Feb 26, 2025
Lake Tahoe, Calif./Nev. – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is accepting applications for a new scholarship program that supports Lake Tahoe community members to engage in the planning process as part of the Tahoe Living initiative to update affordable and workforce housing policies, the agency announced today.
Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin is a multi-year project to modernize land use policies and the regional growth management system to make housing more accessible while maintaining and improving environmental protections. A core focus of the program is to establish long-term, two-way engagement between communities and agencies, with a particular focus on underrepresented groups, according to TRPA.
“We want to ensure that many voices help shape solutions to affordable housing that improve safety and continue to protect Lake Tahoe,” TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan said. “These scholarships and new training opportunities can help community members most affected by housing challenges gain the knowledge and skills needed to engage in decision-making.”
Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin scholarships will award up to $25,000 to help individual community members participate in training courses that provide background knowledge on subjects like planning, environmental regulations, growth management, public safety, and zoning. Most awards will be up to up to $1,600, with one $3,000 scholarship to assist an individual in attending a conference. The scholarships are a companion to TRPA’s Community Academy webinar series and allow for education, discussion, and hands-on learning experiences, according to the agency.
Participants will also be asked to provide feedback on how the agency can improve the training program. The Community Academy webinar series is open to the public and recordings can be viewed at www.tahoeliving.org.
Anyone who is a full-time resident of the Tahoe Basin or works in the Basin is welcome to apply. Scholarship recipients should represent a diverse range of backgrounds, experiences, interests, and communities. Applications and more information on eligibility are available at www.tahoeliving.org/engagement-approach.
Funding for the scholarships is provided through a grant from the State of California grant. TRPA has also provided mini-grant assistance to community-based organizations.
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The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency leads the cooperative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment. For additional information, contact Jeff Cowen, Public Information Officer, at (775) 589-5278, or jcowen@trpa.gov.
Feb 6, 2025
Image: Trail, transit, and parking improvements continue along Nevada State Route 28 on the East Shore of Lake Tahoe. Local, state, and federal funding are essential to complete the Hwy 28 Corridor Management Plan. Credit: Drone Promotions
Carson City, Nev. – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) participated in Transportation Day at the Nevada Legislature this week and addressed the State Senate and Assembly Growth and Infrastructure Committees in support of environmental and transportation improvements in the Lake Tahoe Basin. The 83rd session of the Nevada Legislature is convening on the 55th anniversary of the Bi-State Tahoe Regional Planning Compact between Nevada and California that unified Lake Tahoe planning and environmental programs under the Regional Plan, TRPA said today.
As the lead agency for the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program, TRPA submitted legislation requests on behalf of partner agencies for consideration this year, including bills to streamline forest health projects, improve parking enforcement along Nevada roadways at the lake, and improve boating safety, according to the agency. Other legislation would allow $19 million in bond sales for Nevada EIP projects and self-assessed business improvement districts to fund improvements to transportation, housing, and tourism management.
During the 2024 interim session, TRPA and other Lake Tahoe agencies worked with the Nevada Legislative Oversight Committee for TRPA and the Marlette Lake Water System to provide in-depth information on environmental issues and programs, which helped elected officials introduce various bill requests. After six committee meetings last year, TRPA satisfied all requests from the committee.
“We appreciate the time and resources state legislators and our partners at the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources have invested to help improve public safety, transportation, and recreation in the Lake Tahoe Region,” TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan said. “We’re proud of the progress we have seen in the Tahoe Basin since Nevada and California created this unique bi-state agency more than 50 years ago. Yet new challenges and historic impacts still threaten the basin. We will continue working with both states to honor and strengthen that partnership in the protection of Lake Tahoe.”
More information on the 83rd Session of the Nevada Legislature is available at www.leg.state.nv.us.
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The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency leads the cooperative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment. For additional information, contact Jeff Cowen, Public Information Officer, at (775) 589-5278, or jcowen@trpa.gov.
Jan 23, 2025
Lake Tahoe, Nev./Calif. – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board yesterday approved amendments to the Homewood Mountain Resort Master Plan that allows reinvestment in the historic Lake Tahoe ski resort while ensuring Homewood will continue to be open to the public. Hundreds of in-person and online attendees participated in the meeting, reflecting the importance of Homewood to the Tahoe Basin community.
Previously approved projects to add accommodations and commercial uses at the base areas were reduced in size with updated architecture. The Governing Board also approved a permit for Homewood to begin construction of a new gondola to replace the main chairlift at the resort’s North Base to improve skier access. The ski area will also work with fire officials to expand services and assist with wildfire evacuation.
“The Homewood Master Plan approval today includes enforceable standards that will ensure the beloved West Shore resort can be revitalized while remaining open to the public,” TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan said. “Reinvestment in Lake Tahoe’s communities brings critical environmental improvements and community benefits, and this underscores that it can also support sustainable and accessible public recreation.”
In addition to public meetings in September and December of last year, the agency and Governing Board received more than 1,500 individual comments overall.
“TRPA worked diligently throughout this process to ensure all voices were heard and the result is an updated recreation master plan that reflects the central importance of Homewood Mountain Resort as a key gathering place for the West Shore.”
Homewood will also continue its 250-acre forest fuel reduction project this year and is finalizing an agreement with the North Tahoe Fire Protection District to expand fire services and assist with emergency response and wildfire evacuation. More information on the Homewood Master Plan is available at trpa.gov/major-projects/homewood-mountain-resort-master-plan/.
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The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency leads the cooperative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment. For additional information, contact Jeff Cowen, Public Information Officer, at (775) 589-5278 or jcowen@trpa.gov.
Jan 17, 2025
By Hayley Williamson
TRPA Governing Board Chair Hayley Williamson
As an avid hiker and Lake Tahoe resident, one of my favorite views of the lake is from the top of Mount Tallac. From this vantage, Lake Tahoe impressively expands below granite ledges and alpine forests cradle the cobalt-blue waters that spread into the horizon.
I never tire of explaining to my kids and friends that Lake Tahoe is so deep its waters extend well below the elevation of the Carson Valley floor—a vertical marvel of more than 1,600 feet. My commitment to protecting this unique region runs just as deep, and it’s an honor to serve as the new chair of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board.
TRPA has been at the forefront of preserving Lake Tahoe’s iconic beauty and vibrant communities for more than five decades. By maintaining overall caps on new development and leading restoration through the Environmental Improvement Program (EIP), TRPA has catalyzed more than 800 projects that protect Lake Tahoe by restoring meadows and streams, building bike paths, and reducing stormwater pollution. Without these efforts, the views from Mount Tallac might look starkly different today.
Imagine if the Tahoe Rim Trail had instead been built as the multi-lane freeway originally planned to encircle the lake. Or if Lake Tahoe’s shores were now home to a city the size of San Francisco with a population of 750,000. Lake clarity and ecological health would have been compromised long ago.
The founding of TRPA in 1969 was a visionary act of collaboration. California and Nevada came together to establish a Bi-State Compact ratified by Congress with a singular purpose: protecting Lake Tahoe while supporting its communities. Lawmakers ensured this mission would endure by creating a 15-member Governing Board that reflects the diverse jurisdictions and stakeholders of the Tahoe Basin. As unpaid volunteers, we bring dedication and thoughtful discussion to every policy decision, working alongside TRPA’s experienced staff to preserve Lake Tahoe for this and future generations.
Looking Ahead to 2025
One of TRPA’s biggest priorities for the coming year is to advance the housing and sustainability goals of the Lake Tahoe Regional Plan. TRPA launched the Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin project to make housing more accessible while improving environmental protections. The agency is bringing community members and partners together in a multi-year project to incentivize the type of housing our communities need while incorporating vital environmental improvements. The Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin project is an opportunity to build the region’s capacity to deliver more affordable and workforce housing and to create lasting connections between community members and agencies.
Our board also has several critical decisions on the horizon. Next week, we will consider the much-anticipated application to amend the 2011 Homewood Master Plan. Homewood Mountain Resort holds deep cultural significance for the Lake Tahoe community, and TRPA staff has engaged extensively with all stakeholders to ensure transparency to amend the plan originally approved 14 years ago.
Transparency is also central to TRPA’s ongoing evaluation of whether we’re meeting Tahoe’s environmental goals, known as thresholds. Every four years, TRPA conducts a comprehensive review of the region’s environmental conditions. In 2019, 79 percent of these thresholds—covering areas such as air quality, water quality, and soil health—were in attainment. Since then, TRPA has strengthened protections, such as raising standards for rehabilitating sensitive stream environment zones, to further safeguard the lake. This year, staff will present updates from the latest Threshold Evaluation, offering a science-driven roadmap for continued progress.
Additionally, the agency is updating the Regional Transportation Plan this year. The plan is a visionary blueprint for improving Tahoe’s transportation system through 2050 that aims to increase safety, reduce congestion, and preserve Tahoe’s environment while creating a more connected, sustainable future for residents and visitors alike.
At the same time, TRPA remains committed to confronting ongoing challenges accelerated by climate change. Extreme droughts and storms continue to impact the transportation network and visitation patterns. Warming lake waters are increasingly susceptible to algae growth, aquatic invasive species, and reduced lake clarity. And longer catastrophic wildfire seasons are a threat this region knows all too well.
TRPA and partners are continuing to increase our region’s resilience to these impacts. Last year, the agency facilitated a $1.7-million federal PROTECT grant to help fire and emergency management agencies coordinate evacuation planning and address wildfire and extreme weather vulnerabilities in our transportation and communication infrastructure.
Collaboration is Key
From the summit of Mount Tallac, you can’t see the state and jurisdictional boundaries that crisscross the Tahoe Basin. That view reinforces what five years on the TRPA Governing Board has taught me: working together is essential—just as it was when TRPA was founded. As chair, I commit to respectfully facilitating discussions that allow us to collectively advance the restoration and protection of this incredible place.
Lake Tahoe’s future depends on our ability to collaborate, and I’m confident we can meet the challenges ahead.
-Hayley Williamson is TRPA Governing Board Chair and Nevada At-Large Board Member.
Dec 18, 2024
Stateline, Nev. – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board on Wednesday elected Hayley Williamson, the Nevada At-Large Board Member, as its new Board Chair for a two-year term. Williamson replaces Placer County Supervisor Cindy Gustafson who served as chair of the bi-state governing body for more than two years and who will remain on the board as one of six local government appointees. Williamson also serves as Chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada, a seat to which she was first appointed in 2020.
“I am honored to step into the role of board chair and appreciate the opportunity from my fellow board members to uphold and strengthen the bi-state partnership,” Chair Williamson said. “Lake Tahoe is an irreplaceable natural wonder and we must work together to restore and protect it for all. It is also my home, and I am personally committed to helping guide TRPA to fulfill its mission of conservation and restoration.”
The Governing Board also elected Governor of California Appointee Vince Hoenigman as Vice Chair. Mr. Hoenigman is the co-owner of a real estate company that has played a crucial role in revitalizing downtown areas in Southern California and Nevada, and volunteers extensively with nonprofit organizations focused on National Parks, homelessness, and affordable housing. The Bi-State Compact established a 15-member Governing Board, with seven members from California, seven from Nevada and one non-voting appointee made by the President of the United States. Six of the seats are reserved for locally elected governing bodies.
“We look forward to Chair Williamson’s and Vice Chair Hoenigman’s leadership on the board as Lake Tahoe faces new threats and the cross-cutting effects of a changing climate,” TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan said. “Each board member brings a wealth of experience and unique perspective that reflect the broad importance of Lake Tahoe to local communities, the states, and the nation.”
During the meeting, the Governing Board also voted unanimously to approve amendments to two City of South Lake Tahoe area plans that include incentives for affordable and workforce housing projects and improved walkability and transportation connectivity in town centers. The amendments to the Tourist Core Area Plan and Tahoe Valley Area Plan incorporate the TRPA housing amendments approved by the Governing Board in December 2023, which set density, height, coverage, and parking standards for affordable and workforce housing projects. The City’s amendments reduce the amount of parking spaces required and increase requirements for bike parking facilities for new and redevelopment projects located with one-half mile of transit. The City’s proposed amendments to increase maximum density in the area plan town centers are being revisited and were not part of Wednesday’s approval.
The board also received a presentation on 2025 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Updates from the Tahoe Resource Conservation District. Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team agencies use the plans to identify and prioritize fuels reduction projects and defensible space in areas most susceptible to wildfire impacts to safeguard lives, homes, critical infrastructure, and the landscape of the Tahoe Basin. The 2025 plans also prioritize fuel reduction projects along all evacuation routes to make those areas safer during emergencies.
The TRPA Governing Board selected Nevada-At-Large member Hayley Williamson as chair for the next two years.
Credit: Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
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The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency leads the cooperative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment. For additional information, contact Victoria Ortiz, at (775) 589-5251 or vortiz@trpa.gov.
Oct 4, 2024
Lake Tahoe, Nev./Calif. – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) has launched the next phase of its affordable and workforce housing program, the Tahoe Living strategic priority, and announced today more opportunities for additional community representation.
As part of the Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin project, TRPA is accepting applications for two open seats on the Tahoe Living Working Group and seeking participants to join the Community Partner Group. Both opportunities are aimed toward representing priority communities identified in the award-winning Lake Tahoe Transportation Equity Study that TRPA completed last year.
The agency has also launched a mini-grant program for community-based organizations to help build partnerships, share information, and engage priority community residents and workers.
“The diversity of Lake Tahoe’s communities and the sustainability of the region are fundamentally interconnected,” TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan said. “To protect our environment and revitalize communities in a meaningful way, we need to expand representation of the communities most impacted by the housing crisis.”
The shortage of affordable housing in the Lake Tahoe Region is impacting the environment as well as the workers and families who can no longer afford to live in the basin. Today, half of all workers live outside the region, which increases vehicle emissions and adds to traffic and safety issues.
Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin is a multiyear project that promotes equity and climate resilience through improved growth management and inclusive community engagement. TRPA formed the Tahoe Living Working Group in 2020 to provide policy recommendations that have helped the agency modernize land use policies and remove barriers to workforce housing. In June, the TRPA Governing Board added two new open seats to represent priority communities.
How to Help Fulfill Regional Housing Goals:
- Attend the first North Shore Housing Workshop October 7.
- Participate in a Community Partner Group – Get Involved by October 28.
- Apply for a seat on the Tahoe Living Working Group – Get Involved by October 31.
- Apply for a Community-Based Organization mini-grant – Get Involved by December 2.
- Take the online survey – submit by October 31.
- Sign up for the TRPA Housing eNews.
Cultivating Community is being launched with community workshops on North and South Shores. The South Shore workshop was held in September and the North Shore Housing Workshop will be held October 7 at the North Tahoe Event Center in Kings Beach from 6 to 8 p.m. The workshops are open to everyone to share their thoughts and experiences on housing and environmental issues in the Lake Tahoe Region. Spanish interpretation services, activities for children, and refreshments will be provided. Visit www.tahoeliving.org to learn more.
Lee en Español aquí.
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The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency leads the cooperative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment.
Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin is the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s latest Tahoe Living project to improve our environment and help bring more affordable and workforce housing to the Lake Tahoe Region. The project promotes equity and climate resilience through improved growth management and meaningful community engagement. For additional information, contact Jeff Cowen, Public Information Officer, at (775) 589-5278 or jcowen@trpa.gov.
