Date: 
June 8, 2019 - 7:00pm

The Kiwanis Club of Tahoe Sierra in conjunction with the El Dorado County Sheriff's office, South Lake Tahoe Police Department, Lake Valley Fire Department, South Lake Tahoe Fire Department, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, California Highway Patrol, Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition and Blue Zone Sports will be hosting a bike rodeo at South Tahoe Middle School on Saturday June 8 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Having a voice in the Lake Tahoe Main Street Management Plan

STATELINE, Nev. - Dozens of residents from both sides of the state line on the South Shore attended the Main Street Management Plan workshop Wednesday to participate in planning the future of Lake Tahoe Boulevard from Pioneer Trail/Raley's area to MontBleu.

Public invited to US50 Main Street Management Plan Open House

Event Date: 
May 29, 2019 - 5:30pm

The next phase of the Highway 50 South Shore Community Revitalization Project (SSCRP) begins with an open house on its Main Street Management Plan on Wednesday, May 29 at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) office from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The public is welcome to drop in any time.

SSCRP, commonly referred to as the Loop Road Project, will include seven more key components to be completed by the TRPA and Tahoe Transportation District (TTD). The first of those components is the Main Street Management Plan.

14th annual Tahoe Bike Challenge June 1-14

It appears Mother Nature will be offering some great biking weather for the hundreds of participants in the 14th annual Tahoe Bike Challenge June 1 - 14. The two-week basin-wide event is a team-based challenge to encourage everyone to ride and experience the benefits and joys of cycling.

The event is co-sponsored by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition/

Emerald Bay boulder incident draws $50,000 fine for contractor and Caltrans

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - All involved parties reached a settlement today concerning the May 2018 boulder rolling incident at Emerald Bay. At that time, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) received a complaint about the contractors hired to build a retaining wall at Emerald Bay on SR89. In that complaint, a video was provided that showed equipment pushing a large boulder over the edge of the road as crews cheered. As the boulder rolled it took out or damaged several trees, including a majestic Sugar Pine.

Column ~ The fight continues: Battling aquatic invasive species at Tahoe

While it felt like spring had finally arrived, we all know Mother Nature can be fickle, especially at Lake Tahoe. For those who love to play in the snow, it was a fantastic winter, and a banner year for the Sierra snowpack. Despite some cooler weather now, steady warmer temperatures are on the way and our attention is shifting from the mountains to the lake.

Not all fire is bad fire - Creating healthy forests around Lake Tahoe

The following is the second in a series of stories on being a community that is prepared for wildfire.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Vegetation fires are natural and were normal before policies were created to suppress them for fear of uncontrollable and destructive wildfires as seen in the late 1800s. When some of the first residents arrived in Lake Tahoe between the Gold Rush and Silver Strike, it was common to see just six-seven Jeffrey Pines per acre. Trees in the Tahoe Basin were clear cut to provide the lumber for building mines under Virginia City.

19th annual Snapshot Day to unveil conditions in Lake Tahoe and Truckee River

For the past 18 years, volunteers have been monitoring water quality conditions across the Lake Tahoe and Truckee River watersheds, collecting data at a single point in time to better understand the area as a whole. It is a bi-state collaborative that can achieve a larger watershed approach to successful data collection.

On May 17 and 18, 2019, volunteers will once again head out and perform a variety of tests including temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, algae, and nitrogen.

Lake Spirit Awards highlight ways to protect Lake Tahoe

LAKE TAHOE, Nevada – Five people were recognized at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) meeting Wednesday for their commitment to protecting and enhancing Lake Tahoe’s unique natural environment.

Since 2011, TRPA has awarded the Lake Spirit Awards to individuals from both the North and South Shores who are either citizens or agency representatives/environmental scientists.

Building trails, promoting climate change awareness, organizing beach cleanups, and preserving cultural resources are some of the ways this year’s award winners show their dedication to Lake Tahoe.

Column: Shoreline Plan making progress

More than a billion people in nearly 200 countries will come together to celebrate and support environmental protection during Earth Day events this April.

This year’s international Earth Day celebration begins the countdown to Earth Day 2020, the 50th anniversary of the event that helped launch the environmental movement and opened the doors to critical U.S. environmental laws like the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act.

TRPA: What's new for the 2019 Lake Tahoe boating season

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – New boating safety programs are coming online at Lake Tahoe this summer, according to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA).

Additional enforcement of no-wake zones and excessive boat noise under TRPA’s Shoreline Program are two measures being taken to protect the lake and non-motorized watercraft and swimmers. Boat inspections fees are also being adjusted for the first time in seven years to better safeguard the lake from aquatic invasive species, and sticker fees now include a $12 fee as part of the Shoreline Program.

SLT City Council meeting to include construction allocations, camping regulations

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Tuesday's evening meeting of the South Lake Tahoe City Council will have a full agenda that includes replacement of aging snow removal equipment, a Lime License Agreement, and temporary suspension of the City's Residential Allocation Procedures.

Mooring permitting underway in Lake Tahoe

LAKE TAHOE, Nev./Calif – New online permitting options are available for mooring permits at Lake Tahoe. The Lake Tahoe Shoreline Plan approved by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency in 2018 requires lakefront property owners, homeowners’ associations, and marinas to register all existing boat moorings, including buoys, boatlifts, and boat slips.

Column: Fees benefit water quality and trails

While it still feels like winter, with a healthy snowpack and ski resorts reporting record monthly snowfall in February, another building season is fast approaching. One of the questions people ask the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency each year is why they have to pay mitigation fees for their development, like new homes and remodeling projects.

Letter: The Loop Road – A bad kitchen remodel

On March 14th, the City of South Lake Tahoe held a public meeting to discuss the already approved plan to re-route Hwy 50 through a bunch of small businesses and a whole neighborhood, around the backside of Harrah’s where half of the existing Loop Road now sits. This plan was concocted by the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) with little input from the community and the near absence of participation by our former City Leaders.

State Route 89 recreation plan to address traffic, experiences and parking

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - Giving people a positive experience as they travel along the west shore of Lake Tahoe will require removing congestion from the roadway is one of the goals of the State Route 89 Recreation Corridor Management Plan.

A collaboration of 17 agencies and organizations have been working on the plan which covers the stretch from 15th street in South Lake Tahoe to the Placer County line at Sugar Pine Point State Park. Along the plan area are popular areas to view scenery, hike, bike and visit beaches along a 12 mile stretch of undeveloped shoreline.

City Council hears update on US50 South Shore Community Revitalization Project

Event Date: 
March 14, 2019 - 5:00pm

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It's been over three decades in the making. The US50 South Shore Community Revitalization Project, also known as the Loop Road, is getting closer to becoming a final plan and its implementation.

The South Lake Tahoe City Council heard a presentation by Tahoe Transportation District (TTD), Lew Feldman and John Hasty of Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) on Tuesday, outlining what has been accomplished and what is left to be done.

John Thiel: New man at the helm of South Tahoe Public Utility District

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - After Richard Solbrig told the South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD) Board of Directors he was retiring in January 2019 after 29 years with the agency the hunt was on for a new general manager.

It turned out they didn't have to look far.

John Thiel had been hired by Solbrig in 1992 as a staff engineer and he worked his way up through the ranks over the last 27 years until the Board chose him as the new general manager.

TRPA accepting Lake Spirit Award nominations

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - It takes real people making real progress to conserve Lake Tahoe’s unique natural environment. The 2019 Lake Spirit Awards will honor those committed to a spirit of cooperation and protecting Lake Tahoe.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) will accept nominations for the awards through Friday, March 29, 2019. The nomination form for the Lake Spirit Awards can be found online at http://www.trpa.org/get-involved/lake-spirit-awards/.

Column: Shaping Lake Tahoe’s future through collaboration

We are stronger at Lake Tahoe when we work together. Everyone benefits when people of different interests, backgrounds, and perspectives agree to bring their ideas, energy, and creativity to the table to shape solutions for a healthier, more vibrant, and sustainable Lake Tahoe.

Working together can be hard, of course. But we’ve built a spirit of collaboration at Lake Tahoe and it’s growing. Through it we are achieving things that once seemed impossible, things that we could never achieve working on our own.

Nominations sought for Lake Tahoe HIghway 50 Main Street working group

STATELINE, Nev. – With the recently approved U.S. 50 South Shore Community Revitalization Project in South Lake Tahoe (also known as the Loop Road), three people are being sought to become a working group that will help develop a Main Street Management Plan for the area.

TRPA accepting project nominations for Best in Basin

Stateline, Nevada – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is accepting project nominations for its annual Best in Basin awards program now through Tuesday, April 2.

TRPA created the Best in Basin awards program as a way to recognize public and private projects that demonstrate exceptional planning, design, and compatibility with Lake Tahoe’s environment and communities.

Column: Building on Lake Tahoe’s Progress

2018 was an extraordinary year for Lake Tahoe, and one of the region’s most successful years in decades. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) assisted by dozens of partners approved landmark programs and projects, including a new Shoreline Plan, a comprehensive update of TRPA’s development rights system, and the U.S. 50 South Shore Community Revitalization Project.

Letter: SnowGlobe needs another home

Snowglobe 2018 is now in the books. There have been some successes as well as some difficulties. This year saw the introduction of professional sound engineers to help reduce the sound and new field protection to prevent further damage to our new play fields. The sound is reported to have been improved for many though the people who live nearest this event in Pioneer Village, along the Bijou Meadow, around Johnson Lane and in Sierra Tract continue to be bombarded by three days of sound.

New shoreline applications now available including registration of existing buoys

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) today released a series of updated permit applications for shorezone projects and activities under the recently-adopted Shoreline Plan that is taking effect this year.

Shorezone applications now available online at http://www.trpa.org/permitting/permit-applications/ include:

- Express Check applications for expedited TRPA review of in-kind shorezone structure reconstructions

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