Comment on the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s draft environmental impact statement for the shore line will be taken until July 9.

The goal is for approval by the end of the year.

These regulations have not been substantially updated in three decades. TRPA tried to do before but was sued.

With new regulations for piers, buoys, boat ramps, and marinas, the proposed plan aims to improve public recreation access to the lake, protect the environment and the scenic beauty of Lake Tahoe’s 72 miles of shoreline, provide new temporary strategies for shoreline structures to remain functional during low lake levels, and streamline shoreline permitting processes.

It would lift a decadelong moratorium on new shoreline structures at Lake Tahoe, authorizing up to two new public boat ramps and 10 new public piers, as well as up to 128 new private piers that would be permitted gradually with a priority for pier projects that serve multiple property owners or retire pier development potential on other lakefront properties. The proposed plan would authorize up to 1,430 new buoys for lakefront properties and homeowners associations and create a reserve pool of 630 buoys or boat slips for use by public agencies and marinas. The proposed shoreline plan would not authorize any new marinas but would allow marinas to expand or reconfigure their sites if they incorporate environmental improvements that reduce stormwater pollution, control aquatic invasive species, or reduce boat emissions.

The draft environmental impact statement is available for review online.

TRPA and shoreline planning partners will host two community workshops to share information and collect feedback about the plan, one at the TRPA offices from 5:30 to 7:30pm on June 4, and one at North Tahoe Event Center in Kings Beach from 5:30 to 7:30pm on June 6. Upcoming public hearings for the plan include May 23, TRPA Governing Board, 9:30am in Stateline and June 13 at9:30am, TRPA Advisory Planning Commission in Stateline.