Apr 29, 2025
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is improving its customer service and regional permitting system. Environmentally beneficial redevelopment and private sector investments are a crucial element in ensuring a sustainable Lake Tahoe. Beginning in early 2022, the Permitting and Compliance Department launched the Permitting Improvement Project.
The priorities for the project include:
- Establish more efficient, consistent, and predictable application review processes.
- Simplify and shorten review processes for minor applications and sequential approvals.
- Update code standards that are difficult to interpret, do not add value, or are unduly cumbersome.
- Prioritize public communication and customer services.
- Expand tools for staff development and training.
- Maintain adequate and dependable funding to support quality application reviews.
Project Status
In September and October of 2023, the TRPA Governing Board adopted a suite of amendments to the Code of Ordinances, Rules of Procedure, Design Review Guidelines, and Fee Schedule aimed at the priorities listed above. These changes implement the actions and recommendations of stakeholders identified in the March 2023 Implementation Report. In 2024 and 2025, TRPA staff continues to implement sweeping procedural and administrative changes.
Adopted Amendments
- Expanding the list of Exempt activities (not needing TRPA review)
- Changes to the required Level of Review for projects. (e.g. pier projects can now be reviewed at staff level without a hearing)
- Clarifying the Land Coverage definition and transfer criteria.
- Expanding eligibility of Coverage Exemptions.
- Clarifying Height and Roof Pitch
- New expedited review of Minor Projects and streamlined process for concurrent reviews.
- Streamlining projects related to Historic Resources.
Operational Improvements
The amendments above are paired with sweeping procedural and administrative internal improvements, including:
- Dedicated project review teams.
- Dedicated permitting customer service phone line (775-589-5333).
- New appointment system.
- New Procedure Manual providing a comprehensive step-by-step guide of the permitting process.
- Improved navigation to tools and applications on the TRPA website.
- Expense monitoring and reporting system for application reviews.
- User friendly guide for residential Best Management Practices (BMPs).
Coming Soon
- New Residential application and permitting guides.
- ADU permitting guides.
- Procedure Manual updates and Code clarifications.
- Pier lottery process updates.
- Land capability digitization.
- Permitting AI tools.
Contact
Please contact our staff with questions or suggestions.
Jennifer Self
jself@trpa.gov
(775) 589-5261
More Information
Mar 5, 2025
March 12 Local Government Committee Agenda
March 12 Local Government Committee Packet
How To: Zoom Webinar Public Participation How To: Use the Meeting Packet
Video Recording
TRPA Public Meeting video recordings are uploaded to YouTube. To receive notifications when recordings are uploaded, please subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TahoeRegionalPlanningAgency
MEETING MATERIALS
Agenda Item No. V.A. Scenic and Historic Resource Protection Programs Staff Report
Final March 12, 2025 Local Government Committee Minutes
Presentations:
Local Government Committee
Additional Items:
Public Comments:
Meeting Public Comments/Handouts:
The PDF files of the received written public comments are organized in reverse date order, bookmarked, and searchable. The files will be updated periodically until 5pm, Tuesday, March 11th. Please remember to clear your browser cache to ensure you are seeing the most up to date information.
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) appreciates and considers all input from the public. We encourage you to submit written comment (email, mail, or fax) well in advance of the meeting date to give our staff adequate time to organize, post, and distribute your input to the appropriate staff and representatives. Written comments received by 4 p.m. the day before a scheduled public meeting will be distributed and posted to the TRPA website before the meeting begins. TRPA does not guarantee written comments received after 4 p.m. the day before a meeting will be distributed and posted in time for the meeting. Late comments may be distributed and posted after the meeting.
REQUIRED: Include the meeting information and agenda item in the subject line. For general comments to representatives, include “General Comment” in the subject line.
Please email your comment to publiccomment@trpa.gov.
Feb 20, 2025
TRPA Public Meeting video recordings are uploaded to YouTube. To receive notifications when recordings are uploaded, please subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TahoeRegionalPlanningAgency
How To Provide Public Comment
Interested members of the public who are participating remotely will be able to digitally “Raise Their Hand” during the meeting and speak when called upon. Comment on any agenda item before the item closes. Comments submitted during the meeting will be recorded into the record. Individuals and groups will have three minutes of public comment time.
On the day of the meeting, join from the link or phone numbers posted below. In order to make a public comment, the Zoom App must be used and the correct audio options must be enabled. For more details click the link below.
Zoom Webinar Public Participation – Click Here
February 27, 2025, Performance Review Committee Agenda
Agenda Item No. III. A. 2025 and 2026 Residential Allocation Distribution
ERRATA Agenda Item No. III. A. 2025 and 2026 Residential Allocation Distribution
May 22, 2024
TRPA Public Meeting video recordings are uploaded to YouTube. To receive notifications when recordings are uploaded, please subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TahoeRegionalPlanningAgency
How To Provide Public Comment
Interested members of the public who are participating remotely will be able to digitally “Raise Their Hand” during the meeting and speak when called upon. Comment on any agenda item before the item closes. Comments submitted during the meeting will be recorded into the record. Individuals and groups will have three minutes of public comment time.
On the day of the meeting, join from the link or phone numbers posted below. In order to make a public comment, the Zoom App must be used and the correct audio options must be enabled. For more details click the link below.
Zoom Webinar Public Participation – Click Here
May 29, 2024, Transportation Performance Technical Advisory Committee Agenda
May 29, 2024, Agenda Item No. IV. A. and IV. B. Transportation Performance and Recommendation
DRAFT April 22, 2024, Transportation Performance Technical Advisory Committee Minutes
FINAL Draft TRPA Biennial Report 2024
Apr 15, 2024
How To Provide Public Comment
Interested members of the public who are participating remotely will be able to digitally “Raise Their Hand” during the meeting and speak when called upon. Comment on any agenda item before the item closes. Comments submitted during the meeting will be recorded into the record. Individuals and groups will have three minutes of public comment time.
On the day of the meeting, join from the link or phone numbers posted below. In order to make a public comment, the Zoom App must be used and the correct audio options must be enabled. For more details click the link below.
Zoom Webinar Public Participation – Click Here
April 22, 2024 Transportation Performance Technical Advisory Committee Agenda
Agenda Item No. III. DRAFT Transportation Performance Technical Advisory Committee (TPTAC) Meeting Minutes 01.19.2024
Agenda Item No. IV. A. & IV. B. 2024 Transportation Performance and Recommendations Report
4/22/2024 Presentation Transportation Performance Transportation Performance Technical Advisory Committee (TPTAC)
DRAFT TRPA Biennial Performance Report 2024_4.15.24 version with revised Ch. 4
UPDATED Transportation Performance Technical Advisory (TPTAC) Meeting Minutes 1/19/2024
Mar 20, 2024
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is bringing forward technical clarifications to the Phase 2 Housing Amendments, specifically Code of Ordinances sections 30.4.2.B.5.a and 30.4.2.B.6.a regarding mandatory participation in a stormwater collection and treatment system to receive coverage incentives, and section 52.3.1 regarding reservation of bonus units for deed-restricted affordable and moderate housing. The changes are intended to clarify language and requirements based on the direction from the Governing Board during the December 2023 hearing on the Phase 2 Housing Amendments, and do not result in any substantive change to the code. The proposed amendments will be heard by the Advisory Planning Commission (APC) on April 10th and the Governing Board on April 24th.
