STPUD not done fighting South Tahoe’s redevelopment plan

By Kathryn Reed

Officials from South Tahoe Public Utility District and South Lake Tahoe are expected to get together early this month to hash out lingering redevelopment issues.

Even though the city approved another redevelopment area last month, STPUD and El Dorado County are not walking away from the issue.

“We could talk about our plan of attack for the next couple of months in closed session,” Richard Solbrig, STPUD general manager told the board at its last meeting.

The district has 90 days from May 18, when the city passed the plan, to file a lawsuit to stop it from going forward. (The county has the same deadline.) The board has not decided if that is the course it will take. First, staff from both sides will meet.

The water-sewer district is concerned it will lose a substantial sum of money as property tax dollars go to the city’s Redevelopment Agency instead of to STPUD.

“I hate to use pubic funds to sue another public entity unless it’s for the public’s gain,” said Dale Rise, STPUD board president.

Solbrig, Rise and board member Chris Cefalu were at the meeting when the council on a split vote went forward with the plan that encompasses 3,100 acres from the airport to the Y to Herbert Street. Solbrig voiced his concerns at the meeting.