by Paula Peterson
Very few community members turned out for the US 50/South Shore Community Revitalization Project meeting held at Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel on Thursday night. Invitations were mailed and/or hand delivered to all residents in the proposed project area so they’d be able to better understand the process of relocation and financial reimbursement should the Revitalization Project be approved. Since many of those invited speak Spanish and Tagalog, interpreters were on hand to assist with translations, but no one in attendance needed their services.
There are four project design possibilities on the table; three would involve buying up some homes and businesses while the fourth would utilize an elevated pedestrian mall over the current Hwy 50 area near Stateline.
The group of officials on hand for the presentation included Mark Rayback, a design consultant with Wood Rodgers, Mike Lahodney with Bender Rosenthal, Steve Teshara, Tahoe Transportation Board Chairman, along with other staff members. Rayback opened the meeting saying that they were there to clear the air, inform the public on where the project stands and explain the procedures and steps over the next couple of years. Lahodney explained the appraisal and right of way process which would be utilized if the project is approved. Landlords and homeowners would be paid market value for their property and tenants would be provided funds to move. Business owners would be relocated and reimbursed for expenses.
The goal of the US 50 project is to develop a main street/community gathering place in South Lake Tahoe. In order to complete the goal there are four main stages that have to be completed and the public meeting Thursday moves them into the second stage. A timeline was presented that showed several key stages between today and 2015. A Relocation Impact Study will start by the beginning of August, the Community Impact Assessment will be done by fall, the environmental draft is expected to be completed by Spring of 2015 with the final document in place by Fall of 2015. The project could potentially start then and take two to three years until completion. But that is only if funding is found and in place. Some in the audience were concerned about getting another “hole” and they were assured this could not happen due to public projects needing complete financing in place well before the first shovel of dirt is turned.
Two South Lake Tahoe city councilwomen were present, Angela Swanson and JoAnn Conner. Swanson said as a Tahoe Transportation Board member she feels it is important to have rigorous outreach to the community on the matter. She added that 25 locals have been placed on a Citizen’s Review Committee in order to make sure their issues are addressed. The committee consists of business owners from the affected area, social service agency members, tenants, homeowners associations, homeowners and landlords. Their first meeting is tentatively scheduled for August 14. The public is invited to all meetings. The best ways to be informed on the project and when meetings are held is to “like” TTD on Facebook, visit their website or sign up to be on their email list.