TAHOE CITY, Calif. – The new Tahoe City Safeway is going through a sign building review after the Tahoe Basin Design Review Committee recommended approving the installation of three signs. 

“Our next step is for the building permit to be approved and then they can install the signs,” said Rex Haber, a Placer County planner. “The interview started Nov. 4, so it’s probably going to be a month.” 

Since the department is working through a summer backlog, it may take longer, Haber said. 

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On Sept. 24, the Tahoe Basin Design Review Committee reviewed and recommended approving the installation of three wall signs totaling 40 square feet, and one freestanding sign of 10.7 square feet. 

“They requested a couple of very small changes, really just aesthetic changes,” Haber said. “But for the most part, what’s on the plans was approved.” 

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Howard Herlitz of Pacific Neon Company presented sign design plans that incorporate natural elements with the local aesthetic. 

According to the plans detailed in the meeting action item, the top of the main entrance wall sign will be 15 feet at its highest point and will be mounted on a natural tone wood beam attached to the building structure. The wall signs will be back-lit and the illumination will shine through colored acrylic with no direct lighting visible. The freestanding sign will be on an existing structure and will be sandblasted cedar and reflective vinyl film with down-lighting. The freestanding sign will be located 12 feet 6 inches from the property line. 

“The main Safeway sign, they requested the background for that to be bigger,” Haber described some of the changes. “They were proposing a somewhat small background to the main Safeway sign. They requested that to be bigger and to be in wood to match the freestanding sign at the front. They requested front-lit signs for the Safeway logo and the Starbucks logo. They requested the solid colors to be opaque so that only the white light shines through.” 

On Aug. 7, Placer County issued a building permit BLD24-04480 for a re-roofing project valued at $352,976. The work will be done by Dwayne Nash Industries Inc. doing business as Kodiak Roofing. 

The re-roofing project has not commenced, according to Kodiak Roofing. 

The property, owned by Bechdolt Company LLC, has a rich history in Tahoe City’s retail landscape. In 1967, local residents Carl and Elsie Bechdolt initiated a lease agreement with Lucky’s Stores Inc. The location subsequently housed Albertson’s from 1998 to 2007, followed by Save Mart’s 16-year tenure. 

Save Mart’s departure in October 2023 marked the end of a more than 50-year presence in the community. In a September 2023 statement, Save Mart expressed disappointment over the landlord’s decision not to renew the lease. The store closed on Oct. 18, 2023. At the time, Save Mart said it was exploring alternative sites in the Tahoe City area. 

The property at 100 River Road is situated on a 2.20-acre lot or about 95,832 square feet. According to Placer County Assessor records, the property’s current assessment stands at $3,134,895, with the land valued at $478,320 and structural improvements at $2,656,575. 

The transition from Save Mart to Safeway comes after Save Mart Stores was acquired by a private equity group in March 2022.