SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Metropolis council met Tuesday to do their strategic planning retreat, which helps the council get on the identical web page with their newly elected members, workers, and administrators. This 12 months, metropolis council recognized priorities in rising Tahoe’s financial system, equitable entry and recreation, housing, public security, transportation, and defending the setting.
Whereas Joe Irvin, metropolis supervisor, has beforehand run the strategic planning retreats, this 12 months they employed Shannon Flowers and Sondra Hathaway of Stratalysts to conduct it. Flowers and Hathaway each have expertise in group and native authorities and are answerable for operating the strategic planning conferences for employees, council, and board.
Throughout their dialogue, metropolis council spoke concerning the present strategic plan shaped again in 2023, the place they prioritized constructed setting, recreation and equitable entry, neighborhood for all, financial improvement, core providers and high-performing authorities. In trying ahead, each Mayor Tamara Wallace and Mayor Professional Tem Cody Bass stated that the Chateau property, additionally referred to as the “gap within the floor” was a high precedence for this metropolis council.
Ultimately, they landed on the next ideas: housing for many who work and dwell right here, guarantee public security, shield the pure setting, develop and diversify the financial system, recreation and equitable entry for all, enhance transportation, and environment friendly authorities.
Earlier gadgets on the 2023 – 2028 strategic plan are already in full swing or set to come back again to council inside the 12 months, reminiscent of Sugar Pine Village’s building, the brand new rec middle, updating the Bijou/Al Tahoe Space Plan Replace, defensible area and fireplace prevention, and looking for new income streams for the town.
Heated dialog arose between Jinkens and Wallace after Jinkens refused to do the prioritization workout routines with out understanding the overall prices. Wallace informed Jinkens he was not metropolis supervisor and may act as an elected councilmember, whereas Jinkens informed Wallace that she was condescending to his priorities in prices. Irvin stepped in to make clear that the prioritization was to assist talk council’s opinion on tasks that wanted to be funded.
Of the $60 million within the common fund, roughly 70% goes to workers and profit prices, leaving about $19 million to fund completely different tasks. “Politics change, individuals change. So, I feel what we have to do is wrap this up and begin getting this council’s opinions on tasks that meet these priorities we talked about earlier,” stated Irvin.
The council additionally introduced up modifications and options they had been focused on seeing. Councilmember Keith Roberts recommended reviewing regulatory businesses, tightening restrictions on scooters, looking for out extra possible choices for stormwater drainage and probably including the Rooted Renters Placemate program right here, which has been put in place in North Tahoe. He additionally spoke about security additions for streets consistent with the Imaginative and prescient Zero Plan, an financial advisory committee, and bettering and enhancing bike paths.
Wallace needed to domesticate a “tradition of sure”, which Jinkens agreed with. She spoke of eager to lower and streamline codes and laws, lowering the variety of hoops to leap via for improvement, rising funding for LakeLink and supporting the Joint Powers Authority for transportation, figuring out a viable second financial system, and looking for grants and laws for fireplace security.
Robbins was within the metropolis working with Lake Tahoe Group Faculty in increasing, probably including a nursery, prioritizing bike lanes for cease indicators, increasing funding for Lease to Locals, and bettering bike lanes on US-50 in coordination with CalTrans, which Irvin indicated might occur via the US-50 hall plan. He additionally was focused on extending and creating bike lanes via Stateline, a bait bike/automotive/ski/board program that may deter property theft, and elevated density and peak via duplex, triplex, or quadplexes in residential areas.
Jinkens recommended repairing roads yearly, which aligned with workers’s priorities in sustaining constructions. He additionally spoke to diversifying the native financial system, housing for all earnings ranges, no new taxes, and inspiring personal sector funding, together with deploying expertise provided that it was scientifically confirmed secure—a long-time a part of Jinkens’ platform relating to telecommunications within the space.
Bass needed to see continued funding for present transit, together with his plans for a transformational transit gondola, parks in each neighborhood, stormwater tasks for improved lake readability, funding fireplace and police and investing in new expertise, and dealing with the enterprise neighborhood to create housing choices. Bass once more highlighted finishing redevelopment tasks for public profit in reference to the opening within the floor.
The council briefly mentioned the choices for parks together with the drainage ponds being constructed, which might give extra alternatives for parks in neighborhoods. Roberts additionally requested so as to add seniors into the equitable entry concerns and requested concerning the Motel 6 mission and whether or not the town might become involved in beautification for it. Wallace stated she would carry it to the California Tahoe Conservancy.
Bass additionally addressed that Timber Cove Pier, the longest pier within the metropolis and a historic landmark, has remained personal after a lawsuit in earlier years. He puzzled if the town might work with the personal proprietor to have a publicly accessible pier, which additionally might have a public security component if legislation enforcement or fireplace might additionally launch from there.
After the priorities had been set, Flowers and Hathaway deliberate to carry yet another assembly with the board, after which metropolis workers would have time to arrange the report. Council will determine whether or not or not they’ll formally undertake it by April 22.
Lastly, Irvin introduced forth a number of gadgets that had been delayed. First, Irvin addressed the factors on native financial system, as the town determined to not renew the Tahoe Prosperity Heart’s contract after it ended final 12 months. “We must always attempt to focus our efforts extra domestically for this,” stated Irvin.
Metropolis legal professional Heather Stroud together with different workers are nonetheless contemplate the employee’s compensation insurance coverage protection evaluation and the way to reduce danger to staff.
Town is supposed to adjust to California legal guidelines, so the dialogue of the Tahoe Regional Planning Company’s delay of the town adopting ADU legal guidelines was introduced up. Additional dialogue is anticipated from metropolis council sooner or later.
On Might 16, county clerk recorder Janelle Horne might be addressing the wedding license course of on the town—at present, residents should drive right down to Placerville to get them.
Lastly, the town commissions requested council what was anticipated of them. Robbins beforehand introduced up wanting stories from completely different commissions, and it’s anticipated that future conferences will embody stories from every fee.
Eli Ramos is a reporter for Tahoe Every day Tribune. They’re a part of the 2024–26 cohort of California Native Information Fellows via UC Berkeley.
