NORTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Earlier this week, the Placer County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve an amendment to the Village at Palisades Tahoe Specific Plan, allowing Palisades Tahoe to move forward with the vision of a world-class village and base area that complements its renowned mountain while delivering meaningful benefits to the broader North Lake Tahoe community.
The approved plan reflects years of collaboration with the community and county, and incorporates significant changes in response to community feedback. The amended project includes a 40 percent reduction in total hotel and condominium bedrooms compared to the adopted 2024 plan, decreasing from 1,493 to 896, and a 20% reduction in total commercial space in the main Village area, from 277,733 square feet to 222,000 square feet. The Mountain Adventure Center has also been scaled back, with its footprint reduced from 90,000 to 72,000 square feet and its height lowered from 96 feet to 78 feet.
“Today’s vote is great news for Tahoe and everyone who stood up to defend our mountain values,” said Tom Mooers of Sierra Watch, the group that organized the campaign to protect Olympic Valley and keep Tahoe Truckee True. “And it proves that we can indeed work together to protect the places we love.”
Keep Tahoe Blue joined Sierra Watch in supporting and celebrating the revised plan.
“At Keep Tahoe Blue, we’re guided by a simple principle: protecting this place means being willing to stand firm when necessary, and being willing to work together when progress is possible,” said Keep Tahoe Blue’s CEO Darcie Goodman Collins, PhD. “This revised project reflects that balance – and it means almost 40% less traffic impacts to Tahoe.”
The majority of the plan will be constructed on existing asphalt parking lots and other previously disturbed areas while more than doubling the acres designated for open space.The plan also establishes standards and guidelines around building heights, setbacks and other design elements.
“We appreciate the Board’s decision, the extensive, comprehensive work of Placer County staff and their environmental consultants, and the involvement of the community in this process,” said Amy Ohran, President and COO of Palisades Tahoe. “Over the last 18 months, we have leaned in, listened closely and made meaningful adjustments that reflect what we heard. We’re excited to move forward with the creation of much-needed in-valley workforce housing as part of the first phase, while delivering infrastructure, environmental restoration, and community enhancements that will benefit Olympic Valley for years to come. This plan reflects a balance of progress and preservation, and both must be true for the future of Olympic Valley.”
This plan includes a range of investments that support community priorities, including dedicated workforce housing to accommodate 295 employees, along with a $500,000 regional employee housing contribution. It also establishes an $800,000 regional initiative fund to support environmental restoration, public trails, and public safety improvements, and includes support for a new West Valley Fire Substation.
Additional elements of the plan include extensive restoration of Washeshu Creek and the Olympic Channel, along with new and expanded trails and trail enhancements designed to improve connectivity and outdoor access.
The project proposes up to 896 lodging bedrooms, including a mix of hotel, residential condominiums, fractional ownership, and timeshare accommodations. Planned amenities include the Mountain Adventure Camp, a year-round indoor facility designed for mountain training, recreation, and resort guest experiences, which may also incorporate conference space, performing arts, skier services, and employee facilities.
Get the facts about the Village at Palisades Tahoe Specific Plan, including updated studies and analysis from the addendum to the project’s Environmental Impact Report, at future.palisadestahoe.com, and follow along as the plan continues to take shape in the months ahead.