TRPA approves Tahoe Valley Area Plan

The Governing Board of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency today unanimously approved the Tahoe Valley Area Plan the City of South Lake Tahoe created to guide community revitalization and environmental restoration in a district centered around the “Y” intersection of Highways 89 and 50.

Area plans are comprehensive land use and zoning documents. They are the framework for local jurisdictions at Tahoe to implement the environmental, transportation, and sustainability goals of the TRPA Regional Plan, while also realizing the unique visions residents and businesses have for improving their communities.

This is the second area plan TRPA has approved in South Lake Tahoe, following adoption of the Tourist Core Area Plan.

“Today marks another important step in implementing the Regional Plan. We look forward to seeing this comprehensive vision for one of our most visible gateways at Tahoe carried out for the benefit of our community, environment, and economy,” said Joanne S. Marchetta, Executive Director of TRPA.

The Tahoe Valley Area Plan includes 337 acres around the “Y” intersection. The area is bounded by 10th Street to the north, E Street to the South, Truckee Drive to the east, and Julie Lane to the west. Major aspects of the plan include:

- The Tahoe Valley Greenbelt, a pedestrian and bicycle link connecting neighborhoods to the commercial core. The greenbelt would provide open space and a public recreation amenity, functioning as an area-wide stormwater treatment system, restoring sensitive stream areas, reducing pollution going into Lake Tahoe, and offering a way for adjacent properties to meet their stormwater infiltration requirements.

- A Town Center Healthcare District, to consolidate healthcare and support services around Barton Hospital with an integrated pedestrian system and residential area for employees.

- A Mixed-Use Commercial and Entertainment Town Center at the “Y” intersection, to create a hub for community gathering and special events.

- New sidewalks, bike paths, and transit expansions.

- Redevelopment incentives for projects that benefit the environment, community, and economy, and incentives for projects that will remove development from and restore environmentally-sensitive areas in the Upper Truckee watershed.

“The City of South Lake Tahoe is pleased with the collaborative process that went into creating this plan to restore the environment and create new redevelopment opportunities. It will help Tahoe Valley become a vital economic center for the South Shore and the Tahoe Basin while reflecting the local community’s vision,” said Shawna Brekke-Read, Director of Development Services for the City of South Lake Tahoe.

With the Tahoe Valley Area Plan’s adoption and approval of a memorandum of understanding, South Lake Tahoe is also taking on additional responsibilities to provide a more streamlined one-stop permitting process for projects up to a limited size.