MAP News

Stay up to date with Mountain Area Preservation by signing up for our Monthly E-Newsletter. MAP News highlights are featured below and our past monthly e-newsletters can be accessed on our Archive Webpage.

What’s Ahead for MAP Advocacy in 2025

As we look ahead in 2025, we are embarking on significant open space advocacy in the Martis and Tahoe watershed, and diligently monitoring development in the Truckee and North Lake Tahoe area by participating in land use reviews for 18 projects, many of which we have been tracking for several years. 

Our involvement in the TRPA’s Tahoe Living Working Group, a multi-year planning effort for the Tahoe basin, demonstrates our commitment to advocating for future workforce housing. This planning phase not only creates new local housing opportunities but also marks the first new basin-wide environmental analysis since 2012. With your support, we can implement policy considerations from our TRPA settlement on the Phase 2 housing amendments. This is a crucial planning effort for all Tahoe lovers, and we invite you to be part of it!
This spring, we will be working with our contractor, Prosser, Building & Development, on the shade structure at Trout Creek Pocket Park. This long-awaited community benefit will soon be a reality, enhancing the downtown Truckee area just in time for summer. Our long-term commitment to conservation and smart land use is a testament to our dedication to the community and the environment.

Members Make MAP Happen | Powered by 895 Supporters in 2024

This past year, 895 supporters fueled MAP’s organizational and advocacy efforts. Whether you supported our Summer Membership campaign, Monthly Membership, the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, Sierra Forage Dinner, Advocacy Planned Giving, or Give Back Tahoe, you made MAP happen. Not only did our donor base grow to support our priority conservation and land use efforts, but we also had sold-out signature events and 425 petition supporters backing our TRPA advocacy. 

Thank you to all of our 2024 supporters. We are counting on our members, followers, and business supporters to join us in our advocacy efforts for 2025. Your participation is crucial in making a positive impact. We look forward to your involvement!

9th Annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival | Save The Date + Sponsorships! 

MAP is thrilled to bring the Wild and Scenic Film Festival back for the 9th year, expanding the festival for two nights in North Lake Tahoe, at the Fox Cultural Hall in Kings Beach. Our staff is busy working on bringing the community an amazing festival experience through awe-inspiring films meant to get you activated and involved in your community! 

 Be sure to save the dates for April 4th and 5th, and mark your calendars for tickets going on sale on March 4th. MAP is seeking sponsors to help us host Wild & Scenic, so if you are part of a like-minded business that wants to help inspire environmental stewardship, be sure to check out our Sponsorship Opportunities! 

Learn About Wild & Scenic Sponsorship 

MAP Business Member Spotlights | Truckee Downtown Merchants 

We are grateful for our business members who value the importance of supporting MAP’s local advocacy efforts. Over the last four weeks we have shared stories of MAP business members through our social media. These committed members are also members of Truckee Downtown Merchants Association. Our downtown merchants are vital to our unique mountain character that MAP advocates to protect. 

 Cabona’s- Truckee’s oldest downtown retailer since 1906 offers timeless and casual elegant apparel that fits Truckee’s funky mountain flair owned by Founder and Board Director, Stef Olivieri

Tahoe Sports Hub -  Owned by Wrenn & Robb Cavallo provides the best gear and gear maintenance to get out and enjoy the Sierra in every season. 

Riverside Studios - Riverside Studios is run by four amazing women artists who transform raw materials into beautiful functional art. Their gallery features their own artwork and other local artists who tie nature into their craft.

CA 89 - Family owned and operated by Lisa Gotts and her two children Ethan and Bella.  They have donated their event space for MAP Mixers and apparel collaborations like their Into the Woods clothing line. 

Interested in becoming a business member in 2025? Reach out to Marissa Rudder, marissa@mapf.org, Membership & Outreach Director to learn more!

Homewood Master Plan Approved

Last week, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s Governing Board approved the Homewood Master Plan amendments, which include changes in project layout, architecture, and phasing. The meeting marked a win for the community with strong commitments to public access and enforceable mechanisms for noncompliance. Additionally, Homewood Mountain Resort has long promised the demolition of the blighted Tahoe Inn, but the proposed construction timeline punted it to 2028. In the final part of the hearing, the Governing Board required the demolition of the Tahoe Inn during the first phase of construction. Finally, some good news!

Town of Truckee Launches the Downtown Railroad Pedestrian Crossing Feasibility Study

The Town of Truckee is embarking on a process to understand the feasibility of adding a pedestrian/bicycle railroad crossing in Downtown Truckee, between the Depot to the east and McIver crossing to the west. Options up for consideration include an at-grade crossing, above-grade bridge crossing, and below-grade tunnel crossing. As part of the study, a Community Review Committee has been established as a mechanism for soliciting input from a variety of stakeholders. MAP will participate on the committee, which is set to meet for the first time on February 5th from 4:30 - 6:00 pm at Town Hall. Stay tuned for more information and opportunities to get involved. 

SR28 Corridor Plans Move Ahead 

Another 1.8 miles of trail are on the horizon for Tahoe’s East Shore (so long as federal grant funding stays in play). The trail is a major component of the plan, which also includes additional parking and transport options, all part of a goal to improve public safety and trail access in the SR28 Corridor. Learn more in this article.

New design for Truckee Regional Library unveiled

The Friends of Truckee Library, in collaboration with the local jurisdictions, recently released new schematic designs for the Truckee Regional Library. Based on input from community members and an advisory task force, the designs focus on accommodating Truckee’s growing population and creating a welcoming space for literature and community engagement. Visit the Friends of the Truckee Library website for more project information.

Become a Monthly MAP Member & Help Protect Our Mountains year-round! 

Join or up your commitment to $20/month and receive our limited-edition Protect Our Mountains hoodie featuring local artist and MAP Business Member Bryn Merrell’s stunning artwork! 

Sustaining members are at the heart of MAP—your membership fuels our advocacy, helping us protect the open spaces that make Truckee-Tahoe special and promote intentional community planning that puts people and the environment first. Members Make MAP Happen!

With important decisions ahead, your support will help MAP advocate for land use choices and development that reflect the values of those who call this place home. Join the movement and Protect Our Mountains! 

Become a Monthly MAP Member Today!

Happy Holidays from MAP 

Wishing a very happy holiday season and a joyful New Year to all of our members and supporters! We couldn’t do what we do without you, and we look forward to more open space protection, land use advocacy, and community collaboration in 2025!

MAP 2024 | Year in Review

From new MAP members, staff members and board members to significant land use advocacy efforts in Truckee, Olympic Valley and Tahoe, 2024 was an epic year for Mountain Area Preservation. We reached a settlement agreement with the TRPA on controversial housing policies, reinstating critical affordable housing and stormwater management requirements in the Tahoe Basin. We increased the value of our environmental youth scholarship and secured a permit to build a shade structure at the Trout Creek Pocket Park in Historic Downtown Truckee. It was a big year with even more is on the horizon for 2025! Onward and upward!

Give Back Tahoe|$62,090 Raised by 112 Donors in Three Weeks!

Since Giving Tuesday on December 3rd, MAP has raised $62,190 dollars for grassroots environmental advocacy. With the support of 114 donors, we secured our match and hit our goal two weeks before the end of the year.

Thank You, Truckee Tahoe Lovers!! 

We have been so impressed with all the land use love and excitement for the Protect Our Mountains campaign and goodies, and don’t fret; there are still two weeks of Give Back Tahoe, so get your tax-deductible donation in before the new year. We also have two more Protect Our Mountains raffles to give away! Donate at least $20 and be entered to win Raffle Bundle #4 - KÜHL Eskape Tote, KÜHL Blanket, KÜHL Trucker Hat, and Protect Our Mountains Klean Kanteen Thermos, total value $329, or Raffle Bundle #5 -  Fischer Ranger 102 Ski’s, value $899, POM Klean Kanteen Thermos, $959 total value. 

Thank You for Your Board Service | Dan Haas, Board President & Kristen Mayer, Vice President and Treasurer 

Thank you, Dan Haas and Kristen Mayer, for your Board Service to MAP and our mission and work. Dan served on the MAP Board for eight years, serving six years as Board President and guiding MAP through critical times, including Martis Valley West litigations, the TRPA Housing Code settlement, and open space acquisitions such as Canyon Springs. Thank you for helping MAP grow as an organization and grassroots movement! 

Thank you to Kristen Mayer for four years of MAP Board Service. Kristen was part of MAP’s longstanding advocacy on the Truckee 2040 General Plan Update, Save Canyon Springs campaign, where MAP and our partners raised 12 million dollars for the acquisition of Canyon Springs in less than three months, and our TRPA housing codes efforts that started in 2023. Additionally, we are truly grateful for the financial guidance and expertise Kristen has provided MAP since joining the Board and chairing the Finance Committee. 

If you see Dan or Kristen out and about in the community, please thank them for their stewardship and service to the Truckee Tahoe environment and community!

Welcome New MAP Board President Amy Cornelius and Vice President Victoria Estevez

Please join us in welcoming MAP's new Board President, Amy Cornelius, and Vice President, Victoria Estevez. We are thrilled to announce the new board leadership, which will work for the next four years to guide MAP through a new strategic plan and organizational growth and, most importantly, to significantly advance our land use advocacy and open space preservation for Truckee Tahoe. 

Amy and Victoria's passion for advocacy and leadership will propel MAP's work to new levels. We are deeply grateful for your past contributions and look forward to your continued support as we work towards a sustainable future for Truckee Tahoe. Thank you again for volunteering your time, skills, and expertise to environmental advocacy for present and future generations! 

MAP is Growing | Welcome Five New Board Directors

The MAP Board grew immensely this Fall, with five new Directors joining our team. We are excited to share the new stewards with our members and supporters and the skills, experience, and passion they bring to grassroots land use advocacy and open space preservation. Please join us in welcoming Jon Marks, John Zemaitis, Shannon Eckmeyer, Stephanie Fuhrman, and Tiffany Connolly to the MAP Board of Directors. Learn more about our new Directors on our website. 

MAP Business Member Spotlight | Range of Light Services

We’re thrilled to welcome Range of Light Services as a MAP business member! Locally owned by Tyler Rudder, his Portola-based company specializes in residential window cleaning and dryer vent cleaning and repairs, serving the Sierra Valley, Truckee, and North Lake Tahoe. Drawn to the Sierra for its recreation opportunities, Tyler stayed to build a life in the Sierra, captivated by its close-knit community and quirky mountain charm. Through Range of Light Services, Tyler is proud to support MAP’s mission to protect the natural beauty we all cherish.

MAP Business Member Spotlight | Wild & Ruff

Inspired by countless adventures with her dog, Little Miss Bentley, Jamie Vine founded Wild & Ruff to equip adventure-loving dogs and their humans with durable, stylish gear. Wild & Ruff pairs its passion for exploration with a commitment to conservation, donating a portion of sales to environmental efforts, including MAP’s work to protect the wilderness that inspires every journey. Jamie joined as a MAP business member through the Truckee Downtown Merchants Association to support Ladies Night and give back to the community. Visit Wild & Ruff in Historic Downtown Truckee or shop online to gear up while giving back!

Save the Date | Wild & Scenic Hosted by MAP

MAP is bringing the Wild & Scenic Film Festival back to the community on April 4th and April 5th at the Fox Cultural Hall in Kings Beach, CA. Save the date for our 9th year hosting the premiere environmental film festival in Truckee Tahoe! Stay tuned for more details and our ticket launch for 2025.

What is Cultivating Community and Why Should You Care?

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) recently kicked off the third phase of its housing initiative, Cultivating Community: Conserving the Basin. If you’ve followed along, you’ll remember that the first phase (in 2021) was focused on allowing for flexibility for accessory dwelling units. In 2023, the controversial second phase was completed, establishing incentives for affordable, moderate, and achievable housing. This final phase is about making housing more accessible for local community members. What that means and how it will come about is still up for discussion, which is why anyone who lives, works or plays in the Tahoe Basin should get involved. 

The best ways to participate are to attend upcoming community workshops and Tahoe Living Working Group (TLWG) meetings. MAP sits on the working group, and its primary purpose is to help TRPA prioritize actions that will help achieve housing goals while improving environmental protections. The next working group session will be in May, but in the meantime, TRPA will host community meetings to garner feedback on initial ideas. Ultimately, whatever is proposed will shape the future of Tahoe, so stay tuned, and we’ll let you know when and how to participate.

Homewood Mountain Resort Master Plan Moves Forward

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s Advisory Planning Commission (APC) met earlier this month to review proposed amendments to the Homewood Master Plan, which include modifying the project layout and architecture. The widely-supported master plan improvements came under fire in 2022 when owners of the resort announced their intent to privatize. They’ve since walked those statements back, but locals and TRPA staff members want public access to be specifically outlined in the updated master plan.

Spearheaded by Keep Homewood Public, the West Shore community and many others showed up to the APC meeting in full force to express their love for the resort, skepticism of its owners, and desire for the preservation of public access. After a lengthy discussion, the APC voted to move the amendments forward. However, they also requested clarity on the master plan’s public access language and enforcement mechanisms before the item goes to the Governing Board.

Town of Truckee Planning in the Hot Seat 

For years, many locals and developers have criticized the Town of Truckee’s Planning Department for its red tape, lengthy decision-making timelines, complicated processes, and bias for certain projects. Planners state that they’re simply implementing the regulations and high design standards set forth by decision-makers based on community interests. These tensions are explored in this Moonshine Ink article.

Lake Tahoe environmental groups sue to halt Palisades Tahoe development

The battle over the future of Palisades Tahoe isn’t over. This month, our friends at Sierra Watch and the League to Save Lake Tahoe filed a lawsuit against Placer County after it approved the massive Olympic Valley proposal in November. Despite almost 3,000 unique comment letters in opposition to the proposal, Alterra Mountain Company executives refused to consider thoughtful alternatives. As with the previous winning litigation, the current lawsuit is based on a flawed environmental review that fails to fully consider project impacts and mitigation. Check out this video for more information.

Gratitude for Our Community & Environment  

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our supporters in Truckee Tahoe and beyond! Your belief in MAP’s mission and environmental advocacy is the driving force behind our work and efforts since 1987. We are truly grateful for all of our supporters and hope you have a joyous holiday!

MAP Membership | Advocate More, Bark Less! 

In the last few months, 156 Members of MAP have been instrumental in advancing our advocacy efforts. Their support has been crucial in our mission to preserve the unique charm of Truckee Tahoe for current and future generations. Their commitment to our cause, supporting grassroots advocacy for open space and responsible regional development in the mountains, is truly what powers our advocacy and organizing.  

Thanks to the generous support of four match donors and the 156 MAP Members who renewed or joined for the first time, our Advocate More, Bark Less Membership campaign was a resounding success! Together, we raised $61,000 to support MAP’s current priority campaigns, watch-dogging 18+ land use applications, regional planning efforts, workforce housing programs, and open space advocacy. Thank you for being part of our mission and keeping MAP at the table to fight the good fight for years to come!

Give Back Tahoe – 1 Week Away 

We are less than one week away from the biggest day of giving for non-profits worldwide, Giving Tuesday on December 3rd! Giving Tuesday is also the launch of the Give Back Tahoe campaign, where MAP and hundreds of non-profits will be working hard to secure mission-driven donations by the end of the year.  

This will be MAP's tenth year, participating in the Give Back Tahoe Campaign, hosted by the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation (TTCF), launching on December 3rd and ending on December 31st. 

MAP has set the bar high with our fundraising goal and an amazing donor match to support our campaign, along with some fun surprises for our donors who help us Protect Our Mountains! Be sure to mark your calendars for Giving Tuesday, December, 3rd and make a plan to Give Back to MAP! 

Downtown Truckee Ladies’ Night - Thank You! 

On November 15th, MAP jointly hosted a Ladies’ Night in Historic Downtown Truckee with twelve merchants getting our community out to shop local for the holidays with discounts and a raffle to support MAP’s grassroots advocacy. The turnout blew us away; every store was packed, and MAP raised 510 dollars in the raffle, where our lucky winner, Laurie, won $600 worth of gift cards to 12 shops downtown! Congratulations, Laurie, and thank you to all the ladies, gentlemen, and kiddos who came out to support local businesses that make the mountain character of our community even more special!  

Ladies’ Night also helped MAP build 12 New Business Members, raising $3,000 to support our mission-driven work. We can’t wait to spotlight these amazing shops and businesses over the next couple of months so you can see the people and the businesses that give back to the environment and community! 

Thank you to Cabona's, Bespoke, Riverside Studios, Gallery 5830, Mo, Joe, & Zoe, Tahoe Sports Hub, Gratitudes, White Buffalo, California 89 + California 89 Home, Jack + Emmy, Truckee Running Company, & Wild & Ruff for making the evening so fun. We hope to bring this event back next year with more merchants and community engagement fun for 2025! 

MAP Business Member Spotlight | TIP Printing Inc. 

 As a proud MAP business member, TIP Printing shares our same dedication to preserving Truckee’s mountain character and protecting open spaces. For Rich and the TIP team, supporting MAP is a way to give back to the community that has supported them over the years. They believe in MAP's mission and recognize the value of helping sustain the place they all call home.

 TIP Printing, owned by Rich Valentine, brings over 45 years of experience in printing and graphics to the Truckee-Tahoe community. Specializing in digital color imaging, multi-color offset printing, letterpress, and mailing services, the TIP Printing team is committed to delivering high-quality results—no matter the size of the project.

Grant Gratitude  

Thank you to the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation (TTCF) and the Walter and Elise Haas Fund for your recent grant awards and support to Mountain Area Preservation. MAP was awarded a mission-driven grant from TTCF for $7,700, which will help to support land use advocacy programs for Truckee Tahoe. Additionally, MAP was awarded a $5,000 grant from the Walter and Elise Haas Fund, supporting MAP’s mission and advocacy efforts in the Truckee Tahoe area. We are truly grateful for the continued support from both foundations and your belief in grassroots environmental advocacy for present and future generations! 

Placer Board of Supervisors Approves Village at Palisades Tahoe 

After a grueling 10-hour long hearing last week, the Placer County Board of Supervisors approved Alterra Mountain Company’s highly controversial plans for the future of Palisades. Despite thousands of comment letters in opposition to the proposal’s environmental documents, the Board opted to support the plan, which includes 850 mixed-resort units, almost 300,000 sq. ft. of commercial space including a 90,000 sq. ft. Adventure Center, and just 386 employee beds for Alterra’s employees (which include thousands of existing employees and 750 future employees to serve the new development).  

Over 100 people spoke at the hearing, with a variety of perspectives represented. Opponents, including MAP, reiterated that the proposal would exacerbate the region’s workforce housing crisis, cause devastating evacuation times in an emergency, and result in significant environmental impacts, including degradation of Lake Tahoe water quality. Proponents supported the tax dollars that would be generated, funds that Alterra would contribute to transit and housing, and future creek restoration. Ultimately, dollars won the day and the Board unanimously approved the plans, in part backed by Placer County staff who championed the proposal.  

It was a disappointing, but unsurprising decision on the part of Placer County. Last time the County approved this proposal, our conservation partners litigated, and won. Only time will tell what happens next. 

Cultivating Community | Tahoe Living Working Group Meeting on December 9th

The next Tahoe Living Working Group meeting is scheduled for December 9th, starting at 1:00 pm in person at the TRPA Offices (128 Market Street in Stateline) or online via Zoom. This working group (which includes MAP) is part of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s (TRPA) Cultivating Community project, which aims to identify policies and strategies to make more housing available to local families and workers. The purpose of the meeting is to provide input on initial goals and policy ideas proposed by TRPA staff based on feedback provided during public workshops and outreach this fall. The public is encouraged to attend these meetings and participate. Hope to see you there!

TRPA Amendments – Height & Density Set by Local Jurisdictions

 The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is currently proposing amendments to its Regional Plan and Code of Ordinances that would define a process allowing local jurisdictions to propose additional height and density above TRPA standards. Last week, the Regional Planning Committee expressed serious concerns about the proposal, with one member stating that the amendments were “not ready for prime time.” MAP shares concerns that these amendments would water down existing incentives, create a path for local jurisdictions to circumnavigate TRPA standards, and set a bad precedent for future changes that have not been fully analyzed in an appropriate environmental review. The Regional Planning Committee ultimately continued this item to a future date, likely in December. Stay tuned.

Placer 2050 – General Plan Update

Placer County recently initiated a process to update its General Plan, which outlines the community’s vision for how the county will look, feel, and develop throughout the next 25 years. To learn more about the update and opportunities for public input, sign up for their mailing list. 

Can Crystal Bay Shine Once Again?

Despite being one of the top 100 priciest zip codes in the United States, the once vibrant Crystal Bay now hosts boarded-up casinos and hotels. With redevelopment projects slated for the Cal Neva and the old Tahoe Biltmore, many are wondering if Crystal Bay’s shining past can be restored. Read more in this article from Moonshine Ink. 

After a bitter fight, Tahoe voters reject controversial housing law

South Lake Tahoe’s controversial Vacancy Tax measure failed in the recent election, as 73.83% of voters said no to the measure. With roughly half of South Lake Tahoe’s homes empty most of the year, the Vacancy Tax movement was established in hopes of incentivizing second homeowners to rent their homes to locals and securing tax funding to invest in solutions to the area’s housing crisis. Opponents raised over $1 million from individuals and real estate groups. Ultimately, they successfully convinced the majority of voters that the measure would unjustly target second homeowners. Read more from the SFGate. 

Follow MAP on Social Media & Stay Activated 

Staying connected and informed is one of the best ways you can be a steward of Truckee Tahoe while also helping to elevate MAP’s mission and work! By showing up to a hearing in person or via Zoom, joining us at a mixer, signing a petition, or becoming a member by following one of our social channels, we will keep you connected to land use and conservation efforts in Truckee Tahoe. 

Happy Halloween from MAP 

 Wishing all of our members, supporters, and followers a safe and fun Halloween from all of us at MAP. We hope you enjoy the October enews, and don't get too spooked by all the land use news. Happy Halloween! 

We Need All Paws on Deck for Truckee Tahoe  

MAP is responding to 18 land use applications and regional planning efforts with all paws on deck this year! Our dedicated staff, land use experts, and legal support work tirelessly on our priority land use and conservation campaigns. Keeping an eye out for the environment and community as plans for growth continue to unfold is part of MAP's charter and mission.  

With Truckee Tahoe's precious resources and public safety at stake, advocating for appropriate development is critical for all of us- residents, business owners, second homeowners, the workforce, seniors, youth, and visitors. By becoming a MAP member, your support powers our advocacy, keeping MAP at the table to fight the good fight! 

Four generous donors have stepped up to provide a $30,000 matching grant to support MAP's advocacy and member growth. Every dollar you contribute is effectively doubled, making your support even more impactful. The campaign has already received support from 146 MAP members, raising $21,000 dollars and helping us grow with new donors throughout the Tahoe area and beyond! Your contribution, no matter the size, will make a significant difference. Help us reach our goal and grow our member base by becoming a new member or renewing today!  

Consider joining the movement and become a MAP member.

14th Annual Sierra Forage Dinner Match & Pledge Campaign 

Thank you to the 82 donors who helped us reach our Sierra Forage goal. We were thrilled to secure the $35K match by the end of September, when we officially closed the Sierra Forage Dinner campaign, raising 70,000 dollars from Sierra Forage Dinner guests, new corporate matches, longtime MAP supporters, and new members who helped us hit our goal for the Match & Pledge Program. We are truly grateful for all the support at our annual dinner and the critical funding raised for MAP’s priority land use and conservation campaigns. Thank You to All Sierra Forage Dinner supporters, and be sure to mark your calendars for the 15th Annual Sierra Forage Dinner in 2025 on August 15th!

Welcome MAP’s Membership & Outreach Director | Marissa Rudder

We want to give a warm welcome to Marissa Rudder, our first Membership and Outreach Director. Marissa started with MAP this month and will focus on growing membership programs, community engagement, business members, and collaboration for grassroots environmental advocacy. We are thrilled to have Marissa join our team!

Learn more about Marissa's background and previous roles in Truckee Tahoe non-profits. As Marissa starts to meet members, partners, and stakeholders in Truckee Tahoe, be on the lookout for member engagement!   

Synergy Reps Sample Sale | Gear for Good  

Thank you to the incredible team at Synergy Reps for giving back to MAP and donating $564 to our mission from the Sample Sale earlier this month. Rad gear that gives back to protecting the outdoors and advocating for more open space in Truckee Tahoe is exactly what helps drive our mission, furthering environmental advocacy for Truckee Tahoe. 

We also want to thank our MAP supporters who played a crucial role in the success of the sale at the Synergy Reps Showroom in Truckee and benefited from some deep discounts on epic outdoor brands such as Khul, Kari Traa, Fischer, Kinco, and more! If you missed the sample sale, don't worry; MAP and Synergy Reps plan to bring it back.

Sip, Shop, and Save the Mountains

Join MAP for Ladies' Night in Downtown Truckee 

Save the Date - Ladies Night in Downtown Truckee will return on Friday,  November 15th, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Downtown Merchants - Cabona’s, Bespoke + Atelier, Riverside Studios, White Buffalo, Moe, Jo & Zoe, Tahoe Sports Hub, Gallery 5830’, and Wild & Ruff are all participating and offering 20% off storewide with proceeds supporting MAP.  

Mark your calendar, map out your shopping route downtown with your friends and family for November 15th, and join MAP for holiday shopping with a cause! Stay tuned for our special Ladies Night e-blast where we detail more about the event, raffle and theme! 

Save The Date | Give Back Tahoe Campaign 

Save the date for the Give Back Tahoe campaign starting on Tuesday, December 3rd - Giving Tuesday! This will be MAP’s tenth year participating in the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation’s Give Back Tahoe end-of-year fundraising campaign. Last year, our amazing supporters helped us surpass our goal, raising $55,000 for environmental advocacy! Be sure to mark your calendar for the largest day of giving on December 3rd and the Give Back Tahoe campaign, which runs from Tuesday, December 3rd to Tuesday, December 31st! 

Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin  

Cultivating Community is a multi-year project led by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) to identify policies and strategies to address the region’s housing crisis. The process kicked off earlier this year with stakeholder and community meetings in North Shore and South Shore. During the recent workshops, folks discussed data needs, housing issues, and environmental and economic impacts associated with the housing crisis. TRPA staff will utilize this information to develop goals to be presented to the Tahoe Living Working Group (which MAP is part of). Those meetings are open to the public, so we’ll be sure to share meeting information and other ways to get involved as we learn more.

Placer County Board of Supervisors Hearing on Palisades November 19th

Tick tock! Time is running out to speak up on behalf of our mountains and community! Join MAP and other lovers of Olympic Valley on November 19th at the North Tahoe Event Center for the FINAL HEARING on the massive Palisades proposal. The Placer County Board of Supervisors will decide whether to approve 850 mixed-resort units, almost 300,000 sf of commercial space including a 90,000 sf Adventure Park, and the serious impacts that would come with that development, like disastrous evacuation times and an even worse housing crisis. Email the Board of Supervisors before the meeting to submit written comments and attend the meeting in person. It makes a difference when we show up! See you there. 

Town of Truckee General Plan Implementation  

It’s been a while since we’ve provided an update on the implementation of the Town of Truckee’s General Plan, which was adopted in May of last year. The Town has moved forward on a number of action items, including developing new housing programs, infrastructure improvements such as continuing the Legacy Trail and progress on the Railyard Mobility Hub, and adopting the Single-Use Bottle Ordinance. For an overview of General Plan updates, check out this webpage. 

While the Town has made progress on a variety of General Plan items, a few recent actions have given us pause. First, earlier this month the Town Council accepted a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Assessment. This is an item that MAP advocated heavily for during the General Plan update, understanding that Truckee has a variety of underserved communities and the Town needs to focus on strategies to address the disproportionate environmental and safety impacts these communities face. Unfortunately, the DEI Assessment was disappointing as it lacked data and thoughtful analysis. Read MAP’s comments on the assessment here.

Second, earlier this week the Planning Commission reviewed a number of proposed changes to the Development Code, including the removal of hospital uses from much of the Gateway area, streamlining high-density housing on certain properties, and minimum commercial floor area requirements in parts of Donner Lake. The meeting made it clear that all associated impacts had not been thoroughly analyzed. Ultimately, the meeting was continued to December 17th, with the Planning Commission directing staff to make lots of changes. Review MAP’s comments and stay tuned for more information as the meeting approaches.

Town of Truckee’s River Revitalization Steering Committee Marks First Year of Progress 

Truckee, Calif. (Oct. 2, 2024) – A group of 18 dedicated community leaders appointed to the Town of Truckee’s River Revitalization Steering Committee (R2SC) have been active in their work over the past year to formulate possible ways to reshape and revitalize the downtown river corridor. Formed in 2023 as a specific action of the General Plan 2040, R2SC has focused on balancing environmental protection with economic development. Check out the recent update from R2SC and visit townoftruckee.com/river. 

Tahoe/Truckee: Worth More than “Wallet Capture”

 “Of course, Alterra has every right to try to squeeze each penny out of their speculative investments. They are a private equity-backed, multi-billion-dollar investment vehicle. It’s what they do. But when their private profits run smack into broader principles — public safety, natural resources, and community health — we have every right, even a responsibility, to defend our mountain values.  United as the movement to keep Tahoe Truckee True, that’s what we do.” 

Sierra Watch’s Tom Mooers outlines the reasons why Alterra’s goals for Palisades’ future run counter to the safety and mountain ethos of Truckee Tahoe. With the final hearing on the Palisades proposal coming down the line next month, it is a critical time to get up to speed on the project and show up to tell Placer County and Alterra that this is not the right approach to redevelopment in Olympic Valley. Read more in this My Shot from Moonshine Ink.

Tahoe Housing Hub now accepting applications for Accessory Dwelling Unit Accelerator Pilot Program 

The Tahoe Housing Hub’s Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Accelerator Program has officially launched. The program helps local homeowners navigate the complex development process by providing free technical assistance to those who want to add an accessory dwelling unit to their property. Take a look at this article for more information.

Homewood Will Not Open This Season — Here’s Why 

In a shocking move, Homewood Mountain Resort announced earlier this month that they will not be opening for the 2024-2025 ski season. The resort stated that a financial partner backed out based on the slow permitting process and opposition from a local non-profit. Opponents believe this move came in response to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency making it clear that Homewood would have to maintain public access, a topic that came under intense scrutiny in 2022 when the resort announced it would go private. Homewood has since reversed its position on privatization, but many want public access details baked into the resort’s master plan. For more information, read this article from Moonshine Ink. 

Sierra Forage Dinner Match & Pledge Campaign 

MAP is so close to securing $70,000 for grassroots environmental advocacy through our Sierra Forage Dinner match and pledge program. Sixty two donors have helped MAP raise $68,350 since our dinner last month. We only have $1,650 dollars left to raise to hit our goal by the end of this month! Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our Sierra Forage Dinner campaign and help MAP secure critical funding for our current priority conservation and land use campaigns.

Mark your calendar for Friday, August 15th, 2025, when the 15th Annual Sierra Forage Dinner will be held at Dancing Pines! 

Thank You MAP Mixer Attendees 

Last night, we had a great evening at California 89, bringing the community together to discuss land use, conservation, and how to be a steward in Truckee Tahoe by being involved in the public process. We are truly grateful to have such die-hard MAP supporters and some new friends in attendance. We plan to host MAP mixers quarterly in 2025 and grow our free, family-friendly community outreach for Truckee Tahoe environmental advocacy. A huge thank you to California 89, a MAP Business Member who donated the backyard venue space for our fall mixer. Be sure to check out our Events Calendar for upcoming events, land use hearings and more to stay engaged with MAP.

Synergy Reps Sample Sale to Benefit MAP

Sunday, October 6th, 2-6 pm at Synergy Reps Showroom 

Mark your calendar and join us for a special Sample Sale hosted by Synergy Reps & Mountain Area Preservation (MAP) on October 6th from 2-6 pm at the Synergy Reps Showroom (12313 Soaring Way, Unit 2C, Truckee, CA). 

Shop top brands like KÜHL, Kari Traa, Fischer Ski (Alpine & Nordic), Kinco, Kamik, and SAXX while supporting a great cause! 20% of all profits will be donated to MAP to help preserve our beautiful mountain community. Buy good, do good. Gear up for the season, score exclusive deals, and make a difference! 

MAP Business Membership Spotlight | Tahoe Gifting Co. 

MAP Business Members support our priority land use campaigns, special events, and community outreach programs. This month, we spotlight Tahoe Gifting Co. and the people behind the amazing and unique curated-event gifts and artisan store in Incline Village, NV. A huge thank you to Darya Shahvaran for laser etching all of the Sierra Forage Dinner cups this year for our guests. Darya’s attention to detail is unparalleled, and is what makes working with Darya, Matt, and Bob so fun! Thank you for making MAP shine with your creative energy and attention to detail. Be sure to check out Tahoe Gifting Co. in the Christmas Tree Village shopping plaza in Incline Village. Learn more about MAP Business Membership and how you can be part of the movement by giving back to MAP’s mission and work! 

Tahoe Living Initiative | North Lake Workshop Rescheduled 

Monday, October 7th at 6 pm, North Lake Tahoe Event Center 

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is embarking on a process to develop the next phase of basinwide housing code amendments and they are seeking community input. The North Lake Tahoe workshop was rescheduled due to the Davis Fire and will be held on Monday, October 7th at 6:00 pm at the North Tahoe Event Center in Kings Beach.

This is a great opportunity to help guide the conversation around housing affordability and policies to help meet our growing housing needs while protecting Lake Tahoe and the natural resources that make this area special. Spanish interpretation will be provided, along with activities for kids and a meal from Lupita’s Mexican Restaurant. RSVP here!

Village at Palisades Approved by the Placer County Planning Commission  

Despite widespread community opposition and a recommendation of denial by the Olympic Valley Municipal Advisory Council, the Placer County Planning Commission voted to approve the Village at Palisades Tahoe Specific Plan in a 4-1 vote. Alterra Mountain Company threw the community a bone during the meeting by removing the water park elements from the plan. That said, the overall footprint (850 mixed-resort units and almost 300,000 sf of commercial space) and concerns related to emergency evacuation, insufficient workforce housing and environmental impacts remain. 

This is a disappointing, but unsurprising outcome, given Placer County’s history of approving projects with faulty environmental review that lack community support. The plan will go to the Board of Supervisors for a final vote sometime in November (we’ve heard November 18th, but this has yet to be confirmed). Stay tuned and get ready for a showdown.

Residences at Jibboom Approved by the Town of Truckee Planning Commission 

Last week, the Truckee Planning Commission approved the Residences at Jibboom, a mixed-use project that consists of four buildings, including 62 housing units (52 market-rate and 10 affordable housing units) and 3,339 square feet of commercial space in the empty lot on Jibboom Street, across from the Post Office. The Planning Commissioners were limited in their deliberations due to recent State housing laws. Ultimately, they approved the project in a 2-1 vote (2 approvals and 1 abstention). 

MAP advocated for a better mix of housing types to support locals, with units deed-restricted to workforce housing, in addition to the 10 affordable units. Unfortunately, the developer and the Town have been unable to reach an agreement about the use of Town dollars to support workforce housing units, so the approved project includes mostly market-rate units. We will continue to push the developer and the Town to work together to add units to the project that will be affordable to local workers.

Telecom giant AT&T to remove 8 miles of lead cables in Lake Tahoe after legal battle

In a huge win for Lake Tahoe and the environment, AT&T has recommitted to removing 8 miles of lead cables that have sat at the bottom of the lake for decades. The company is aiming to remove the cables in the next few months. A big shout out to the environmental advocates and organizations that worked behind the scenes to make this happen!

Proposed Sawmill Appealed, Residents Plea for Improved Safety Efforts

Nevada County recently approved the Alpenglow Timber project, a timber-processing facility located along Klondike Flat Road off Highway 89. While there is general agreement that the community needs such a facility, the Friends of Prosser Truckee are appealing the decision to the Board of Supervisors primarily based on their concerns around public safety. Learn more in this article from Moonshine Ink.

Shock filing shows historic Tahoe casino in foreclosure, will be auctioned 

Anyone have a spare $110 million? The old Tahoe Biltmore (or Nevada Lodge if you want to go way back) is on the auction block. The once-beloved casino has been abandoned since 2022, becoming a ghost of good-times past. The current owners are working to restructure their loan and keep their development plans alive. Only time will tell what the future holds. 

Lake Tahoe introduces new regional evacuation plan, seeks public feedback

A new Regional Evacuation Plan was released for Lake Tahoe, developed by a group of Lake Tahoe Fire Chiefs, law enforcement agencies and emergency management personnel. The evacuation plan is open for public comment until November 20th. Review the plan and submit your comments by emailing fireinfo@cityofslt.us. 

Beanie Season Is Here| MAP Organic Cotton Beanie  

It is officially beanie season in Truckee Tahoe, so be sure to stay warm with MAP's 100% organic cotton beanie by Rustek, featuring a cork label with our MAP logo for Mountain Area Preservation. You can buy this beanie and other merchandise online in our MAP Shop! 

Advocate More, Bark Less! | All Paws on Deck for Truckee Tahoe Advocacy  

The dog days of summer are here, and the situation in Truckee Tahoe is heating up! With significant land use, development, and crucial conservation efforts underway, the need for your membership support is more urgent than ever.  

Four generous MAP donors are doubling down on MAP's efforts to grow our membership with a $30,000 match. Read our e-appeal online and become a Truckee Tahoe steward by joining the movement today!  

Donations of $50 or more can receive a Bryn Merrell Wildflowers of the Sierra bandana. Perfect for you or your Truckee Tahoe-loving pup! P.S. The printed appeals are on their way, so keep an eye out for mailbox MAP love!  

14th Annual Sierra Forage Dinner a Success!  

The annual dinner hosted at Mitchell’s Meadows was not only a beautiful night in a hidden venue 30 minutes outside of Truckee, it was an absolute blast! The food by Noisettes, the music by Danger Rose, the wine by Grounded Wine Co., and our fun and witty auctioneer, Ravn Whitington, with Porter Simon Law, helped MAP raise critical dollars to enact our mission and do our work. Thank you again to all 140 guests, our host Fred and Pamela Mitchell, volunteers, chefs, staff, our wine donor, and ALL of our amazing sponsors who made the evening possible! Check out our Photo Gallery by Charlie Richter on our website. 

At the dinner, we had a BIG goal to raise $70k, with a $35,000 match from 10 generous donors, and we are so close—less than $7,000 away from making that happen! Donations, big or small, will help us secure our match. If you support our work, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our Sierra Forage Dinner Match & Pledge program. 

Thank you again to our 14th Annual Sierra Forage Dinner Match Donors: Peter and Ginnie Haas, Greg Hovorak, Jennifer and Nancy Higham in memory of Bob Higham, Melinda Maxfield and Dave Hatchett, Lynne and Ken Weakley, and Ernest Grossman. Your generosity and commitment to our grassroots efforts make MAP happen! 

MAP Mixer at California 89 Register Today!  

Join MAP at California 89 on Thursday, September 19th, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm for a MAP Mixer. We will showcase our new advocacy film by Unlikely Media, promote our membership campaign doubling down for MAP’s mission and work, and give important regional land use advocacy and conservation effort updates for Truckee Tahoe. Mixers are FREE; we will have snacks, drinks, MAP merch, and lots of land use love! Want to join in the fun? Register for our MAP Mixer today! 

Welcome | Nikki Price, MAP’s New Event Director 

 We want to welcome and announce Nikki Price as MAP’s new Event Director! Nikki served on the Board starting last fall and, as an event planner, has quickly become a huge asset to MAP and our signature events. Nikki transitioned to a staff position in mid-July and will serve in this new position with MAP, making our events even better, with more mixers and engagement with members, the community, and stakeholders on the horizon! Learn more about Nikki.

Trout Creek Pocket Park Shade Structure Approved  

On Wednesday, August 14th, the Town of Truckee’s Historic Preservation Advisory Commission approved the Trout Creek Pocket Park Shade Structure, a significant milestone in our park development efforts! This additional community benefit for the pocket park, which has been in the works since 2018, with design, engineering, and construction supported by Ed Lupyak and Peter Beaupre of Prosser, Building and Development, Inc., is finally moving forward in 2024. The funding phase is supported by grants and donor support from the Tahoe Truckee Airport District, Union Pacific Railroad Foundation, Teichert Foundation, and the Friends of Trout Creek to bring the shade structure to life! 

The shade structure, consisting of steel posts and a perforated metal roof, will cover both of the park's ADA-accessible tables. This exciting addition will provide year-round shade and much-needed relief at the site, making it more accessible beyond the morning and sunset hours. We are now gearing up to get the permit with the Town of Truckee Community Development Department and will start the installation and construction phase soon after. Once construction commences this fall, we will keep our pocket park lovers apprised! 

MAP at the Lake Tahoe Summit  

This year’s Lake Tahoe Summit was focused on connecting Tahoe through transit, trails, and technology. The program featured some excellent speakers and MAP was thrilled to participate in the environmental booth fair that took place before and after the summit. Thanks to those who came out and stopped by our booth to say hello. We’ll see you next year.

MAP Merch Alert | Future Activist 12-Month Onesies Now Online

MAP Future Activist 12-month onesies are now online in the MAP Shop! These cute little guys are made by Canva & Bella. They are soft and perfect for the Tahoe babe on the go and ready to make a positive change for our future! Get one for only $20 online while we have them in stock! Shop online in the MAP shop for a Future Activist Onesie or another MAP merch item!

Palisades Village Update: Olympic Valley Municipal Advisory Council Recommends Denial | Planning Commission Hearing on September 5th

 At the end of a grueling 6+ hour-long meeting, the Olympic Valley Municipal Advisory Council unanimously recommended denial of Alterra’s plans for future Palisades development. The next step is the upcoming Planning Commission hearing, which will take place on Thursday, September 5th, starting at 9:00 am in person at the North Tahoe Events Center in Kings Beach or online via Zoom.

The colossal project includes up to 850 mixed-resort units and 297,733 square feet of commercial space including a 90,000 square foot adventure park with an indoor water park. The meeting a couple of weeks ago was jam-packed with hundreds of folks attending in person and online. Almost 50 people gave public comments on the alarming proposal, most expressing concerns around fire safety and evacuation, workforce housing, water quality and availability, noise, maintenance, the vast size and scale of the project, and more.

This project is an all-hands-on-deck situation. While many would agree that redevelopment of Palisades is warranted, the massive scale of this proposal would be devastating to Olympic Valley and would negatively impact the entire region with consequences for Tahoe, Truckee, and beyond. Please join us next week at the Planning Commission hearing to tell Placer County and Alterra why this is the wrong approach to redevelopment in our cherished Olympic Valley.

Tahoe Living Working Group Community Workshops | September 9th & 10th  

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is kicking off its next round of housing code updates with two upcoming community meetings. The first meeting will be held on Monday, September 9th, at 6:30 p.m. at the Bijou Community School in South Shore. The second meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 10th, at 6:00 p.m. at Kings Beach Elementary School.   

This is an important opportunity to contribute to the basin-wide conversation around affordable workforce housing and policies that can be developed to support equitable access to housing while preserving and protecting our region's gem: Lake Tahoe.

Sand Harbor Master Plan | Community Input Needed

Like most areas in Lake Tahoe, Sand Harbor is feeling the strain of overtourism. Initially planned for a maximum of 1,700 visitors per day, the park now consistently sees more than 3,000 visitors per day throughout the summer. Outdated infrastructure and increased demand have led to the degradation of the area’s natural resources. Help Nevada State Parks plan for the future of this beloved outdoor space by filling out their survey. 

Getting involved: The key to more affordable and accessible workforce housing 

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is embarking upon a multi-year process to expand workforce and affordable housing opportunities in the Tahoe Basin. Hear from MAP’s Executive Director, Alexis Ollar, on why your input is crucial. Then, join an upcoming community workshop on September 9th in South Lake Tahoe or September 10th in North Lake Tahoe. Read more in the Tahoe Daily Tribune.

Getting involved: The key to more affordable and accessible workforce housing

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is embarking upon a multi-year process to expand workforce and affordable housing opportunities in the Tahoe Basin. Hear from MAP’s Executive Director, Alexis Ollar, on why your input is crucial. Then, join an upcoming community workshop on September 9th in South Lake Tahoe or September 10th in North Lake Tahoe. Read more in the Tahoe Daily Tribune.

Palisades’ plan: Tahoe deserves better, opinion by Wayne Nader 

Wayne Nader, candidate for Placer County Supervisor, weighs in on the Village at Palisades proposal. He agrees with the vast majority of people who showed up for the last hearing that there are various concerns, including the size and scale of the project, as well as serious implications for wildfire and evacuation. He tells the community, "Profits over people should never be implemented in government, and unfortunately, that appears to be the case happening now.” Read the full op-ed in the Sierra Sun.

North Tahoe/Truckee Commuter Transportation Survey

The Truckee North Tahoe Transportation Management Association (TNT/TMA) invites folks who work in Truckee and North Tahoe to take the Commuter Transportation Survey. This information will be utilized to determine employees' commute needs, which will inform future changes or improvements to transit services and other service solutions to address the needs of the region. The survey is open until September 6th, and as a bonus, you can enter to win one of five $100 Safeway gift cards.

Moving Past Litigation | MAP Settles With TRPA Over Phase 2 Housing AmendmentS 

On July 1st, MAP and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) settled the Phase 2 Housing Codes litigation. MAP filed a lawsuit earlier this year over concerns about housing affordability and environmental impacts after the agency updated its housing codes last December, providing more height, density, lot coverage and reduced parking requirements for deed-restricted housing. The housing codes approved in December were the second phase of updates in a three-part process. The third phase is set to commence this year.  

 Three major outcomes resulted from the settlement. The first is that the TRPA closed a loophole around stormwater requirements and reinstated a critical affordable housing requirement, ensuring that 50% of the TRPA’s bonus units are dedicated to affordable housing. The second win is that MAP secured a seat on the TRPA’s working group that will weigh in on the next phase of housing amendments and the TRPA committed to considering other strategies for opening up housing for the workforce, such as programs to unlock existing housing units. Finally, the TRPA committed to completing a robust environmental review and incorporating critical mitigation measures as part of the third phase of housing policy updates. 

 The Tahoe Living Working Group is meeting soon to kick off the phase 3 effort. Once we know more, MAP will be sure to alert the community to any opportunities for public input and engagement, so that the community’s voice will be reflected in future housing policies for the Tahoe Basin.

14th Annual Sierra Forage Dinner - SOLD OUT 

The 14th Annual Sierra Forage Dinner sold out in a flash, with 140 seats going quickly for our second signature event of the year next month at Mitchell’s Meadows. We can’t wait to share a culinary experience and raise critical dollars for MAP’s Truckee Tahoe environmental advocacy on Saturday, August 10th, with new and longtime supporters!  

Volunteers Needed for Pre-Event Support 

 Calling All Volunteers—we need help setting up the venue before and on the day of the 14th Annual Sierra Forage Dinner event. Volunteers are needed to set up the event and support the auction. We are seeking two volunteers to help from 4:00 to 5:00 pm at Alder Creek Middle School, which is our transit location for the day of the event. If you are interested, please email Nikki Price, MAP Event Director, at Nikki@mapf.org or call 530.582.6751.  

Thank You 2024 Sierra Forage Dinner Sponsors 

 Thank you again to the 2024 sponsors! Without sponsors, MAP would not be able to host the Sierra Forage Dinner; we want to extend an enormous amount of gratitude to our 14th Annual Sierra Forage Dinner Sponsors: Cabona’s, Patty & Jeff Baird, Emigrant Trails Greenway Trust, Granite Chief Wilderness Protection League, Resource Renewal Institute, Martis Camp, Teichert, Stonebridge Properties, Sierra Buettner Designs, Truckee Donner Land Trust, Obexer’s Boat Company, Mitchell’s Meadows, Joseph Phelps Vineyards, Porter Simon Law Office, Creative Coverings, Mountain Thyme Events, Villa Amor, Earth Roots Designs, Unlikely Media, and Jeremy Jensen Media. 

Show Your Support for Shade at the Trout Creek Pocket Park 

MAP has submitted an application to the Town of Truckee for the installation of a shade structure at the Trout Creek Pocket Park. The application will be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Advisory Commission on August 14th, starting at 8 am at Town Hall. Show your support for the project by submitting a comment letter to HPAC ahead of the meeting!

If you’re not familiar with the park’s history, MAP completed this project in 2016 and it was the Town’s first pocket park as well as an important water quality project. Prior to restoration, the site was an environmental disaster with crumbing asphalt and pollution flowing into Trout Creek, which ultimately flows to the Truckee River. The project cleaned the site, installed stormwater improvements, and created an ADA-accessible greenspace in Historic Downtown Truckee. The one thing the park does not currently have is shade and during the summer, the strong solar exposure makes for an inhospitable environment. The current project proposes a shade structure to provide refuge, making this a safer and more enjoyable space year round. 

Save the Date | MAP Mixer at California 89 

Join MAP at California 89 on Thursday, September 19th from 5:00 to 7:00 pm for a MAP Mixer. We will showcase our new advocacy film by Unlikely Media, promote our upcoming summer membership campaign doubling down for MAP’s mission and work, and give important regional land use advocacy and conservation updates efforts for Truckee Tahoe.  

Want to join in the fun? Register for our MAP Mixer HERE. 

MAP Business Member Spotlight | Mountain Thyme Events 

MAP Business Members support our priority land use campaigns, special events, and community outreach programs. This month, we are spotlighting Mountain Thyme Events and the woman behind the event planning, Nikki Price. 

This is Mountain Thyme Events third year supporting MAP with planning support for the Sierra Forage Dinner, which is why MAP’s signature events are so fun and special! Thank you, Nikki for all your support making MAP’s events unique and detail oriented. Learn more about our MAP Business Membership program and see how your business can be part of the MAP movement! 

California 89 X MAP | Into The Woods Collaboration

MAP is the beneficiary of the Into The Woods line by California 89. With this collaboration, a $1 from the sale of each Into the Woods product line will benefit MAP and our efforts to protect open space in North Lake Tahoe and the Martis Valley for present and future generations. Check out the product line in Historic Downtown Truckee at California 89, located at 10156 Donner Pass Road, Truckee, CA 96161, or shop online. Give back to MAP and support a small family-owned business simultaneously! 

MAP Outreach | Visit Us at the 2024 Lake Tahoe Summit! 

We are thrilled to host a booth at the 28th Annual Lake Tahoe Summit, hosted by Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto on August 14th at Round Hill Pines in South Lake Tahoe. We hope you’ll all join us for an event featuring a booth fair of environmental organizations and a program focused on transit, trails, and technology in the Tahoe Basin. Register by August 7th or watch the livestream.

Residences at Jibboom Project | Historic Preservation Advisory Commission Outcome 

It’s been a handful of years since the Residences at Jibboom, a mixed-use development project proposed in Historic Downtown Truckee, first came forward. After a chorus of public outcry, the applicants went back to the drawing board to revamp the project. At a 25% reduction in unit count and a 30% reduction in massing from the earlier proposal, the current project includes 62 housing units and 3,3339 sf of commercial space. Additionally, the applicants have indicated that the housing units would include 20 units of workforce housing and 10 units of affordable housing, helping to address Truckee’s critical housing crisis. 

The project was reviewed by the Historic Preservation Advisory Commission earlier this month and they recommended denial of the project, stating that the mass and scale are out of character with the Historic District. This perspective was supported by vocal neighbors. MAP disagrees. While the proposed buildings would be taller than others in the immediate vicinity, they are in line with heights of Truckee’s historic buildings. The materials were thoughtfully selected to match other existing and historic architecture. Most importantly, perhaps, is that this is an excellent location for infill development (close to services, in a central location) and the applicants are promising to commit 20 extra units to workforce housing. MAP’s support is contingent upon the promised workforce and affordable housing. The project will move forward to the Planning Commission this fall. Stay tuned for more info as it becomes available. 

Village at Palisades Plan | Meetings Heat Up in August  

Despite an extreme lack of public support (99% of the 2,629 comment letters submitted during the last comment period were against the proposal), Alterra Mountain Company is moving forward with the same project first proposed in 2011. The proposal was approved in 2016, subsequently litigated by Sierra Watch, and the courts ultimately ruled in 2016 that the plan’s environmental review was deficient, lacking adequate analysis of transportation, air quality, noise, hydrology and water quality, and hazardous materials and hazards.  

In 2022, Alterra revised their environmental review, but made no changes to the deeply concerning project, which includes up to 850 mixed-use resort units, up to 50 units of employee housing for 300 employees (who knows how that could possibly be justified), 297,733 square feet of commercial space and a 90,000 square foot adventure park with an indoor water park because, as we’ve been told, there’s nothing to do in Tahoe in the summer. The comment period for the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report closed in January of 2023, and the consultants have supposedly been responding to the 2,629 comment letters since then. With the first of the public meetings on the docket, we suspect that the Final Environmental Impact Report will be released soon. 

There are two scheduled upcoming meetings. The first is a virtual community meeting on August 15th from 5:30 - 7:00 pm (you can ask questions using the chat feature, but no comments will be accepted) and the second is the Olympic Valley Municipal Advisory Committee meeting on August 17th, starting at 10:00 am in person and online. If you care about the future of Olympic Valley, it is critical that you show up on the 17th and tell your decision-makers, Placer County staff members and Alterra why this misguided plan is the wrong move for our mountains, our community, and future generations.

KTVN - Mountain Area Preservation (MAP) org successfully settles with TRPA

MAP’s Executive Director, Alexis Ollar, discusses the settlement agreement between MAP and the TRPA regarding the agency’s Phase 2 Housing Codes. She tells Josh Meny of KTVN News Channel 2 what the outcomes of the settlement were and the importance of having affordability requirements reinstated into code. Watch the full story here.

A controversial legal fight in Tahoe results in 'huge win' for affordable housing 

“A grassroots nonprofit went up against Tahoe’s most powerful government agency to fight for more affordable housing. Now they have a seat at the table.” SFGATE’s Julie Brown Davis writes about the details of the settlement agreement between MAP and TRPA regarding the agency’s housing code updates, approved last December. Read the full article here.

Lake Tahoe policy, funding ignores what’s urgently needed

 Tahoe resident Pamela Mahoney Tsigdinos analyzes the ever growing challenges facing the Tahoe Basin, and the leadership and funding needed to address them in her op-ed featured in the Reno Gazette Journal. 

Choosing cooperation over litigation: MAP vs. TRPA settled 

Another take on the settlement agreement between MAP and TRPA regarding the TRPA’s Phase 2 Housing Codes. Read the full article from the Tahoe Daily Tribune. 

Truckee River Watershed Council - Executive Director Search  

Truckee River Watershed Council (TRWC) collaborates, convenes, and coordinates, bringing diverse interests together to solve complex problems for our natural resources while supporting the vibrancy of our local community. Are you interested in joining us? We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Executive Director to oversee all aspects of our operations and provide strategic leadership. This position requires strong organizational acumen, exceptional communication skills, and the ability to drive growth and success.  

Information on how to apply is included in the job posting.

14th Annual Sierra Forage Dinner Tickets On Sale NOW

Celebrate thirty-seven years of grassroots Truckee Tahoe environmental advocacy and conservation with Mountain Area Preservation on Saturday, August 10th, at the 14th Annual Sierra Forage Dinner at Mitchell’s Meadows in Truckee, California. Tickets are on sale NOW! 

 This highly coveted 140-person dinner is a testament to our commitment to intimate gatherings, which will showcase a unique, locally-sourced, gourmet, multi-course vegetarian meal prepared by Noiseittes, complemented by exquisite wine pairings from Joseph Phelps Vineyards. The event will also feature a thrilling live auction with Ravn Whitington of Porter Simon Law Office, a match and pledge segment to raise critical dollars to support MAP’s mission-driven efforts, entertainment with live music, and an exclusive MAP film showcasing 37 years of advocacy and future conservation.
With only 140 seats this year, securing your tickets early is crucial. Individual tickets are $150 each, and a reserved table for ten guests is $1300, a $20 saving per ticket when you buy a table.  Each ticket also includes a $50 tax-deductible donation to MAP + transit to and from the venue.

Take advantage of this opportunity. Buy your tickets TODAY; we only have 40 tickets left!

Thank You 14th Annual Sierra Forage Dinner Sponsors: Cabona’s, Patty & Jeff Baird, Emigrant Trails Greenway Trust, Granite Chief Wilderness Protection League, Martis Camp, Sierra Buettner Designs, Truckee Donner Land Trust, Obexer’s Boat Company, Mitchell’s Meadows, Joseph Phelps Vineyards, Porter Simon Law Office, Creative Coverings, Mountain Thyme Events, Villa Amor, Earth Roots Designs, Unlikely Media, and Jeremy Jensen Media.

MAP 2024 Environmental Scholarship Recipient

Since 2015, MAP has awarded an Environmental Scholarship through the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation (TTCF) Scholarship Program to a graduating senior in North Tahoe or Truckee pursuing education in the environmental sector. We are excited to share and announce the 2024 MAP Environmental Scholarship Recipient Peyton Rothery, a Truckee High School graduate. Peyton has been awarded a $2500 scholarship from MAP to support her future education program in environmental law, marine biology, or fish and wildlife management at the University of California, San Diego. 

Peyton is not only a distinguished scholar with all A's while in high school, but she was also awarded the Best Teammate Award for Cross Country as a selfless athlete who brought positivity and leadership to her team and was on the Honor Roll for all six semesters. Peyton's curiosity for the world, desire for diversity, and desire to create a positive change stem from her stewardship and volunteerism founded in Truckee Tahoe, while she also has thrived through travel to Central America. 

Peyton's commitment to her community is evident in her various leadership roles. She served as an assistant coach for the Truckee River United Football Club, a Math Tutor for 7th graders, and a Lake Tahoe Ambassador for the Sierra Nevada Alliance and North Tahoe Community Alliance. She was also actively involved in clubs promoting environmental initiatives and women's empowerment at Truckee High School. All of us at MAP are thrilled for Peyton and her upcoming journey to the University of California, San Diego. Learn more about MAP’s scholarship opportunities, and be sure to make a note if you have a senior for 2025, as we will promote our scholarship again at the beginning of next year!

MAP Business Member Spotlight | Unlikely Media 

MAP Business Members support our priority land use campaigns, special events, and community outreach programs. This month, we are spotlighting Unlikely Media and the woman behind the filmmaking, Victoria Estevez. Estevez is not only a talented filmmaker and storyteller but also an active Board member working to bring awareness and community to MAP’s work and mission. 

Victoria created MAPTIVISM, a short film that debuted at MAP’s 8th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival this past April about advocacy and the open space preserved since 1987 and is now working on a new short film about MAP’s history and what it means to be a grassroots environmental advocacy non-profit, working tirelessly over the past thirty-seven years to protect and preserve. This next special film will debut at MAP’s 14th Annual Sierra Forage Dinner on Saturday, August 10th. Thank you, Victoria, for your support as a MAP Business Member, helping us share with the community and beyond what it means to be an advocate for positive change! Learn more about MAP Business Membership and see how you can help support our mission and work. 

Checkout MAP Business Members!

We’re Hiring | MAP Membership & Outreach Director 

The Membership & Outreach Director application deadline has been extended to July 15th. MAP seeks to hire a dynamic non-profit or business professional to fulfill the Membership & Outreach Director position. This is an exciting opportunity to make a significant impact on the future of conservation in the Truckee-Tahoe region by working directly with MAP members, the community, and visitors to engage and educate the public on MAP’s membership program as well as regional land use advocacy efforts benefiting the conservation and environmental sector of the Truckee-Tahoe region.

Learn More on our Website

MAP Outreach | Visit Us at Truckee Thursday in July

Summer outreach is always a treat, and we hope to see MAP members, supporters, residents, visitors, and new members out on Donner Pass Road during  Truckee Thursdays at the MAP booth. We have two Thursday dates for this summer, July 18th and July 25th, from 5:00 to 8:30 pm, so be sure to mark your calendars, come on out to Historic Downtown Truckee, and visit us to get caught up on land use in Truckee Tahoe, MAP membership, buy your Sierra Forage Dinner ticket or MAP merchandise! Check out the Truckee Thursday schedule online, and remember that free transit is available all summer long from neighborhoods to downtown.

Good Morning Truckee | Building Community Resilience  

Good Morning Truckee is a community forum that provides timely, relevant information on various topics. It is open to the public – everyone is invited. It is held on the third Tuesday of every month at Truckee Town Hall from 7:45 - 9:15 a.m. Good Morning Truckee is offered in person and recorded for viewing later if you cannot attend. Registration begins at 7:45 a.m. The program starts promptly at 8:00 a.m. The ticket price is $10 for Truckee Chamber members and $15 for the general public. It includes a continental breakfast and a chance to win a door prize. New for 2024: Bring your business card that will serve as your door prize entry ticket.

For July's Good Morning Truckee, they are shifting gears to focus on emergency preparedness and wildfire prevention, two essential components in fostering community resilience, especially in rural areas like Truckee. Join us on July 16th to welcome James Blattler, Emergency Services Coordinator with the Town of Truckee; Anne Rarick, COAD Manager with Turning Point; and Eric Horntvedt, Wildfire Prevention Manager with Truckee Fire. MAP is the nonprofit highlight, and our very own Executive Director, Alexis Ollar, will present on the organization and provide a short community update on current work.

TRPA Code Changes | A Step in the Right Direction 

This week, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Governing Board adopted critical changes to its recently updated housing codes. These important clarifications ensure that Lake Tahoe water quality and clarity will be protected even as new high-density, affordable, moderate, and achievable housing projects come forward. They also reinstate a vital affordable housing requirement. 
In December, the TRPA updated its housing codes to provide more height, density, and lot coverage and reduced parking requirements for deed-restricted, affordable, moderate, and achievable housing within the Tahoe Basin’s town centers. While important concerns remain about these new codes, including environmental and public safety impacts, this week's changes were a win for Tahoe and a step in the right direction. For more information on MAP’s position, review our press release.

It’s been a couple of years since the last iteration of the Residences at Jibboom Street Project came forward. After a less-than-welcoming reception from the community, the applicants went back to the drawing board to rework the project. As currently proposed, the project would include four buildings with 62 residential units (10 affordable units, 20 workforce units, and 32 market-rate units), 3,339 sf of ground floor commercial space, and 69 parking spaces. We’ve heard that the project is coming to Truckee’s Historic Preservation Advisory Committee (HPAC) on July 10th, with other Town of Truckee meetings on the horizon this summer. We will keep you posted as dates are finalized and let you know how you can weigh in on the proposal. Learn about the project.

Boatworks Redevelopment Project | Design Review  

The proposed Boatworks Redevelopment Project is moving forward in the public process, with an informational presentation to the Tahoe Basin Design Review Committee earlier this week. The project applicants provided an overview of the project, including building components, site circulation, and preliminary designs. The project has two main building sections, with residential condo-hotel units and commercial retail space along North Lake Boulevard and a spa, hotel and restaurant space closer to the lake.  

During the meeting, committee members asked a number of questions about the project, including questions about parking, access, employee housing, architecture, and the view corridor. The applicants have completed a variety of preliminary analyses on shade, reflectivity and massing, and are in the process of preparing a joint Environmental Impact Report (EIR)/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Back in February, MAP submitted comments on the Notice of Preparation for this much-anticipated redevelopment project in Tahoe City. Stay tuned for more information as it moves forward. 

Friends of the Library Need Your Opinion | Take The Library Design Survey 

The Friends of the Library need your help and opinion on the design of the future Library at the Truckee Regional Park. This is an exciting and critical phase for the new library in Truckee to serve the region. This is the one chance we have to get the design right for our community's needs, and the Friend of the Library is asking for residents and businesses to participate in two surveys to help inform the design and uses at the future site. To ensure as many community members as possible can provide input, please take the design survey and provide feedback to the Friends of the Library. 

Kings Beach is Tahoe’s last working class enclave, and locals are fighting for its future

The community is leery of yet another development proposal in the Kings Beach Town Center, an area that has seen many developers come and go, with promises that remain unfulfilled. The 39 Degrees North Redevelopment Project is the latest proposal, and if built, it would change the look and feel of Kings Beach forever. Read more in this article from the SF Gate.

Overwhelmed by tourists, Tahoe’s iconic Sand Harbor to soon require reservations 

Sand Harbor is seeing over a million more visitors per year than they were just a decade ago. In an effort to better manage outrageous visitation numbers, the state park will begin requiring reservations starting on August 17th.

Homewood Stays Public, But Can Discovery Be Trusted?

Discovery Land Company partnered with JMA Ventures in 2022 to redevelop Homewood Mountain Resort. Despite promises to keep the resort public, those who have dealt with the company in the past warn Tahoe locals that the Discovery isn’t to be trusted. Read more in Moonshine Ink.  

Save The Date | 14th Annual Sierra Forage Dinner  

Dine under the stars at Mitchell’s Meadows near Independence Lake on Saturday, August 10th, for the 14th Annual Sierra Forage Dinner. MAP’s annual farm-to-table dinner and fundraiser celebrates our beautiful home in the Sierra while raising critical funds to support grassroots environmental advocacy for Truckee Tahoe. 

The Sierra Forage Dinner is a multi-course, locally sourced farm-to-table dinner with a vegetarian menu paired with fine wines and fundraising. This is MAP’s primary fundraiser, securing critical dollars for our advocacy efforts.  

Save the date—tickets go on sale Friday, June 21st. 

More event details coming soon!

Business Member Spotlight | Pamela Hurt Associates  

MAP Business Members support our priority land use campaigns, special events, and community outreach programs. This month, we spotlight Pamela Hobday and her generous donation of time, skills, and resources for MAP. With Pamela's guidance and more than forty years of nonprofit support, the MAP board is creating a new strategic plan. Thank you, Pam for your support and guidance.

MAP Environmental Policy Intern | Welcome Alexa McPherson  

We are thrilled to welcome Alexa McPherson to the MAP team for the summer of 2024! A graduate of North Tahoe High School, Alexa is now pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a focus in Environmental Science at Clark University in Massachusetts. She will be working on a white paper during her internship that analyzes best practices in climate action planning to help inform MAP’s climate advocacy. Welcome, Alexa!

Interested in serving on a Board? MAP is seeking candidates! 

We are looking to expand the MAP Board of Directors and seek new candidates to serve four-year terms. Board members provide program oversight and support, contribute to fundraising efforts, oversee finances and budget, and strategically plan for the organization’s future. MAP is currently seeking board members who resonate with MAP’s mission/vision and have experience in one or more of the following areas: finance, legal, environmental science, event planning, and non-profit governance. If this sounds like you, please reach out and send your resume to our Executive Director, Alexis Ollar, at alexis@mapf.org. 

We’re Hiring!

MAP Membership & Outreach Director Position

We’re hiring! MAP seeks to hire a dynamic non-profit or business professional to fulfill the Membership & Outreach Director position. This is an exciting opportunity to make a significant impact on the future of conservation in the Truckee-Tahoe region by working directly with MAP members, the community, and visitors to engage and educate the public on MAP’s membership program as well as regional land use advocacy efforts benefiting the conservation and environmental sector of the Truckee-Tahoe region. Learn more about the job duties, position requirements, and how to apply on our website. Please share with avid fundraisers and Truckee Tahoe conservation enthusiasts. 

We Have Moved | New Office Location - 10098 Jibboom Street 

 MAP has a new office location (right next door to our old office location) at 10098 Jibboom Street. Stop by and say hello!

TRPA Advocacy | Fighting for Affordable Housing and Resilient Tahoe Communities

 On February 9th, 2024, MAP filed a legal complaint against the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) challenging the Phase 2 Housing Amendments. As workforce housing advocates, we know what it takes to bring good workforce housing projects to the region, and these amendments are not it. They are misguided at best and detrimental to the Lake and our communities at worst. Among other issues, the TRPA failed to complete the required environmental review and commit to implementing critical mitigation measures. They also undermined their own affordable housing requirement and adopted changes that made it much less likely that any affordable housing would be built. 

 Finally, they provided massive development incentives for workforce housing, yet no income cap exists. We do not believe that these projects will magically be affordable for local workers. While litigation is not our preferred avenue for making change, sometimes it is necessary, and that’s the situation we found ourselves in earlier this year. Tahoe is too important. 

Code Changes In Process  

A major win is already on the table thanks to public pressure and MAP’s litigation. The TRPA is considering changes to their recently adopted Phase 2 Housing Amendments that would reinstate a critical affordable housing requirement and clarify crucial stormwater treatment regulations. While the TRPA is painting these as “minor technical changes,” we know how important they are and that the TRPA would not be revisiting the affordable housing issue without legal pressure. The TRPA Governing Board is set to vote on these key modifications at their meeting in June. Thank you to everyone who has endorsed MAP’s legal challenge. It is making a difference!

How Many Bonus Units Are Left? 

 Bear with us momentarily because we’re about to get a little wonky. In order to build in Tahoe you have to get development rights from the TRPA and there are different buckets of development rights. One of those buckets is called “bonus units.” The Phase 2 Housing Amendments (the ones MAP is litigating) only apply to those bonus units. 

 Since these amendments provide huge development incentives (more height, unlimited density, unlimited lot coverage, etc.) it is really important that we know how many bonus units there are. Unfortunately, this has been a moving target and impossible to follow, with TRPA staff presenting different numbers that simply do not add up. MAP pointed this out in a recent public comment letter and the Governing Board directed staff to clarify the issue. We expected them to present a clear accounting of the bonus units at their meeting two weeks ago, but it seems they need more time to figure it out. We’ll keep the community updated if and when we get clarity on the issue.

Silver Creek Estates | Planning Commission Hearing Continued 

 On May 21st, the Town of Truckee Planning Commission began their review of the Silver Creek Estates project, a 40-unit multi-family housing development adjacent to the existing Winter Creek subdivision. As currently proposed, the project includes 10 two-story buildings and seeks to waive or reduce a number of requirements, including the requirements for recreational amenities and open space. The site also qualifies for additional density due to State of California housing laws. 

The Winter Creek community showed up in full force and expressed a variety of important concerns related to public safety, traffic, snow storage, project density, and more. MAP also weighed in to express concerns around project design, vehicle miles traveled and snow storage. Seeing the writing on the wall, the applicant agreed to modify the proposal and will consider increasing some of the building heights from 2 to 3 stories to create more space for other opportunities, such as a recreational amenity on site, more snow storage, and increased parking. The Planning Commission ultimately continued the hearing for this project until August. MAP will follow progress on this project and provide updates to the community as more information becomes available. Stay tuned!

39°N Kings Beach Mixed-Use Project 

 The 39°N Project, a proposed mixed-use development, would consume an entire block with a massive hotel, spa, commercial uses, and townhomes. If approved, this building would be 27 feet taller than any other in Kings Beach. As proposed, the project is deeply concerning. Not only is it out of compliance with the recently updated Tahoe Basin Area Plan, but it’s also vastly out of scale with North Lake Tahoe’s mountain character, presents safety concerns related to building shading and wildfire evacuation, and adds to existing challenges in Kings Beach, like traffic congestion and lack of infrastructure. 

 The applicant recently shared that they will start the environmental review process soon. This is a critical public process where stakeholders can weigh in on potential environmental threats, mitigation measures, and alternatives. Let’s hope the developer is willing to work with locals to create a project that truly enhances Kings Beach and provides opportunities for the community rather than looking solely for profit and a project that will appeal only to tourists. We’ll share more information as it becomes available. 

Placer County Housing Element Update Approved

 Placer County’s rapid-fire housing rezone process that began last spring culminated on May 21st in a marathon 10-hour-long meeting. Placer County initiated this process to comply with State of California housing requirements. If you’re just getting caught up, to create more low-income and affordable housing, the State requires each local jurisdiction to have enough land zoned for high-density housing (apartments and condos) to meet that jurisdiction’s housing needs. 

 The requirement is somewhat misguided as high-density housing does not equal low-income housing, and, at least in Truckee Tahoe, housing that is “affordable by design” seems to be a myth. Regardless, Placer County had a deficit and needed to rezone parcels to fill this gap. Over the last year, Placer considered upzoning (to a maximum of 30 dwelling units/acre) 72 properties. 

 The final hearing was an emotionally-charged meeting that pitted communities against each other, with each arguing that the properties in their area are unsuitable for high-density housing because of sensitive resources, site constraints, lack of infrastructure, and more. A handful of folks supported the rezoning, but the vast majority were against it, with many even arguing that the County should take a stance against the State and choose not to comply with State regulations. In a divisive 3-2 vote, the Board of Supervisors selected 22 properties to upzone, with no parcels in Truckee Tahoe. The Board also directed staff to analyze in-lieu fees and other incentives to provide affordable housing in Placer County. MAP will be following this process as it moves forward.

R2SC | Truckee River Revitalization Plan 

Share YOUR Vision!

 The Town of Truckee is seeking community help to share your vision for the Truckee River near historic downtown. This is an opportunity for the community to take stock of what we want the area to be and to help shape the overall vision and goals for the downtown river corridor area.

 Three “themes”—restore, revitalize, and reimagine—have been developed. They need your input on each topic's vision, opportunities, and challenges. 

 Restore: This refers to river health and access. The goal is to have a thriving ecosystem, including protected water quality, restored riparian zones and habitats for wildlife and fish, abundant native plant species, and appropriate recreation access.

 Revive: This concept involves community vitality and connectivity. The draft vision is for a connected, eclectic mix of thriving local businesses and housing, with a mix of commercial, residential, light industrial, open space, public places, sidewalks, and bike paths.

 Reimagine: is all about what it feels and looks like in the river corridor—the vibe and character of the place. The desire is to have an authentic, attractive place that honors Truckee’s history: a mix of modern and historic, natural and built, a love of place, and respect for "Truckee Funk."

Tahoe homeowners ordered to stop poisoning lake’s invasive weeds

 In a huge win for the Sierra Club Tahoe Area Group, the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, and the environment, the El Dorado County Superior Court ruled in favor of the groups’ lawsuit and ordered that herbicide discharges into the Tahoe Keys be halted. In 2022, the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board gave a permit to the Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association that allowed for the first ever herbicide discharges into Lake Tahoe’s waters in order to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species. The environmental groups argued that other alternatives were not properly considered and the Court found that the environmental review was inadequate.

Smoke Covered 70% of California During Biggest Wildfire Years

 Bigger, hotter, more intense wildfires are upon us in California, with the extent of wildfire quintupling in the state since the 1970s. A recent study from the University of California, Davis found that up to 70% of California was consumed by wildfire smoke during portions of 2020 and 2021, yet our understanding of how smoke impacts lake ecosystems is lacking. The study confirmed that wildfire smoke changes light, temperature and oxygen levels in lakes, but a variety of factors impact the extent to which those characteristics are altered.

AT&T Backtracks on Removing Lead Cables Amid Legal Fight

Two abandoned cables containing lead have been nestled at the bottom of Lake Tahoe for decades. The cables, belonging to AT&T, were slated for removal last fall until the telecom giant’s stocks fell to record lows and the company decided to backpedal, instead waiting for the courts to decide the cables’ future. Read the full story in Moonshine Ink.

Own a second home in South Lake Tahoe? Proposed vacancy tax could cost you thousands a year. 

A vacancy tax proposal has made its way onto the ballot in South Lake Tahoe this November. Voters will decide whether homeowners with properties that sit empty for more than half a year will be taxed. The idea is that this tax would be used to generate funding for affordable housing and would incentivize property owners to rent to locals, providing more supply to drive housing costs down. Read more in the San Francisco Chronicle. 

Change is needed in Tahoe (opinion) 

South Lake Tahoe City Councilmember Scott Robbins paints a grim picture of the housing crisis in Tahoe and outlines changes needed to support families and local workers. He is spot on when he states, “In most communities local wages limit prices, but as a vacation destination, locals have been relentlessly outcompeted by a virtually unlimited supply of deep-pocketed 2nd/vacation home buyers bidding for the same limited supply of housing.” Read more in his opinion piece featured in the Tahoe Daily Tribune. 

Emotions run high over long-delayed revival of Lake Tahoe’s Cal Neva hotel

Crystal Bay’s beloved old hotel, the Cal Neva, has sat empty since 2013, but a new owner intends to renovate and update the building, starting with roughly $5 million to $6 million in structural repairs. The new developers have begun the community outreach process and what they’ve found is that this property is still a jewel to many. Three themes have risen to the top during community meetings: historic preservation, public access, and hotel rooms for North Lake Tahoe. Read more in this article from the SF Gate.

Fire Aside Defensible Space Software Comes to Tahoe

 May was Wildfire Awareness Month, so it's a great time to recognize some of the important wildfire risk reduction efforts going on in the region, including a new software platform called Fire Aside that streamlines the process for completing defensible space and home-hardening evaluations. With support from the Tahoe Fund and Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation, all fire agencies in the Tahoe Basin now have access to this software, which also helps agencies identify risk mitigation recommendations for local residents to carry out.

8th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival | That’s A Wrap!  

Thank you to everyone who celebrated Earth Month with us by attending the 8th Annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival in Truckee Tahoe! For the first time ever, MAP hosted back-to-back events in Truckee and Palisades as part of the Earth Day Festival, engaging 300 people in films and MAP’s mission.  

Both events were filled with epic outdoor adventure and environmental films, an amazing raffle, and community members coming together in the name of grassroots activism. With the support of sponsors, ticket sales, raffle items, bar, and membership, $31,000 was raised to support MAP’s mission and work.

We are grateful for the incredible support we received from sponsors, raffle donors, volunteers, MAP filmmakers, and festival-goers, who all made the 8th Annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival a huge success. Thank you, Truckee Tahoe. Be sure to check out some of the highlight photos from Jeremy Jensen Media & Niobe Burden Austere from the Truckee event.

With the Support of Sponsors, Hosting Wild and Scenic is Possible for MAP! 

Thank you to our 2024 Wild and Scenic National Sponsors and MAP Sponsors: Earthjustice, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Tangled Bank Studios, American Rivers, Impact Capital, Patty & Jeff Baird, Cabona’s, Martis Fund, Martis Camp, Obexer’s Boat Company, Truckee Donner Land Trust, Contractors Association of Truckee Tahoe, Balance Hydrologics, Brand Geek, KMI Wealth, Truckee Donner Public Utility District, Locals Creative, Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, Truckee Chambers, Town of Truckee, Moonshine Ink, 101.5 Truckee Tahoe Radio, California 89, Truckee Tahoe Airport District, and Clair Tappaan Lodge. 

Business Member Spotlight | Synergy Reps  

Thank you to Synergy Reps for supporting MAP’s mission and priority conservation campaigns. Synergy Reps is our business member to spotlight this month; with over 60 years of combined experience representing outdoor manufacturers, Justin Singer, Dany Huberman, Sabrina Kamman, and Marissa Blake are also avid conservation enthusiasts, wanting to protect open space and Truckee Tahoe’s character.  

Synergy Reps is helping to make MAP happen by making us the beneficiary of the Sample Sale on April 25 and 26th at the Synergy Reps showroom. We enjoyed chatting with MAP members, making new friends, and raising $1,350 for Truckee Tahoe advocacy! Thank you, Synergy Reps. Don’t worry, MAP members and friends who missed it—we will do another one this year. Stay tuned! 

To learn more about MAP’s Business Member Program, the businesses that support MAP, and how your business or organization can join, go to our website. 

We’re Hiring | MAP Membership & Outreach Director Position

We’re hiring! MAP seeks to hire a dynamic non-profit or business professional to fulfill the Membership & Outreach Director position. This is an exciting opportunity to make a significant impact on the future of conservation in the Truckee-Tahoe region by working directly with MAP members, the community, and visitors to engage and educate the public on MAP’s membership program as well as regional land use advocacy efforts benefiting the conservation and environmental sector of the Truckee-Tahoe region. Learn more about the job duties, position requirements, and how to apply on our website. Please share with avid fundraisers and Truckee Tahoe conservation enthusiasts. 

TRPA Governing Board Item to Amend Phase 2 Housing Codes Continued 

Following months of community concern, outreach, and advocacy, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is considering amendments to its recently adopted, troublesome Phase 2 Housing Codes. These codes provide a framework outlining how housing will develop in the Tahoe region for many years to come. In the final minutes of their December meeting, the TRPA adopted changes to the codes that removed an important affordable housing requirement, making it much less likely that affordable workforce housing will be built, and included unclear language about stormwater treatment requirements.

 Thanks to community pressure, we are hopeful that a meaningful, affordable housing requirement will be reinstated and that the stormwater treatment language will be clarified.

On April 10th, the Advisory Planning Commission recommended that the Governing Board add the affordable housing requirement back into the codes adopted in December. MAP filed a lawsuit calling for this and other important changes to support workforce housing and environmental protection. However, on April 24th, the Governing Board decided to continue this item to a future date, likely in May. MAP will continue to provide comments in support of these important affordable housing and stormwater treatment modifications. Stay tuned through MAP Action Alerts and our social accounts for updates as this land use item progresses.

Placer County Housing Rezone Program | Board of Supervisors Hearing - May 21, 2024 

Placer County is in the final stages of updating their Housing Rezone Program. As is required by the State of California, every local jurisdiction must have enough land zoned for high-density housing to meet the housing needs of the local population. At present, Placer County does not have enough parcels zoned for high-density development to meet the State requirement, so they have created an inventory of potential sites to upzone. Selected properties will have a minimum development capacity of 20 units/acre and a maximum development capacity of 30 units/acre. 

Placer County completed an environmental review to analyze the impacts of upzoning the candidate sites. The Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) was recently published and now the Board of Supervisors will meet to finalize the list of properties slated for high-density housing. Four parcels in the Truckee Tahoe area were analyzed in the FEIR, but the Board has indicated that they will not be included in the Housing Rezone Program. The Board of Supervisors hearing will be held on May 21st, starting at 9:00 am in Auburn or online via Zoom. 

The Martis Fund and Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation: A decade of collaborative action

Two local organizations have long collaborated to generate forward momentum and meaningful outcomes in Truckee Tahoe. Alexis Ollar, MAP Executive Director and Vice President of the Martis Fund states, “By working together with regional partners, nonprofits, and government jurisdictions, we can create a positive impact through philanthropy while leveraging more resources to support the environment and community.” Learn more in this article from the Sierra Sun. 

Stalled Waldorf project stokes environmental concerns among Tahoe residents

The long-anticipated Waldorf Astoria project in Crystal Bay has been hit with a notice of default to the tune of $82 million. The project, which many locals find to be massively out of scope with community character at roughly 7 times the size of the old Biltmore, faces an unknown future. Josh Meny with 2 News Nevada reports. 

It’s time to act on microplastics in Lake Tahoe: Ban certain plastics

In honor of Earth Month in April, the Sierra Club Tahoe Area Group’s Tobi Tyler illuminates the ever-growing plastic pollution problem that plagues every corner of the Earth, including Lake Tahoe. She argues that now is the time to ban various types of plastics throughout the Tahoe Basin. Read more about the problem and potential solutions in this op-ed featured in the Reno Gazette Journal. 

Tahoe planning group exerts outsized influence on legislative oversight committee

Incline Village resident Pamela Mahoney Tsigdinos argues that the committee designed to oversee the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is failing to fulfill this necessary service. She states that “committee leadership has little interest in TRPA accountability or supervision—in other words, the actual job of oversight.” Read more in her commentary piece published in the Nevada Current. 

8th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival 

Join MAP during Earth Month for the 8th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival, which will be held in Truckee Tahoe for TWO events on April 19th and April 20th. The festival will showcase ten films featuring stories about activism and art, wildlife, resource conservation, adventure with a cause, female empowerment, and more! Tickets are on sale for the custom film program showcased at the Community Arts Center in Historic Downtown Truckee on Friday, April 19th, from 6-9 pm. On Saturday, April 20th, the Wild Child youth program will debut at the Truckee Tahoe Earth Day Festival in the Village at Palisades in the Alpenglow room for FREE. Learn more about the Wild & Scenic Film Festival - On Tour in Truckee Tahoe hosted by MAP, and get your tickets for Friday night before we sell out! 

Thank You 2024 National Partners & MAP Sponsors 

Without the support of sponsors, hosting Wild and Scenic would not be possible for MAP. Thank you to our 2024 Wild and Scenic National Sponsors and MAP Sponsors: Earthjustice, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Tangled Bank Studios, American Rivers, Impact Capital, Patty & Jeff Baird, Cabona’s, Martis Fund, Martis Camp, Obexer’s Boat Company, Truckee Donner Land Trust, Contractors Association of Truckee Tahoe, Balance Hydrologics, Brand Geek, KMI Wealth, Truckee Donner Public Utility District, Locals Creative, Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, Truckee Chambers, Town of Truckee, Moonshine Ink, 101.5 Truckee Tahoe Radio, and California 89. 

MAP Youth Environmental Scholarship  

Each year, MAP awards an Environmental Scholarship through the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation Scholarship Program, and this year we are granting $2,500 to a future 2024 graduating senior with the desire and passion to make a positive impact in a future environmental career or profession. We have raised the bar with an additional $1,500 for our scholarship and hope more Truckee Tahoe seniors seeking an environmental career apply through the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation. 

Our scholarship is awarded to a North Tahoe-Truckee graduating high school senior attending a two- or four-year college or university and pursuing a degree in environmental science and studies fields. Special focuses can include natural resource management, planning, law, policy, engineering, sustainability, and environmental justice.  

To learn more about the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation Scholarship Program and to apply for MAP’s Environmental Scholarship, click here.

MAP Business Membership Spotlight | Maine Beer Company  

MAP Business Members support our priority land use campaigns, special events, and community outreach programs. Maine Beer Company is one of our Business Members to Spotlight this month, with support coming all the way from the East Coast for MAP!  

Miles Heapes, a Maine Beer Company staff member, was born and raised in Truckee Tahoe; now working in Maine for a value-based beer company and 1% for the planet member that instills philanthropy through their company framework and staff ethos. Miles picked MAP to receive a staff-funded 1% for the Planet grant for our mission and work for $1,000.  

“Living so far away, it is a comfort to know that there are organizations like yours working to preserve the amazing place that I grew up in and love,” said Miles Heapes, Maine Beer Company.  Thank you, Miles and Maine Beer Company, for your Truckee Tahoe stewardship and love!

MAP Business Membership Spotlight | Wild Cherries  

MAP Business Members support our priority land use campaigns, special events, and community outreach programs. Membership donations help to fuel our advocacy efforts, and Wild Cherries is our Business Member to Spotlight!  

“Wild Cherries is honored to be a proud supporter of MAP.  As our community grows and evolves, protecting our natural resources and open spaces is more important than ever while mindfully evolving with smart growth development. MAP accomplishes this mission every day, which is why we are a new proud MAP Business Member, ” Kristen Krone, Owner.  

Thank you, Wild Cherries, for your Truckee Tahoe stewardship and belief in MAP’s mission and work. To learn more about MAP’s Business Member Program, the businesses that support MAP, and how your business or organization can join, go to our website. We are grateful for businesses willing to invest in environmental advocacy and the ongoing stewardship needed to protect present and future generations.

Thank You for Your MAP Board Service | Sarah Obexer  

Thank you, Sarah Obexer, for your Board service with Mountain Area Preservation since 2022. Sarah’s stewardship for Tahoe runs deep, and we are truly grateful for her support in helping MAP grow our mission, serve as Secretary, and support our priority land use campaigns to protect open space on Brockway Summit and Eastern Truckee while serving on the MAP Board. Sarah served on the Stewardship Committee for MAP, helping to bring back our signature events after COVID and rebuild community outreach. Thank you for your service and continued support of MAP’s mission, membership, and events! 

Shop To Make A Difference | Synergy Rep Sample Sale  

Join MAP at the Synergy Reps Showroom in Truckee for a Sample Sale. Twenty percent of the proceeds will support MAP and grassroots Truckee Tahoe environmental advocacy. You can get a killer deal on Khul, Kari Traa clothing, and more, and your shopping will make a positive difference by providing unrestricted dollars to support Truckee Tahoe activism!  

Come to the showroom on Thursday, April 25th, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm or Friday, April 26th, from noon to 3:00 pm. Sample sale sizes are limited by brand: Kari Traa for women is Medium, Khul for women is Small, and Khul for men is Large. The showroom is located at 12313 Soaring Way, Unit 2c. We will have some light refreshments and MAP information at the sample sale, so come out, shop til you drop, and don’t feel bad about it; you are helping us do good!

Save the Date | 14th Annual Sierra Forage Dinner

MAP will host the 14th Annual Sierra Forage Dinner on Saturday, August 10th at a NEW venue, Micthell’s Meadows near Independence Lake for a truly majestic experience in the Sierras dining under the stars, celebrating conservation, community and raising critical funds to support grassroots environmental advocacy. Save the date, tickets go on sale this summer, June 21st, 2024.

TRPA Legal Issue #1| Affordable Housing Requirement  

Before the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board adopted the Phase 2 Housing Code Amendments, HALF of the remaining workforce housing units in Tahoe had to be AFFORDABLE, meaning this would be housing for folks earning 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) and below.  At the December 13th Governing Board hearing, the TRPA undercut this critical affordable housing requirement. As part of the Phase 2 Amendments, at the 11th hour, TRPA changed the codes to require 25% Achievable Housing (no income cap) and 75% Moderate OR Affordable Housing. That little word “or” essentially means that now there is NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENT. 

This is a HUGE issue; not only does it remove the requirement for actual affordable housing to be built, but it also creates a path for developers to only advance achievable and moderate housing with the simple yet strong word "or," as now written in the code. This social justice issue for Tahoe's workforce is at the forefront of our legal fight, as it is a massive disservice to the most needed type of workforce housing. We believe TRPA can remedy this issue for the present and future generations of Tahoe's workforce.  

As advocates of truly affordable workforce housing, we alerted TRPA to this issue before filing our legal complaint, hoping they would want to remedy this sloppy mistake and bring it back to a public hearing. However, there was no mistake at all. TRPA's goal with Phase 2 is to focus on moderate and achievable housing and ignore the most critically needed housing for Tahoe, which is 80% AMI and below. That said, if their recent newsletter is any indication, it seems the TRPA may have changed its heart now that MAP and the community are starting to apply pressure on this issue. We will keep you posted as we learn more.  

It's shocking that these new extreme land use regulations, which TRPA is selling as a “modern solution” to the affordable housing crisis, are just incentives for more market-rate and luxury housing for higher-income wage earners. According to needs assessments prepared by the Mountain Housing Council and The Tahoe Prosperity Center, Tahoe’s greatest need is affordable housing. Yet, this expensive consultant- and developer-driven process has ignored that need. Tahoe's workforce deserves better. Join MAP, endorse our legal challenge, and help us get 50% affordable housing written back into the code.

Placer County Housing Rezone | MAP DEIR Comments  

Placer County is currently undergoing a process to identify specific parcels throughout the county to upzone. Every few years, the State of California completes a Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) for the various local jurisdictions across the state and identifies the amount of new housing needed to meet growing demands. Every local jurisdiction has to have enough land zoned for high-density development to meet that need. To fill their gap, Placer County has created an inventory of potential sites to upzone. Properties that are selected will have a minimum development capacity of 20 units/acre and a maximum development capacity of 30 units/acre.  

Placer County conducted an environmental review to analyze the impacts of upzoning candidate sites. The Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) analyzed four sites in the Truckee Tahoe region. MAP recently submitted comments on the DEIR about potential impacts should those four sites be developed with high-density housing. In order to meet state requirements, Placer County must make final decisions about which parcels to upzone in the next couple of months. We will continue to follow this process and let folks know how to get engaged before final action is taken. 

Boatworks Redevelopment Project - Environmental Review Initiated 

The long-anticipated Boatworks Redevelopment Project is in the initial phases of the environmental review process. In February, Placer County solicited comments on the Notice of Preparation (NOP) of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Boatworks at Tahoe project. This was the public’s first opportunity to understand what is being proposed and provide comments about potential impacts. The project includes 79 hotel rooms, 29 residential condo-hotel units, 6,000+ sf of conference facilities, an 11,000+ sf spa, 7,000 sf of commercial space, at least 155 underground parking spaces, and more.

Review the Notice of Preparation

Mountain Area Preservation reviewed and submitted comments on the NOP (please note that the comment period is now closed). Our primary initial concerns are related to the mass and scale of the development, potential scenic and character impacts, emergency evacuation, public safety, and the lack of on-site workforce housing. The project applicants indicate that the workforce housing requirement will be satisfied through off-site workforce housing development or payment of the in-lieu fee. The in-lieu fee is a joke (less than the cost to build a single unit of much-needed workforce housing), so we will advocate for this critical community benefit to be built as part of the project.

Check Out MAP’s NOP Comment Letter

The next step in the process is for the consultants to review NOP comments, determine the final scope and content of the Draft Environmental Impact Report, and start completing the required environmental analysis. Stay tuned for more updates as the project moves forward. 

The Town of Truckee’s River Revitalization Steering Committee (R2SC) Seeks Members to Join Two Action Teams 

The River Revitalization Steering Committee (R2SC) is seeking dedicated individuals who are passionate about enhancing the community's well-being and environmental stewardship for two new action teams that are forming this spring. The action teams (which are essentially subcommittees) seeking recruitment are: 

River Health and Access:

• Anticipated to meet 4-5 times annually.

• Seeking community members with expertise in riparian ecosystems, hydrology or related fields.

• Responsibilities include reviewing and providing input on river health assessments, recreation access inventory and action strategies.

Community Economic Vitality:

• Anticipated to meet 5-6 times annually.

• Seeking community members experienced in business operations, economics or related fields.

• Responsibilities include reviewing business stakeholder assessments, financial models, identifying barriers to revitalization, and recommending incentives for community revitalization.

All meetings will be held in-person at Truckee Town Hall. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply promptly, as recruitment will be open until Friday, March 29. Please email Hilary Hobbs at hhobbs@townoftruckee.com to apply with a description of your relevant experience and passion for the work that the action team you are applying for will undertake. For more information visit TownofTruckee.com/River.

The fantasy of Tahoe’s high-density walkable town center concept  

In a recent opinion piece to the Reno Gazette Journal, Alex Tsigdinos breaks down how the concept of no parking with high-density development within Town Centers in Tahoe may look good on paper, but this urban planning concept does not work for a rural mountain community. Grappling with lacking infrastructure and public transportation, “life without vehicles isn’t possible in the basin,” says Alex.  

The reality of living in Tahoe is that transit is tricky; everyone will always need to travel outside the basin for services, and we have snow and wildfire conditions to plan for, which results in 96% of basin residents having a vehicle. With the approval of the TRPA Phase 2 Housing Code Amendments, there is grave concern that we will make a bad situation worse, by not planning adequately for parking and wildfire evacuation. Read Alex’s opinion piece. 

Lake Tahoe remains murky after 25 years and a $2.9 billion investment

Restoration Act set to expire with little improvement in water clarity  

Dana Gentry of the Nevada Current explores the history of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act and the funding harnessed over the last couple of decades to improve water quality, the reality of what is happening with Tahoe land use and development, mitigation, and the ever-growing tourism industry.

“Lake Tahoe is in the midst of an environmental crisis,” said the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act, passed by Congress in 2000. The Act attributed the loss of clarity in the lake’s cobalt-blue waters to pollution caused by a variety of factors, including land disturbance, erosion, air pollution, highway drainage and urban runoff.  

Now, more than two decades later, the act will be up for renewal, with Tahoe’s environment in dire need of more restoration services for natural resources and the ever-growing pressures to accommodate even more luxury development. Read the piece in the Nevada Current, HERE. 

8th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival Hosted by MAP 

Save The Date + Tickets Go on Sale March 8th  

Mark your calendar and make a plan to join MAP at the 8th Annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival coming to Truckee Tahoe for Earth Day 2024. Get ready for awe-inspiring, family-friendly, environmental, and adventure-based films and a raffle to benefit MAP’s priority conservation work! 

MAP will host the festival at two separate events. The first event will be MAP’s custom film program on Friday, April 19, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm at the Community Arts Center in Historic Downtown Truckee. The second event will be the Wild Child Kids’ program at the  Truckee Tahoe Earth Day Festival on Saturday, April 20th, in the Village a Palisades, a FREE film program from 11 am to 5 pm. 

Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, March 8th, online at MAP’s website. Stay tuned via social media and our enewsletter for the launch of ticket sales, our sponsors' announcement, the event trailer's release, and more!

Wild & Scenic | Volunteers Needed

This year, with hosting two events, we will need some extra volunteers to support the festival. MAP is looking for help with setting up the event, clean up, checking in festival guests, serving popcorn, selling raffle tickets, and more. 

To sign up for volunteering on either Friday, April 19th or Saturday, April 20th, email us at info@mapf.org. All volunteers will receive MAP logo wear, three raffle tickets, and an opportunity to purchase a discounted general admission pass to the festival on Friday, 4/19, in Truckee. Sign up early for a volunteer slot and get these great perks!

Sign On & Endorse MAP’s Legal Challenge of the TRPA’s Housing Amendments 

Earlier this month, MAP filed a lawsuit challenging the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s (TRPA) Phase 2 Housing Amendments due to the agency’s failure to complete the required environmental review and commit to implementing necessary mitigation measures. Additionally, we do not believe that providing massive incentives for projects with no income cap on the basis that they will magically be affordable enough for local workers makes sense for our community or environment. 

Since the petition went live, 280 community members have signed on to show support. TRPA is trying to paint us as a small group of NIMBYs who just want to say no to everything. Let’s prove them wrong. MAP, our grassroots members, and other supporters are solution-oriented and want to be involved in creative solutions that lead to the construction of socially and environmentally just workforce housing. Endorse MAP’s legal challenge, and let’s show the TRPA that there are real solutions out there that protect our mountains and protect the workforce.

Support MAP’s TRPA Advocacy Fund

We understand that a legal challenge against the TRPA is an uphill battle, but just because something is hard doesn’t mean it isn’t worth doing. The land use decisions we make today will shape the future of Lake Tahoe forever, which is why we’re bringing the TRPA’s violations to a court of law. Your contribution is critical. It supports efforts to advocate for proper environmental analysis and fight for just workforce housing that considers Tahoe’s unique environment, mitigates impacts, and protects public safety. 

Make a Contribution to MAP’s Advocacy Fund

MAP Land Use Lunch Hour on Thursday, March 7th at Noon | TRPA Legal Challenge Series 

RESCHEDULED - Join MAP for our next Land Use Lunch Hour on March 7th at 12:00 pm on Zoom. We know that speaking land use is like speaking another language, so this monthly program is designed to break it all down, answer your questions, and allow you to learn about important land use happenings. During the next few Land Use Lunch Hours, we will discuss our legal arguments against the TRPA’s Phase 2 Housing Amendments and violating the Bi-State Compact. Next week, find out more about TRPA’s last-minute code changes and how the TRPA violated and weakened their own affordable housing policies. We hope to see you on March 7th!

Sign Up for MAP’s March Land Use Lunch Hour

MAP Business Member Spotlight | Mitch Clarin 

MAP Business Members support our priority land use campaigns, special events, and community outreach programs. Membership donations help to fuel our advocacy efforts, and Mitch Clarin, Real Estate Broker, and General Contractor is our Business Member to spotlight this month. 

Mitch cares about the environment, community, and character of Truckee Tahoe and shows it through the many hats he wears for nonprofits and public service by giving back to his special home in the mountains. 

Thank you, Mitch, for supporting MAP and our mission. To learn more about MAP’s Business Member Program, the businesses that support MAP, and how your business or organization can join, go to our website. 

Become A MAP Business Member

Boatworks Redevelopment Notice of Preparation (NOP) 

You may be asking what NOP means, and it’s the notice to the public and regulatory stakeholders that a new land use application to change the built and natural environment is potentially underway. That is precisely what is being proposed in Tahoe City’s Town Center. A new, larger Boatworks redevelopment project is being proposed, and the first step in the public process is the Notice of Preparation (NOP). 

We attended the NOP scoping meeting the other night and will submit comments by tomorrow’s deadline, February 29th, by 5 pm to Placer County Planner Heather Beckman. If you missed the NOP meeting or the initial routing on this project, take a peek at the presentation from the NOP scoping meeting. 

Currently, the Boatworks site contains longstanding commercial and tourism uses cherished in Tahoe City with 1 - 3 stories, 46,000+ square feet of commercial space, 176 parking spaces, and 34 motel rooms. 

Boatworks at Tahoe, LLC., the new redevelopment team proposes the following: 

• 79 hotel rooms

• 29 residential condo-hotel units 

• 6,000+ sf conference facilities

• 11,530 sf spa

• Swimming pools and fitness center

• 7,000+ sf commercial

• 5,485 sf food and beverage space

• 56,000+ sf parking (155 spaces) 

• Considering another 20 spaces based on the approval of TBAP and the potential for an interception with groundwater table 

• Max 56 feet 
  Take a look at the development proposal and the Placer County NOP. If you have a chance, send in comments to Placer County, cdraecs@er.ca.gov

Tahoe Basin Area Plan at TRPA Governing Board Today 

The FINAL HEARING in the Tahoe Basin Area Plan (TBAP) amendments process is underway today at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board meeting, starting no earlier than 11:45 am at the North Tahoe Events Center in Kings Beach. If you are able, tune in and make comments before the final decision is made.

Governing Board Meeting Information

The amendments, which would apply to the portion of Placer County’s jurisdiction within the Tahoe Basin, are intended to incentivize revitalization of North Tahoe’s Town Centers. However, significant concerns stem from the proposed housing amendments, which include allowing certain multi-family developments by right, removing setbacks and minimum lot areas per dwelling, and reducing parking requirements, lot widths, and minimum lot sizes. 

There may be certain locations within North Tahoe where these kinds of incentives would work and result in the construction of the projects Tahoe so desperately needs, particularly workforce housing. These changes can negatively impact the community and environment, and those impacts still need to be fully analyzed in an updated environmental review process. Placer County continues to rely on outdated data to support their proposal. If possible, join the Governing Board meeting today and share your thoughts on the proposal before final action is taken. Learn more on MAP’s TBAP webpage

Placer County Housing Rezone | Draft Environmental Impact Report 

Over the last year, the Placer County Housing Rezone program has taken many shapes. With 72 sites, then 74 sites, and now only 19 sites in all of Placer County (minus the Lake Tahoe Basin) will be analyzed in the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR). MAP has been keeping a watchful eye on this process and specifically commenting on the parcels near Truckee Tahoe. 

The Draft Environmental Impact Report is available for review on the Environmental Coordination Services webpage: Housing Element Sites Rezone | Placer County, CA. Comments on the draft EIR can be submitted by 5 pm on March 18 via email to cdraecs@placer.ca.gov. To receive updates on the housing rezone, sign up here.

Town of Truckee Seeks Two Additional Community Members 

to Join R2SC Steering Committee

The Town of Truckee is looking for two local residents to join an important committee to help shape the downtown area's future. The River Revitalization Steering Committee (R2SC) was formed in 2023 to work collaboratively with landowners, business owners, and other Truckee River stakeholders to create opportunities for the revitalization of the river corridor.

A diverse group of 16 local community members were appointed last fall. Now the Town is looking to fill two additional residential seats with community members who live in the area. Residents who live on East River Street, West River Street (including Donner Creek Mobile Home Park), Riverside Drive or Foxmead Lane are invited to submit a letter of interest by March 1, 2024. People can send the letter via email to Truckee’s Assistant to the Town Manager, Hilary Hobbs, at: HHobbs@townoftruckee.com. The committee meets on the first Tuesday of each month from 5 - 7 p.m. at Town Hall.
You can learn more about the R2SC at www.TownofTruckee.com/river

The snow has finally arrived, and MAP is ramping up for another big year of grassroots environmental advocacy! We have our sights set on critical open space to protect in the Martis Valley and North Lake Tahoe; we are working diligently to advocate for meaningful workforce housing policies, programs, and projects and staying up to date and engaged in community planning processes for North Lake Tahoe and Truckee, all while tracking 20 development applications, which is critical environmental advocacy for the region. 

MAP will also bring back in 2024 both of our signature events, the 8th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival and the 14th Annual Sierra Forage Dinner, and finally, we plan to finish our community benefit project in Historic Downtown Truckee by bringing a shade structure to life at the Trout Creek Pocket Park. 
It's going to be a big year, and we will need all the help we can get as a grassroots organization from our members, conservation partners, and followers. Join the movement, become a MAP member, and give back to the place you love - Truckee Tahoe!

Save the Date | 8th Annual Wild & Scenic Returns to Truckee Tahoe

Save The Date - Mountain Area Preservation (MAP) will bring the Wild and Scenic Film Festival back to Truckee Tahoe for Earth Day 2024! MAP will host the festival at two separate events. The first event will be MAP’s custom film program on Friday, April 19, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm at the Community Arts Center in Historic Downtown Truckee. The second event will be the Wild Child Kids’ program at the  Truckee Tahoe Earth Day Festival on Saturday, April 20th, in the Village a Palisades, a FREE film program at the Earth Day Festival from 11 am to 5 pm. 

Mark your calendar and make a plan to join MAP at the 8th Annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival and get ready for awe-inspiring, family-friendly, environmental, and adventure-based films, as well as a raffle to benefit MAP’s priority conservation work! Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, March 8th online at https://www.mountainareapreservation.org/wsff

Right now, MAP Staff and our Film Festival Committee are seeking sponsor support and raffle donations to help make the film festival successful and sustainable. If you are interested in sponsoring or providing an in-kind donation, see our sponsorship opportunities on our website and reach out to Alexis@mapf.org with any questions.

Thank You 2023 MAP Supporters 

Thank you to the 618 supporters who made MAP happen in 2023. Whether you contributed to MAP’s membership program, summer raffle, the Sierra Forgae Dinner, event sponsorship, business membership, priority land use campaign funds, Give Back Tahoe, or Advocacy Planned Giving, your financial support fuels MAP’s grassroots environmental advocacy efforts. We are truly grateful for your donations and belief in our mission and work. 
If you missed your chance to become a member in 2023, make it your 2024 resolution to help power Truckee Tahoe environmental advocacy and make a positive impact this year by becoming a MAP Member!

Tahoe Basin Area Plan - Final Hearing
Just one hearing remains in the Placer County Tahoe Basin Area Plan (TBAP) amendments process. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board will review the amendments on February 28th. Join MAP for your last opportunity to weigh in on the controversial proposal prior to adoption. 

Governing Board Meeting Information

The amendments are intended to incentivize redevelopment in North Tahoe’s town centers, Tahoe City and Kings Beach. Here at MAP, we support that vision but do not believe that this package of proposals will make that vision a reality. There are a wide variety of modifications on the table, but most notably are those related to housing. The biggest concerns stem from the proposals to allow certain multi-family developments by right, remove setbacks and minimum lot areas

per dwelling, and reduce parking requirements, lot widths, and minimum lot sizes in some areas. These amendments might work in specific locations, but in many areas, they would detract from the quality of life and character in North Lake Tahoe. Learn more and join MAP at the Governing Board hearing on February 28th.

Learn More About the TBAP Amendments

TRPA Housing Amendments 

Last month, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s (TRPA) Governing Board greenlighted unlimited density, unlimited lot coverage, and 65’ building heights for workforce and affordable housing in Tahoe’s town centers. Only one member of the Governing Board, Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar, sided with the vast majority of the public who weighed in on the amendments (over 60 verbal comments and thousands of pages of written comments), questioning the lack of environmental analysis and impacts on safety, community character, and emergency evacuation.

This scale of development has never before been contemplated in the basin, and these amendments rely on outdated environmental review from 2012. There is a housing crisis in Lake Tahoe, but providing incentives for housing with no income cap will not help those who need housing most. MAP and others advocated for innovative alternatives and updated environmental analysis, but those suggestions were disregarded. The Governing Board adjusted the amendments before adoption, but overall, this is a loss for Lake Tahoe, and the TRPA isn’t done yet.

So, what’s next? Local jurisdictions now have one year to “opt-out” of the amendments if their current codes are inconsistent with those just adopted by the TRPA. That said, the TRPA hasn’t defined the process for local jurisdictions to opt-out, so we don’t know what that will look like, but the clock is certainly ticking. Additionally, the TRPA is starting to work on Phase 3, yet another package of policy changes, code amendments, environmental review, and more. Discussions about Phase 3 were set to begin at the first Tahoe Living Working Group meeting this month, but that meeting has been postponed to an unknown date. When will the meeting be rescheduled, and what will be included in Phase 3? Only time will tell. Stay tuned for more updates as information becomes available. 

Learn About TRPA’s Phase 2 Housing Amendments