CTC, S. Tahoe land swap may add parking to Harrison Ave.

By Kathryn Reed

The first of two votes was taken Thursday to put sensitive land into the California Tahoe Conservancy’s hands and developable property in South Lake Tahoe’s control.

The Conservancy board at the March 15 meeting at Lake Tahoe Community College agreed to give South Lake Tahoe 19 acres in exchange for 33 acres. The City Council is expected to vote on the land deal March 20.

“We will trade properties that don’t belong in the Conservancy’s hands and we get highly sensitive property,” CTC Deputy Director Ray Lacey told Lake Tahoe News.

The conservancy could restore the property it will acquire and in one case improve the floodplain along the Upper Truckee River. The city could create parking for Harrison Avenue businesses and possibly sell another parcel.

Two of the four parcels the city will acquire are on Highway 50. One is next to the Tahoe Daily Tribune that the CTC came to own in 1988 in a deal that involved about 100 properties.

For years the city has talked about turning that into parking. Hilary Roverud, development services director, would only admit conceptual planning shows the dirt lot becoming paved.

However, City Councilwoman Angela Swanson, who is also on the CTC board, told Lake Tahoe News, “The Harrison Avenue plan depends on the Tribune land swap.”

About 50 parking spaces could go there.

Another parcel the city will get is the old Unocal site next to IHOP. The Conservancy acquired that last fall.

Roverud would not say whether the city intends to keep the parcel, develop it or sell it.

A parcel the city has managed for years but has been under CTC ownership is the grassy area by Regan Beach where weddings are often conducted.

“It will remain deed restricted and the public will continue to have lakefront property,” Lacey explained.

The last property in the swap is the community ball field by Lake Tahoe Community College. Ownership came to light during the brouhaha of the SnowGlobe music festival New Year’s weekend.

“It’s a community asset and makes more sense to transfer that asset to the community,” Lacey said.

The land the Conservancy will be getting includes where the former drive-in movie theater on Glenwood Way was and the acreage adjoining the Upper Truckee River west of Sunset Drive.

The Conservancy is likely to restore more than 100,000 square feet of coverage at the old drive-in, with about 12,000 square feet being in a stream environmental zone.

Another agenda item Thursday also involved how the Conservancy manages land. The board adopted the Asset Lands Program Guidelines.

Four properties are part of this equation, with no others being considered. This was stressed so people don’t think the Conservancy is going to be in the habit of selling land to keep itself afloat.

Most of the 5,000 parcels the CTC owns could not be sold based on the money used for their purchase.

Lacey said, “Asset lands are parcels of land within the Conservancy’s ownership which are not essential to carrying out Conservancy goals and which could have significant market value.”

To be sold are the drive-in site the CTC traded that day with the city. A single-family home could possibly go there. The Conservancy will retain restoration credits.

Part of the Lyon’s Ranch that was acquired in 2008 will be sold. Possibly two houses could go there. The CTC is keeping what it needs for trails and river access.

The vacant lot between Tahoe Valley Pharmacy and the Factory Stores at the Y will be sold.

The last piece is the Tallac Vista facility near Heavenly. CTC took possession in the1980s as part of a legal settlement that resulted in 150 condos not being built there.

When these properties hit the market they will be available to anyone.