Tahoe Transportation District Secures Remaining $4.9 Million for Fanny Bridge Project
TAHOE CITY
The Tahoe Transportation District announced Oct. 21 that it secured the remaining $4.9 million in funding required for the $33 million State Route 89/Fanny Bridge Community Revitalization Project and Meeks Bay Trail Project. The Tahoe City plan at the intersection of state routes 89 and 28 at the northwest corner of Lake Tahoe will include the replacement of Fanny Bridge, as well as a new two-lane bridge. The project in Tahoe City will realign roadways from state Route 89 to West Lake Blvd., minimize traffic backups, replace the existing 87-year-old bridge, improve pedestrian and cyclist use, and support tourism and economic development at Tahoe City. The project at Meeks Bay will extend the off-highway bike trail from Sugar Pine Point State Park to Meeks Bay Resort. Work is scheduled to start in summer 2016. Completion of the projects is expected in 2018. Info: fannybridge.org
Placer Board gives OK to 2015 North Lake Tahoe Tourism Master Plan
PLACER COUNTY
After three years of research and public outreach, a draft of the 2015 North Lake Tahoe Tourism Master Plan was approved Oct. 20 by the Placer County Board of Supervisors. The plan, the second revision of the original 1995 document, will serve as a guiding document for future tourism investment. A minimum of 60 percent of the transient occupancy tax collected at North Lake Tahoe is used to fund upgrades to infrastructure and visitor amenities. The research identified current trends and revealed North Lake Tahoe’s strengths and weaknesses in relationship to other destination resort areas. The plan identified four top priorities where investment should be directed: Improving visitor activities, which includes expanding, connecting and maintaining the North Shore’s many trails and adding amenities to the trail system such as restrooms, signage and connections to public transportation; increasing transportation to provide free, year-round public transit with shorter wait times and extended hours of service connecting resort areas; increasing domestic and international destination visitors traveling from longer distances; and providing user-friendly visitor guide technology accessible on a variety of devices.
Town Receives $905,000 for Glenshire Bike Project
TRUCKEE
The Town of Truckee recently announced that the Glenshire Drive/Dorchester Drive Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvement Project has been selected to receive $905,000 in funding from the Active Transportation Program, a state and federal funding program that is administered by Caltrans. This project will reconstruct and widen Glenshire Drive and Dorchester Drive to implement Class II Bike Lanes. The project will also likely include improvements to facilitate pedestrian crossing of Glenshire Drive near the Legacy Trail – Glenshire Trailhead and a left-hand turn lane on Glenshire Drive at Dorchester Drive.
Kings Beach Roundabout Art Changes
KINGS BEACH
Tahoe Public Art announced in October that “Swimming With Friends,” a kinetic sculpture proposed by David Boyer to be placed in one of the new Kings Beach Roundabouts, has been replaced with “Da O Wa Ga,” a sculpture by Brett Moten of Infinity Forge. The “Friends” piece was selected by the community at a public meeting in March, but because of its kinetic elements, Caltrans cannot have it in the public roadway. TPA is finalizing the details of the placement of “Swimming With Friends” on private property. “Leaf Sails” by Troy Corliss, the piece selected for the other roundabout, remains planned for installation. “Da O Wa Ga” and “Leaf Sails” will undergo engineering review before final approval is given by Caltrans. Info: tahoepublicart@gmail.com
Department of Energy Recognizes Placer County for Granlibakken Resort Project
TAHOE CITY
The U.S. Department of Energy gave Placer County national recognition in October, showcasing the recent energy efficiency retrofits to the Granlibakken Conference Center and Resort in Tahoe City that were financed through the county’s mPOWER Placer program. The facility was highlighted as the county’s “Showcase Project” for the Better Buildings Challenge, a program launched by President Obama to cut energy waste. As a Better Buildings Challenge partner, Placer County has committed to 20 percent energy savings over 10 years across 5 million square feet of building space. Granlibakken Conference Center and Resort is expected to save 43 percent in energy use annually, which would save an annual $44,000 in energy bills. Info: mpowerplacer.org
North Lake Tahoe Redevelopment Gets Boost from Incentives Program
NORTH SHORE
An incentive program aimed at supporting environmental redevelopment projects in North Lake Tahoe town centers was unanimously approved by the Placer County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 20. The North Lake Tahoe Town Centers Economic Development Incentive Program and Implementation Plan creates an incentive program that aims to offset the high costs of redevelopment in the Basin. Redevelopment projects in Tahoe City and Kings Beach will benefit from tourist accommodation unit cost offsets and infrastructure cost offsets. The program seeks to build more certainty into the development and permitting processes, reducing the risk to investors interested in projects in the North Tahoe communities. With the board’s approval, county staff will immediately begin developing the procedures for administering the program.
Nevada County Grown Awarded $25,000 Planning Grant
NEVADA COUNTY
On Oct. 2, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced nearly $35 million in new funding through four grant programs to support local and regional food systems. Nevada County Grown was one of the recipients. The group received nearly $25,000 to assess the feasibility of establishing a food hub in the county. The grant provides a significant opportunity for the Nevada County community to create a system that supports local farms and promotes sustainable food in the county. The grant is being administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service. Info: hub@nevadacountygrown.org
Tahoe Prosperity Center Releases Inaugural Measuring for Prosperity Report
LAKE TAHOE
The Tahoe Prosperity Center, a Basin-wide community and economic development organization, released its first Measuring for Prosperity report Oct. 29. Highlights from the report include: The first population increase in the Tahoe Basin, which had seen steady declines for more than a decade; the rapid loss of the 25 to 44 year-old age group is a concern; housing costs continue to outpace local income levels; jobs have continued to decline in the region and tourism-related jobs went from 50 to 44 percent of the overall workforce; unemployment is above average compared to California and Nevada and nearby communities; and tax revenue from retail sales are highest in the redeveloped areas of our communities showing that town-centers are thriving compared to outdated developments. Info: tahoeprosperity.org/prosperity
Abandonment of Mill Site Road and Cross Cut Court in Northstar Approved
NORTHSTAR
The Placer County Board of Supervisors approved a series of items that will change the ownership status of two short roads near Northstar. The board’s approvals are for the abandonment of Mill Site Road and Cross Cut Court, eventually making the currently public roadways privately owned. The board had tentatively approved the abandonment at its Aug. 4 meeting subject to final findings. At issue was the use of Mill Site Road, a public road that runs through the Retreat at Northstar, an 18-lot development. The main roadway through Martis Camp, a 668-lot development, is Schaffer Mill Road, a private roadway that ends at Mill Site Rd. The two roads are separated by transponder-controlled gate. The debate stems from residents at the Retreat who believe the gate should not be used by Martis Camp residents. Placer County’s Department of Public Works and Facilities, which presented the item to the board, noted that the primary reason for the Retreat’s abandonment request was to preclude through traffic from using Mill Site Road. The two roadways will become the responsibility of the Retreat. The gate at Mill Site Road will remain accessible to emergency vehicles and public transit vehicles.
1Airport Breaks Ground on New Building
TRUCKEE
Truckee Tahoe Airport District broke ground Oct. 7 on a new office building planned to house Clear Capital and potentially two car rental companies. The old Hertz Rental Car building was demolished on the site and its doors, windows, fans, and lights were donated to Habitat for Humanity. The new 12,000 square foot warehouse office building is scheduled to open fall 2016.
“Plates for Powder” Program Returns for 2015/16 Season
LAKE TAHOE
The popular “Plates for Powder” program is back, and offers individuals who purchase a new Lake Tahoe license plate in either California or Nevada two free lift tickets to one of 12 Tahoe resorts participating in the program. Plate sales and renewal fees generate proceeds that go directly to the California Tahoe Conservancy and Nevada Division of State Lands to fund hiking and biking trails and watershed restoration projects. The Tahoe Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to raising money for environmental improvement projects that support lake clarity, recreation and stewardship in the Tahoe Basin, is organizing the program on behalf of the public agencies. The promotion is available until April 1, 2016. Info: tahoeplates.com
Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnership Program Launches Tenth Year
NORTH TAHOE/TRUCKEE
The Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnership program kicked off its tenth year on Oct. 15, training 28 new members at Sagehen Creek Field Station to serve throughout the Sierra, including new host sites Trout Unlimited in Truckee, the Tuolumne River Trust in Sonora, and the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station in Fresno. Members will complete diverse projects such as mapping and restoring illegal OHV trails in the Eldorado National Forest, running the 2016 Sierra Trout Camp in Truckee, and leading volunteer crews in the restoration of the Rim Fire burn area. Info: sieranevadaalliance.org
Truckee Donner PUD Gives Free LED Holiday Lights to Customers
TRUCKEE
Starting Nov. 25, Truckee Donner Public Utility District customers who bring in their current electric bill can exchange up to three strands of old incandescent holiday lights for LEDs. The TDPUD will replace the incandescent lights with a choice of up to 60 feet of warm white or multicolor LED lights. These energy-efficient holiday lights can save between 80 to 98 percent on energy costs versus the old-style incandescent lights. This program is only available while supplies last. Info: (530) 582-3931, tdpud.org
