TRPA announces 2012 Best in the Basin Award winners

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency on Thursday announced the 2012 Best in the Basin award winners and will recognize the recipients March 27 at the TRPA governing board meeting.

This is the 23rd year for the program that recognizes Lake Tahoe area projects for demonstrating exceptional planning, design, and compatibility with the Lake Tahoe environment. Local professionals in the fields of landscaping, planning, engineering, water quality, and resource management judged each category. A reception for all Best in Basin winners and judges will follow the awards ceremony.

“We are proud to honor this years’ list of Best in Basin winners,” said Joanne S. Marchetta, Executive Director of TRPA. “The restoration and protection efforts at Lake Tahoe are among the most innovative in the world and set an example for other communities facing similar issues.”

The 2012 Best in the Basin project winners are:

Stormwater BMPs
El Dorado County, Donaldo Palaroan CE, for the BMP Retrofit of the Shakori Drive Maintenance Yard, 1121 Shakori Drive, Meyers, California

Residential Remodel and Green Building Project
David Reichel and Katharine Miller for the Ottawa Drive Garage and Guest House Project, 1330 Ottawa Drive, Meyers, California

Residential Rebuild Project
Bill and Sue Parker for the Parker Family Retreat, 6900 West Lake Blvd., Tahoma, California

Commercial Project
Alan and Martha Bryan for the Cedar Glen Lodge Remodel, 6589 North Lake Blvd., Tahoe Vista, California

Restoration Project
Incline Village General Improvement District, Brad Johnson PE, for the Third Creek Restoration Project Final Phase, between Hwy 28 and the Lake, Incline Village, Nevada

Restoration Project, Honorable Mention
Nevada Division of State Lands, Elyse Randles Land Agent, for the Burgundy Hills Soil and Stream Environment Zone Restoration Project, Country Club Drive, Incline Village, Nevada

Erosion Control Project
Washoe County, Kris Klein, and Nevada Tahoe Conservation District, Megan Kelley PE, for the Hybrid BMP Project, Village Blvd between Ace Court and Golfers Pass Road, Incline Village, Nevada

Public Service Project
Incline Village General Improvement District, Brad Johnson PE, for the Diamond Peak Skier Services Building, 1210 Ski Way, Incline Village, Nevada

Forest Fuel Reduction Project
Meeks Bay Fire Protection District and Area Homeowners, Come Again Meadow Fuel Reduction and Meadow Restoration Project, 3 Ring Road, Rubicon Bay, California

Forest Fuel Reduction Project Honorable Mention
Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District and Logan Creek Community Homeowners, Logan Creek Community Defensible Space Project, Glenbrook, Nevada

Recreation Project
Tahoe City Public Utility District for the Lakeside Trail, a 1-mile segment of trail connecting the “64 acres” to the Tahoe State Recreation Area, Tahoe City, California

Shorezone Project
City of South Lake Tahoe, Hillary Roverud, and California Tahoe Conservancy, Bruce Eisner, for the El Dorado Beach Improvement Project at Lakeview Commons, Lake Tahoe Boulevard and Lakeview Avenue, South Lake Tahoe, California

Other/Mixed-Use Project
Tahoe Yacht Harbor LLC, Jim Phelan Manager, for the Tahoe City Marina Master Plan, 700 North Lake Boulevard, Tahoe City, California

Changes to Nomination Period for 2013 Best In The Basin
TRPA announced today updates to the popular program for the coming project year that make the program more flexible and allow project nominees to be evaluated under better weather conditions. For 2013, the Best in the Basin nomination period will run from January 1 to December 31 for projects that are completed between October 12, 2012 and December 31, 2013.

The updated nomination period will allow the judging panel to attend project tours the following spring or early summer when snow has receded and vegetation is at its best, rather than dodging changing weather conditions and visiting winterized sites in late October or November as has been the practice.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency cooperatively leads the effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region now and in the future. For additional information, call Jeff Cowen at (775) 589-5278 or send an email to jcowen@trpa.org.