California State Parks intends to assume management and operations of the Kings Beach State Recreation Area in the fall, and is currently working on a transition plan with the California Tahoe Conservancy to make improvements to the popular beach. State Parks intends to take over operations and management of the property Nov. 1 from the North Tahoe Public Utility District, which has managed the State Parks-owned property for 36 years. California Sen. Ted Gaines (R-Roseville) introduced a bill in January which would give ownership of the rec area to the local utility district, but he is urging all parties to work out an agreement so legislation isn’t required.
A 30-year management agreement between State Parks and the NTPUD ended in 2008, and the utility district has since managed the rec area on a monthly basis while both parties tried to agree on a long-term management contract. In January, State Parks announced it would take over management duties at KBSRA, leaving NTPUD officials and locals wondering what happened with the negotiations.
“We’re surprised negotiations broke down,” said NTPUD General Manager Paul Schultz. “We thought we were almost at an agreement.”
Additionally, State Parks announced March 11 that it is set to also take over management of all California Tahoe Conservancy properties near Kings Beach, including Kings Beach Plaza, Coon Street Beach, North Tahoe Beach, Moon Dunes, Secline Beach, and Sandy Beach.
At the crux of the negotiations are $600,000 in the Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades and who is responsible for those improvements. Schultz said the NTPUD could not make the ADA improvements unless it had another 30-year management contract, which would allow the district to seek grants from Placer County to pay for the upgrades. However, State Parks contends the utility district “declined to participate,” so the agency decided to take over management duties, according to Jess Cooper, northern division chief for the California Department of Parks and Recreation. The rec area also comes with an additional $800,000 in deferred maintenance costs.
“It’s state-owned property; why would we make improvements on their property?” Schultz asked, noting that State Parks also wanted the utility district to maintain the conservancy properties for free. The NTPUD had been receiving $50,000 a year from the CTC to manage those properties.
The NTPUD’s main concern over State Parks managing and operating the property is access to the beach parking lot, which provides parking for local businesses and the North Tahoe Event Center, which is a major revenue source for the district. There was also concern that State Parks would close the parking lot and restrooms from November to March after receiving an email Jan. 24 from the agency, but Cooper maintains the park will stay open all year.
“We need access and parking for the events center,” Schultz said. “We’ve got to have that parking or the building is dead.”
Vicky Waters, State Parks spokesperson, said the agency understands the importance of access to the parking lot and sent a Right of Entry Permit to the utility district two weeks ago, which would allow the utility district to snow plow and access the parking lot in the winter. Schultz said he has reviewed the permit, but has yet to respond.
The SB 832 bill, introduced by Sen. Gaines to turn over ownership of the rec area to the NTPUD, will be considered at a hearing April 8 in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee. However, a senior consultant in Gaines’ office said the bill “could be delayed at any time to allow the parties to work out a non-legislative solution.” Schultz said a meeting between Sen. Gaines, Assemblyman Brian Dahle (R-Bieber), NTPUD, State Parks, and the conservancy is scheduled for next week.
Local Concern
A March 20 town hall meeting on this issue, hosted by Sen. Gaines at the North Tahoe Event Center, was attended by all involved parties, as well as more than 150 community members. At that meeting, Cooper from State Parks stated that the agency would keep the facilities open year-round. Patrick Wright, executive director of the California Tahoe Conservancy, also laid out some of the long-term plans for KBSRA, including putting in a new pier, a promenade from Coon Street to Secline, and adding concert space. Cooper added that there will be a park ranger present at all the beaches, all ADA improvements and upgrades will be completed, and the community will have input on what they would like to see at the beach. However, locals expressed concern over State Parks managing the area.
“My concern is that we have the state take over something we use daily. It’s not that I don’t trust the parks or state,” said Kings Beach resident Cris Hennessy. “It is a reality that our state runs out of money.”
Many locals voiced concerns over how State Parks would fund the improvements and ongoing management of the rec area; however, State Parks Spokesperson Waters told Moonshine Ink that Gov. Jerry Brown allocated $40 million to State Parks for deferred maintenance needs in his 2014-2015 budget, as well as a one-time increase of $14 million to continue existing service levels throughout the state park system.
While many questions still remain concerning the Nov. 1 State Parks takeover of the Kings Beach State Recreation Area, Cooper contends this is the best action for the users of the rec area. While a transition plan is currently being worked on with details being ironed out, State Parks said it will hold a community meeting in the next few months.
“We envision an environment where we bring the community together,” Cooper said. “We don’t see a separate process. We see an integrated community process.”
