More West Shore Projects
This post includes information regarding other projects and activities that will affect the West Shore. Please check back for updates and copies of comments submitted by FOWS and other organizations.
Lake Tahoe West Forest Restoration
The proposed Lake Tahoe West Restoration Project, based on the comprehensive Lake Tahoe West Landscape Restoration Strategy, aims to restore forests, meadows, streams, and wildlife habitat across the West Shore. FOWS has been represented on the Stakeholder Science Committee for the partnership associated with the project. The Notice of Preparation (NOP) for the environmental document was released in April. FOWS and other organizations expressed concerns about some elements of the proposed project, including a proposal to allow new permanent road construction in Backcountry Management Areas located adjacent to the Granite Chief Wilderness Area in areas around Twin Peaks, Ward Peak, and Stanford Rock, and a proposed Basinwide amendment by TRPA to allow mechanical equipment on steeper slopes than is currently allowed (read FOWS comments). Work is underway on the environmental analysis for the project, with the draft environmental review anticipated in early 2021.
Tahoe City Projects
Tahoe City Bypass Bridge/Fanny Bridge construction: Construction for 2020 includes curb, gutter, sidewalk, and bike path improvements and will all take place off the roadway and/or along shoulders. Construction of a roundabout at the Wye and replacement of Fanny Bridge may begin in 2022, depending on funding.
Tahoe City Lodge: The project remains held up in litigation.
Tahoe City Old Firehouse: The feasibility study addressing two proposed project concepts is now available. The study concludes that neither project is financially viable as proposed and significant financial assistance would be required. At this time, the county has not proposed any action.
White Wolf Subdivision - Alpine Meadows
Located in Alpine Meadows, the proposed White Wolf Subdivision is an approximately 275-acre private resort including: 38 single-family homes, 14 guest units and 6 employee housing units; parking, common areas and amenities (e.g. equestrian facilities, pool, ice skating rink, tennis courts), and two private ski lifts.
The project would place development on a privately-owned portion of the Congressionally-designated Granite Chief Wilderness Area (GCWA) which would prevent the affected portion from being considered for future purchase by the U.S. Forest Service as was intended when the boundaries were originally drawn, as well as build homes and infrastructure adjacent to the popular Five Lakes hiking trail. FOWS will keep you informed as the review process moves forward.
News articles, including this 12/27 story in the San Francisco Chronicle, have touted the proposed gated community as one man's long term dream that would be "more akin to that of a charming French ski village than a corporate resort ." Notably, the project would require re-zoning for the development because the area is now primarily zoned Open Space (existing development includes one single family home and a partially-constructed ski lift). The proposal has raised concerns among FOWS and others about the environmental and public safety impacts of yet another new large development project in a region already struggling with wildfire and avalanche dangers, congested roadways, water and air quality issues, and other consequences of over-development.
Updates
April 2020: The settlement agreement on the Squaw Alpine gondola includes funding toward the future purchase of privately-held land within the Granite Chief Wilderness Area (GCWA) boundary. The USFS lacked funding for this purchase when the GCWA boundary was originally drawn to include these lands, however it was the desire that they would eventually be purchased for public ownership and protection. In addition, the agreement also prohibits access to the gondola from the proposed White Wolf project. We hope the settlement agreement will encourage Placer County to acknowledge and protect these lands from such development.
December 2019: In November, a Notice of Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report was issued (read FOWS Comments).
Squaw Valley - Alpine Meadows Base-to-Base Gondola
When a Base-to-Base Gondola that would have cut through the Granite Chief Wilderness Area was proposed, FOWS was concerned about the impacts the proposed gondola route will have on scenic quality and natural resources, wildlife habitat, and other values, as well as the precedent the gondola’s approval could set for possible future gondolas in the Lake Tahoe Basin. FOWS collaborated with other concerned organizations toward the goal of preventing development in the Wilderness Area and mitigating other impacts of the new gondola. The final project included a new alignment which kept the gondola out of the Wilderness Area, and a subsequent lawsuit and settlement by the Protect Granite Chief Initiative group led to other improvements to the project, as noted below.
Timeline
August 2019: The Protect Granite Chief Initiative, filed a lawsuit in the California Superior Court. That lawsuit has been settled, with many favorable results. Examples of benefits outlined in the press release include:
Squaw Alpine agreed to provide separate funding, to be held in trust by the Truckee Donner Land Trust, for the acquisition of private holdings within the Granite Chief Wilderness Area and high resource value lands and/or conservation easements. Land eligible for purchase with the funds include the area within and adjacent to the Granite Chief Wilderness. In addition, a Conservation Easement will be placed on Lake Estelle and two other lands controlled by Squaw-Alpine for protection from ski lift and other infrastructure development.
Squaw Alpine also agreed to operational limits for the gondola designed to mitigate potential noise, visual, and other impacts to the nearby Granite Chief Wilderness, including limiting the operation to no later than April 30.
Protections for Sierra Nevada Yellow Legged Frog habitat and funding for future studies and potential habitat restoration are included.
FOWS would like to congratulate the citizens behind the Protect Granite Chief Initiative for their efforts to secure these additional mitigations. The settlement addresses many of the concerns we also expressed about this project.
July 2019: Placer County’s Board of Supervisors approved the final project amid concerns about unmitigated environmental impacts - FOWS comments. Twelve “Objections” were filed with the USFS - learn more here. The USFS recently stated they will finish clarifying the objections by the end of September and release a Final Record of Decision in November.
May 2019: The Placer County Planning Commission voted to recommend the Board of Supervisors certify the environmental document and approve Alternative 4 on 05/30/16 - FOWS comments.
April 2019: The Final Environmental Impact Statement/Report, jointly prepared by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Placer County, was released in April 2019. The USFS and Placer County selected Alternative 4, which places the new gondola to the east of the originally-proposed route and outside of the Granite Chief Wilderness Area (GCWA).
April 2018: The Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Report (DEIS/R) was released on 4/27/2018 - FOWS comments.
July 2016: There were two separate Notices for the proposed Base-to-Base Gondola. Placer County’s Notice of Preparation under CEQA was released on 4/22/2016 - FOWS comments. The U.S. Forest Service’s Notice of Intent under NEPA was released on 4/30/2016 - FOWS comments. In late July 2016 it was announced that a the gondola proposal will now go through a joint Placer County/U.S. Forest Service environmental review process; a revised public notice was distributed in September. Numerous conservation organizations, including FOWS, expressed opposition to the proposed route, advocating for an alternative alignment to be evaluated. Not only are we concerned with the impacts to the Wilderness Area, but also the potential precedent that could be set.
Tahoe Keys Aquatic Invasive Species Control Project
This project proposes testing of several methods, including the use of herbicides (currently prohibited in Lake Tahoe), to address the abundance of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) in the Tahoe Keys lagoons that has also spread into Lake Tahoe. The draft environmental review is expected to be released for public review on 7/6, with public webinars on 7/22, 8/11, and 8/12; comments will be due on 9/3. FOWS is concerned about this project due to the potential precedent that could be set as well as the distribution of AIS from the Keys lagoons to Lake Tahoe.
Lake Tahoe Passenger Ferry
The proposed project includes passenger ferry service across Lake Tahoe between Tahoe City and Ski Run Marinas. The waterborne transit concept originated decades ago when vehicle emissions were far more polluting than they are now.
Although FOWS recognizes the benefits of improving public transit options, the proposed project will create significant air and water quality impacts to the West Shore and Lake Tahoe, as well as increase the spread of invasive species in the Lake. According to the NOI/NOP and Regional Transportation Plan (RTP):
The ferries are estimated to require 2,000 gallons of gas per day to operate, creating significant air and water pollution (likely far more than if passengers were to drive their vehicles). This runs contrary to the TRPA Compact's mandate to reduce air pollution and protect Lake Tahoe.
The ferries plan to use the Tahoe Keys marina for maintenance and docking, thus carrying more invasive milfoil into Lake Tahoe and increasing the rate of spread of existing and future invasive species.
The project is estimated to cost $42.2 million in existing federal tax dollars to implement, and ongoing maintenance will be around $4.6 million per year. Although some money will be made from fares, the likely low off-season ridership coupled with the need to keep fares affordable (if this is truly to serve as a public transit alternative to driving) raise significant questions regarding the future viability of this project.
This project will also require additional parking lots near these marinas, although consideration of these impacts are delayed by the NOI/NOP document.
FOWS believes public transit should aim to provide cleaner alternatives to the use of private vehicles, however the proposed ferry service appears to do the exact opposite, and at enormous cost to the public.
For more information visit the Tahoe Transportation District.
Updates
2018: As of 2018, preparation of the draft EIR/S is currently on hold. It is not clear if or when this project will proceed.
January 2014: The Notice of Intent/Notice of Preparation was issued on 11/11/13 - FOWS Comments. The Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) continues to work on the draft EIR/S for this project. A release date has not yet been provided.
Placer County’s Tahoe Basin Area Plan
Placer County has adopted one Area Plan for the entire in-Basin portion of the county. Learn more about the Tahoe Basin Area Plan here.
In the existing Tahoe Basin Area Plan, all existing Plan Area Statement uses remain along West Shore communities, however, single-family and multi-family residential uses were added to the list of allowed uses in the commercial areas of Homewood and Sunnyside (termed "Village Centers" in the Area Plan). Other changes apply on an area-wide scale in the TBAP, however no additional heights or densities were proposed along the West Shore.
Timeline
October 2017: The Tahoe Basin Area Plan (TBAP) was approved by the Placer County Board of Supervisors in December 2016 and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency in January 2017. In October 2017, the TRPA Governing Board approved a new Memorandum of Understanding increasing the authority of Placer County to approve certain projects that previously required TRPA review and approval.
January 2017: The TRPA Governing Board approved the TBAP - Meeting Agenda, FOWS Comments
December 2016: The Placer County Board of Supervisors approved the TBAP. See related meeting agendas and comments:
12/01/16 TRPA Advisory Planning Commission, Placer County Board of Supervisors - FOWS Comments
11/14/16 Placer County Planning Commission - FOWS Comments
11/16/16 TRPA Regional Plan Implementation Committee - Agenda, FOWS Comments
July 2015: On June 3rd, 2015, Placer County released a second (revised) draft Tahoe Basin Area Plan Notice of Preparation (NOP) - FOWS Comments. Although the revised draft Area Plan has narrowed its scope compared to the first NOP in 2014, FOWS remains concerned with several aspects of the proposed Area Plan, including the new addition of a "Tahoe City Lodge Pilot Program," especially as it will draw more vehicles into Tahoe City, where congestion is already a significant problem. The additional visitors are also likely to drive along the West Shore to view unique places such as Emerald Bay.
The draft Environmental Impact Report/Study (EIR/S) was released in June - FOWS Comments
At this time, Placer County anticipates release of the final EIR/S in the fall of 2016. All existing Plan Area Statement uses will remain along West Shore communities, however, single-family and multi-family residential uses would be added to the list of allowed uses in the commercial areas of Homewood and Sunnyside (termed "Village Centers" in the Area Plan). Other changes apply on an area-wide scale in the TBAP, however no additional heights or densities are proposed along the West Shore. Additional heights, densities, and other changes that would apply to the Tahoe City and Kings Beach Town Centers raise concerns about traffic and related environmental and public safety impacts. Unfortunately the draft EIR/S did not include adequate mitigation to address these impacts.
August 2014: Placer County released the draft TBAP NOP, FOWS submitted the following comments:
08/15/14 Placer County Tahoe Basin Community/Area Plan NOP - FOWS Comments
06/23/14 Placer County Tahoe Basin Community/Area Plan draft Policy Document - FOWS Comments
01/31/14 Placer County Tahoe Basin Community/Area Plan draft Framework Document - FOWS Comments
El Dorado County’s Area Plan
As of March 2018, the only Area Plan developed by El Dorado County is the Meyers Area Plan. Representatives have said that the next ‘phase' will incorporate the remaining unincorporated areas of the County, including Meeks Bay and Tahoma, although no plans for this next phase have been announced.
What Can I Do?
Every West Shore resident should understand this project and its potential impact on our community, so thank you for reading this and staying active! More ways to help:
Write letters to Placer/El Dorado County Board of Supervisors and the TRPA Governing Board.
Attend Placer/El Dorado County and TRPA public meetings and workshops. Check our site for updates on upcoming meetings.
Read our newsletters and connect with us on facebook to stay informed on opportunities to take action.
Get in touch with us. Let us know your concerns and what can we do to help you understand this project.
Support us through membership, volunteering, or donation.