Opinion: TRPA and city working together on redevelopment
By Julie Regan
A recent article on LakeTahoeNews.net has created unfortunate speculation and misinformation about TRPA’s role in redevelopment. Having moved to Lake Tahoe in the early 1990s, I know firsthand that public discourse can tend to jump to the negative. I believe we need to take every opportunity to promote informed, civil dialogue, so here are five key facts to add to the conversation.
Fact No. 1: TRPA supports environmental redevelopment projects that prove to be beneficial to the local economy and the environment. Consider the fact that our staff in recent years has recommended approval of affordable housing near Ski Run, the Red Hut plaza redevelopment, and the Heavenly Gondola Village.
Julie Regan
In addition, we are recommending approval of the Boulder Bay redevelopment project at the present Tahoe Biltmore site in Crystal Bay. I mention this project because the city, TRPA, and the community can learn from the innovative design principles being proposed by Boulder Bay to help us revitalize the Y area.
Fact No. 2: TRPA is part of this community. Our dedicated employees live here, raise families here, and support the economy and the community in innumerable ways. While the habit of blaming TRPA as the scapegoat for all occasions will always be the orientation of some, the causes of the dismal state of the Tahoe economy are far more complex than any single source. Widespread problems are affecting tourist towns across the country. Closer to home, the rise of Native American gaming throughout California and the resulting loss of casino jobs is a significant driver of our current economic turmoil. Add to that shifting demographics with second homeownership spiking, the national recession, the bubble bursting in our real estate market, and the facts tell the story. TRPA certainly has a role to play and we take responsibility that our environmental regulations are a factor in the mix. But TRPA is updating itself and changing with the times — we are trying to be part of the solution now, not the problem.
Fact No. 3: No one has applied for a permit to redevelop the Mikasa site at this point. The entire discussion about a potential $160,000 fee is based purely on speculation. When a permit application does come in, there may in fact be no fee at all. The city will be working with any prospective businesses at the Y and TRPA’s transportation specialists will assist in making the project work for our community.
Fact No. 4: When a business comes forward with a permit application for the Mikasa site, the city will be the permit review entity – not TRPA. Assuming the outcome in the absence of facts generally does not move our town forward. If there were any air quality/traffic mitigation fees, they would go back to the city, not to TRPA, for transportation or air quality improvements. Such funds are legally restricted to on-the-ground environmental improvements like bike trails, intersection improvements, or sidewalks.
Fact No. 5: Ten years of scientific research has shown that stormwater runoff from developed areas is causing the lake’s clarity decline. Doing nothing and leaving run-down, vacant buildings as they are actually hurts the Lake more than redeveloping the built environment. TRPA wants to see the economic revitalization of our town, especially considering the lake and community will benefit as well. This means we all have to work together to get the job done. I’m committed to this because I care about my community and the lake. I know you do too.
Julie Regan oversees External Affairs – media, public outreach, and legislative affairs — for the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.
Can anyone tell me what TRPA can do that a planning board can not do? And do better
So, either Ms Regan is not being straight forward or Tom Davis is out there perpetuating and blowing things out of porportion. Which one? A little of both?
Thanks for the comments. Fact 1: The public is not going to take anymore BS from a gov’t entity as seen in the Bell, CA episode. Fact 2: The public pays the salary of all gov’t employees. Fact 3: The public pays taxes and can have their opinion whether negative or positive. Fact 4: 5 yrs of listening to how the TRPA has made guard rail changes because they were one color instead of another and other various BS has left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. Fact 5: You’ll have to do better than stating 5 facts to get the public back on track.
Generally, the public’s perception is based on previous experience. An opinion piece will not change the overall perception. The constant string of missteps by the TRPA has damaged their credibility, if they ever had any. Ms. Regan’s condescension is hardly the answer to the dislike for the organization. Paying taxes that end up restricting our freedoms do not sit well with citizens. Change your behavior, TRPA, and maybe the public will come to not dislike you so.
Some of regs. TRPA has on its books are not and will not be enforced, they don’t have the staff so the have some other agency enforce their regs. The policy makers are the ones responsible, the city council. They don’t have the knowledge or experience to deal with the money people. Examples are the “hole” at stateline, the hole at hy 50 and ski run from 89 to 96, the MOUs and contracts the developers had their attorneys write and the city council signed, the airport ect. The city has been screwed on every development in the last 23 years with no end in sight unless they file for bankruptcy or make drastic changes in policy. The new city manager seems to be off to a good start but a lot more needs to be done.
I went through a major remodel 5 years ago. It cost $$ and it was a real pain in the bottom to deal with all the red tape. No thanks when I build my retirement home it will not be here. By the way what is the job of the dog that rides on the TRPA boat during the summer?
Julie get a real job…..
Take the head Honcho with you, so she can be your doorman..when you both show your way out our lives,don’t let the door hit you on the way out,don’t bother locking the door.
Chow
By the way what is the job of the dog that rides on the TRPA boat during the summer?
It pees in the water where they are doing the water test, so they keep you thinking the lake going downhill needs more stupid river channels detours,more flammable wood chips in your driveway to welcome forest fires,no cutting of the thousands of cord stands, of dead wood.
Julie get all upset when she sees tire tracks up to a dead tamarack missing and a stump smiling at her.
The League to Save Lake Tahoe is the problem, not TRPA. They’re the ones that sue every time anyone tries to do anything.
FYI – We have to have TRPA because we need an umbrella “planning board” over all 5 counties (and one city) that govern the Tahoe Basin. Remember the people who lived here before TRPA existed are the ones that did all the damage to the lake.
Just a question. Will TRPA approve a new project without soil samples at the construction site? If making sure the project is being done on a site that could be precarious because of “not so well impacted fill”, and next to the water where high water (i.e. now) and waves could cause sloughing off into the lake, then wouldn’t they insist on soil samples? If not, then which agency would be responsible for making sure this is done?