Letter: TRPA Regional Plan must be approved

To the community,

I’m writing to our community to share my thoughts about the Regional Plan update because I care about the future of Lake Tahoe.

I love Lake Tahoe —in sickness and in health and I’m committed. I was born and raised here and now, with my wife of 13 years, I’m raising my family and working in the ski industry. I’m a community volunteer for nonprofits and have worked on large scale events for our communities around Lake Tahoe.

A while back, things were good in South Lake Tahoe, and our economy was good. Work was easy to find and many families enjoyed a high standard of living. I was able to build a career, buy a home and become an active part of this wonderful community.

Things are different now. We’re losing the community feeling, young people don’t feel this is a place to come to find a career or purchase a home. The street I live on has changed. Kids have grown up and moved away because they can’t find viable options to build their new careers. I see very few new families moving in to the area because they can’t afford to live here.

We can’t stay the same. “The same” is a losing proposition. We must attract new residents to help us recreate back into the viable community that our region once was. I think the Regional Plan with its focus on mixed-used design and community centers is step in the right direction. A big step.

Think of all the businesses that didn’t change and they went out of business. Are we willing to let Tahoe go out of business because we won’t change? Because we won’t put a plan together that protects the environment and allows the economy to thrive? We can do this, but will we?

Thank you for listening to my comments. Please approve the Regional Plan on Dec. 12 without delay.

Sincerely,

Sean Sweeney, South Lake Tahoe