Major Projects

Find information here about key projects that are currently under review by TRPA and other agencies, or that are under development. Past major projects and planning documents are on the Archived Plans and Projects page

Barton Hospital

Welcome to the information page for the proposed Barton Hospital project in Stateline, Nevada. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) staff will keep this page updated with information, meeting schedules, document links, public comments, and opportunities for community engagement. If you would like to be contacted directly with updates, please email BartonProject@trpa.gov and ask to be added to the contact list.

April 2025 Update

Environmental Impact Statement to Begin

TRPA has raised the level of environmental review for the proposed Barton Hospital project from an Environmental Assessment to an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Preliminary information gathered during the public scoping phase of the Environmental Assessment showed that a more detailed analysis is needed. Additional opportunities for public review and input will be scheduled over the coming year.

This level of review reflects the agency’s and Barton’s commitment to a science-based, transparent process that protects Lake Tahoe’s environment and supports communities. An EIS is the most detailed type of environmental review. It thoroughly examines if the proposed project meets regional environmental standards and if it will cause immediate or cumulative impacts to areas such as water quality, forest health, scenic views, traffic, and more.

Process and schedule

Preparation of an EIS can take approximately a year to complete and includes the following steps:

  1. Notice of Preparation and Scoping: May 14th TRPA Advisory Planning Commission.
      • Notify the public and partner agencies that an EIS will be prepared, and request scoping comments from the public to define the issues to be analyzed in the EIS.
      • All scoping comments previously submitted during the EA process will be carried over and do not need to be re-submitted.
  2. Prepare the Draft EIS document, including conceptual alternatives to analyze.
  3. Circulate the Draft EIS to the public and partner agencies, and request comments.
  4. Assemble and respond to public comments on the Draft EIS.
  5. Prepare the Final EIS document.
  6. Present the Final EIS and recommended action to decision makers.
      • Douglas County Planning Commission
      • Douglas County Board of Commissioners
      • TRPA Advisory Planning Commission
      • TRPA Governing Board

Douglas County will hold public meetings on the proposed project and potential amendments to the South Shore Area Plan as well. TRPA will continue to post meeting dates and public input opportunities here. To receive updates on the review process, please email BartonProject@trpa.gov and ask to be added to the contact list.

Levels of environmental review

TRPA standards for environmental documentation are set by the Code of Ordinances (Section 3.3). Except for exempt classes of projects and administrative matters, the agency must first use an Initial Environmental Checklist or an Environmental Assessment to determine if an Environmental Impact Statement is required to review a project or action.

Public comments

All scoping comments previously submitted during the EA process will be carried over and do not need to be re-submitted.

Comments received during the initial scoping period, December 23, 2024 through February 7, 2025: Barton Project EA Scoping Comments

Other public comments, updated through April 4, 2025: Public Comments

Background and process

Barton Health has proposed to relocate its hospital in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. to its property in Stateline, Nev. (former site of Lakeside Inn & Casino). In addition to a permit build the project, the project requires an update to the Douglas County South Shore Area Plan to create a special subdistrict for a medical facility on the Barton property. Those area plan amendments and the project application are being reviewed under a single Environmental Impact Statement. As proposed, the project will include several steps:

Douglas County South Shore Area Plan amendments - Ongoing

Douglas County is following a process to amend the South Shore Area Plan, which is a joint Douglas County/TRPA planning document for the town center areas of Lower Kingsbury Grade and Stateline.

Barton Hospital requested amendments to the South Shore Area Plan that would allow for a modern hospital with the services Barton wants to provide.Those area plan amendments include creation of a special subdistrict specific to a medical facility use and increased height limit within the proposed project area. Within a portion of the subdistrict, a maximum building height of 85 feet from natural grade could be allowed on a portion of the parcel. According to the applicant, building standards for hospitals require additional height for each floor to accommodate special equipment and other needs. The current allowable height on the parcel is 56 feet. The previous Lakeside Inn and Casino was approximately 60 feet from natural grade. The additional height would only apply to a portion of the the project area and not to other areas within the South Shore Area Plan boundary.

The area plan amendments are being reviewed by TRPA in conjunction with the Barton project application and a single Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is being prepared for both applications. The process to review the area plan amendments includes multiple opportunities for advisory bodies and decision makers to gather public input:

  1. June 13, 2024 – Douglas County Planning Division Townhall. 
  2. June 26, 2024 – Informational presentation by Douglas County to the TRPA Governing Board Regional Planning Committee.
  3. August 13, 2024 – Informational presentation by Barton to the Douglas County Planning Commission.

Additional TRPA and Douglas County meetings are to be scheduled. See Process and Schedule above.

Hospital permit application - Submitted

Barton Health has submitted an initial application to construct a full-service hospital facility on the previous site of Lakeside Inn & Casino in Stateline, Nev. The project application and supporting documents are available in the LakeTahoeInfo.org Parcel Tracker: Barton Hospital Public Service Project Application. A required Environmental Impact Statement is underway and must be completed before the application review process can proceed.

Here are the general steps of the permit process:

  1. Intake the application and determine if the application is complete.Application submitted December 20, 2024. Staff uploaded the application January 8, 2025.
  2. Notify the applicant the application is complete or request additional information.The application is considered incomplete until the environmental analysis is complete.
  3. Determine the scope of the environmental analysis.Environmental Impact Statement is underway.
  4. Notify the public and partner agencies that an EIS will be prepared, and request scoping comments from the public to define the issues to be analyzed in the EIS.Public meeting May 14th TRPA Advisory Planning Commission.
  5. Prepare the Draft EIS document, including conceptual alternatives to analyze.
  6. Circulate the Draft EIS to the public and partner agencies, and request comments.
  7. Assemble and respond to public comments on the draft EIS.
  8. Prepare the Final EIS document.
  9. Present the Final EIS and recommended action to decision makers.
      • Douglas County Planning Commission
      • Douglas County Board of Commissioners
      • TRPA Advisory Planning Commission
      • TRPA Governing Board

Grading and demolition - Complete with ongoing monitoring

Tahoe Regional Planning Agency compliance staff issued and enforcement letter to Baron project managers February 1, 2025 to upgrade the temporary water quality protections as required in the grading permit below.

February 1, 2025 Enforcement Letter

TRPA reviewed and approved applications for the existing structures to be removed and the site to be graded for a potential project in 2021 and 2024. You can view the permit documents on the TRPA Parcel Tracker file numbers ERSP2021-1943 and ERSP2024-0572.  The grading permits included Best Management Practices (BMPs) for stormwater and erosion control, a dewatering plan, filling in, and returning the site to natural grade. BMPs are required to be designed and maintained for however long it takes to get a permit for a project. Excavation was a necessary part of the demolition, grading, and site work which Barton applied for voluntarily.

Following the demolition and land coverage removal, TRPA required the project area to be stabilized with temporary Best Management Practices for stormwater and erosion control, called temporary BMPs. Temporary BMPs protect water quality and reduce soil erosion and also winterize the site through the annual grading season closure from October 15 through May 1 for all open projects.

TRPA compliance inspectors have continued to monitor the site since the end of the 2024 grading season to ensure the temporary BMPs remain in working order and runoff is being infiltrated correctly on the property. Inspectors have requested additional work on a portion of the lower end of the parcel where standard methods have not been successful. TRPA is currently working with Barton project managers to create more infiltration onsite using a combination of temporary and more permanent-style BMPs, including new and improved retention basins, to maintain Lake Tahoe’s exceptional water quality standards.

Earlier updates

Environmental Assessment

Note: TRPA raised the level of environmental analysis to an Environmental Impact Statement in April, 2025.

The agency held a public scoping period from December 23, 2024 to February 7, 2025 to allow the public, partner agencies, and other stakeholders to help identify specific areas that the environmental analysis should include, such as water quality, transportation, or scenic quality, and to identify project alternatives to analyze. TRPA compiled the comments to establish the range of issues and alternatives for the Environmental Assessment. Preliminary information showed that a more detailed analysis of the proposed hospital project and potential amendments to the South Shore Area Plan is needed. TRPA and the applicant raised the level of environmental review from an Environmental Assessment to an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Additional detail on the EIS process is above.

Comments received December 23, 2024 through February 7, 2025:

Barton Project EA Scoping Comments

February 2025

TRPA, Douglas County, and Barton Health opened the public scoping period for an Environmental Assessment of the proposed Barton hospital on December 23, 2024. TRPA held a public workshop January 16, 2025 to answer questions about the review process for the project and possible amendments to the Douglas County South Shore Area Plan. The scoping period for the Environmental Assessment for the proposed Barton hospital project was extended to February 7 to give the public and partner organizations additional time to provide comments on the scope of the environmental analysis.

TRPA staff is waiting for the completion of the Environmental Assessment before the application is considered complete.

    1. Scoping Notice and Project Description
    2. Attachment 1 Project Location and Conceptual Site Plan
    3. Attachment 2 Draft EA Table of Contents

January 21, 2025

The agency held a well-attended public scoping meeting on January 16 at the TRPA offices in Stateline, Nev. Barton Health and Douglas County staff joined TRPA to go over the proposed project and application process and to answer questions and gain perspective on the scope of the environmental assessment.

Barton’s application materials and documents can be reviewed on the Parcel Tracker at LakeTahoeInfo.org. TRPA staff is waiting for completion of the Environmental Assessment before the application is considered complete.

January 9, 2025

A public scoping meeting will be held on January 16, 2025 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the TRPA offices, 128 Market Street, Stateline, Nev. Additional background on the application process and potential amendments to the South Shore Area Plan are detailed below. Send comments to BartonProject@trpa.gov.

December 20, 2024

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Barton Hospital, and the Douglas County Community Development Planning Division are seeking public comments on the scope of an Environmental Assessment underway for Barton’s proposed hospital project in Stateline, Nev. The EA will evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the proposal to amend the South Shore Area Plan and construct the Barton Stateline Hospital. Please send comments on the scope of the environmental assessment to BartonProject@trpa.gov by January 31, 2025.

On January 16, 2025 from 5-7 p.m., an optional public scoping meeting for the environment assessment (EA) scoping meeting will be held at TRPA offices, 128 Market Street, Stateline, NV. The public is invited and encouraged to provide input and comments. For more details, please review the Scoping Notice and Project Description.

Attachment 1 Project Location and Conceptual Site PlanAttachment 2 Draft EA Table of Contents

Homewood Mountain Resort Master Plan

Boulder Bay - Waldorf Astoria

2023 Waldorf Astoria Lake Tahoe Plan Revision

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board approved a plan revision to the Waldorf Astoria Lake Tahoe project in April, 2023. The revisions to the project formerly called Boulder Bay or Tahoe Biltmore came forward following a public review process and updated analysis of transportation and scenic improvements. The plan revisions result in a 47 percent reduction in the number of units that were approved in 2011, while environmental and community benefits of the project remain. Plan revisions include:

  • A reduction in the number of hotel units to 134 from 275.
  • A decrease in the number of residential units to 43 from 59, which includes 18 units constructed previously.
  • Deed-restricted affordable housing for local employees totaling 38 bedrooms.
  • Elimination of a previously approved driveway and interior road to allow for a public plaza.

In 2011, the TRPA Governing Board approved the Boulder Bay Community Enhancement Program Project and certified the Final Environmental Impact Statement following an extensive community engagement and review process. The permit and the majority of the environmental documents have remained current as phases and elements of the original project have continued to advance.

Sitework for the project could begin in 2023.

April 26, 2023 Governing Board Meeting Materials

Agenda Item No. VII.A Waldorf Astoria Lake Tahoe Project Staff Report

Presentation Waldorf Astoria Lake Tahoe Project

Errata Agenda Item No. VII.A Waldorf Astoria Lake Tahoe

Additional Items

Boulder Bay Project Documents

Archived Project Information

At its April 2011 meeting, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Governing Board voted to approve the Boulder Bay Community Enhancement Project. Four years in the planning, the project will replace the aging Tahoe Biltmore Casino in Crystal Bay, NV with an eco-friendly, mixed-use resort that will significantly reduce stormwater pollution and vehicle emissions associated with the site.Environmental redevelopment projects like Boulder Bay are an important part of the public-private effort to restore Lake Tahoe while remaining within the growth caps of the region.

Media Release – TRPA Board Approves Boulder Bay Project, April 2011

Final Environmental Impact Statement

Notice of Availability of Final EIS

Draft Environmental Impact Statement

Click here to view a presentation shown at the TRPA Governing Board meeting November 18, 2009.

Project Summary

APPENDICES

Meeks Bay Restoration Project

The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (Forest Service) is developing a plan to restore Meeks Creek to a more natural condition, while continuing to support sustainable recreation opportunities at Meeks Bay.

Visit the project website for more information.

 

Meeks Bay Final EIS/EIS/EIR

Appendix A: Resource Protection Measures

Appendix B: Special-Status Species

Appendix C: Emissions Modeling

Appendix D: Noise Modeling

Appendix E: Transportation Modeling

Appendix F: Comments on the Draft EIS/EIS/EIR and Responses

Appendix G: Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program

DRAFT Record of Decision – Meeks Bay Restoration Project

Stakeholder Forums:

Meeks Bay Assessment
Stakeholder Forum: Terms of Reference & Meeting Plan
Meeks Stakeholder Forum Representatives 
Meeting Agenda #1 – July 15, 2020
Meeks Forum #1 Presentation
Meeks Bay Forum #1 Finalized Summary
Forum Meeting #1 Link to Video Recording
Meeting Agenda #2 – August 5, 2020
Meeks Bay Forum #2 Presentation
Meeks Bay Forum #2 Finalized Summary
Forum Meeting #2 Link to Video Recording Password: wyAd4.e0
Meeting Agenda #3 – September 9, 2020
Meeks Bay Forum #3 Presentation
Meeks Bay Forum #3 Alternative Theme Diagrams with Questions
Forum Meeting #3 Link to Video Recording
Meeks Bay Forum Meeting #3 Final Summary
Meeting Agenda #4 – December 9, 2020
Meeks Bay Forum Meeting #4 Presentation
Forum Meeting #4 Link to Video Recording
Meeks Bay Forum Meeting #4 Final Summary
Meeting #5 Agenda
Meeting #5 Presentation 
Meeks Bay Forum Meeting #5 Draft Summary
Forum Meeting #5 Link to Video Recording
Meeting #6 Agenda
Meeting #6 Presentation
Meeks Bay Forum Meeting #6 Draft Summary
Forum Meeting #6 Link to Video Recording
Meeting #7 Agenda
Meeting #7 Presentation
Meeks Bay Forum Meeting #7 Draft Summary – coming soon!
Forum Meeting #7 Link to Video Recording

Public Workshops:

Meeks Bay Public Workshop #3 Summary – June 27, 2022
Meeks Bay Public Workshop #3 Meeting Recording

Meeks Bay Public Workshop #2 Summary – January 7, 2021
Public Workshop #2 Meeting Recording

Meeks Bay Public Workshop #1 Summary – August 19, 2020
Public Workshop #1 Meeting Recording

Lake Tahoe West Restoration Partnership

The Lake Tahoe West Restoration Partnership (Lake Tahoe West) is a collaborative effort to restore the resilience of forests, watersheds, and communities on 59,000 acres of Lake Tahoe’s west shore.

Visit the project website for more information.

Environmental Documents:

Lake Tahoe West Restoration Project Scoping Notice / Notice of Preparation