TAHOE CITY, Calif. – The Placer County Board of Supervisors discussed several Basin specific items during their quarterly Lake Tahoe meeting. 

Staff presented the Board with possibilities for the future of the Former Tahoe City Fire Station 51. On Monday, July 24, the Supervisors toured the site of the former North Tahoe Fire Protection District station which was built in 1961. NTFPD relocated in 2012 but discussions of the future of the site have dated back to the 1990s. 

During the Supervisors October 25, 2022 meeting, they signed an agreement with Climate and Wildfire Institute Inc. to discuss redevelopment of the site. 

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CWI is a nonprofit CWI focused on bringing experts from all sectors together to track climate and wildfire-related research, support program coordination, develop and refine strategies, and work with regional groups, Indigenous tribes, and local communities so that they can respond to wildfire and climate change-related threats faster and more effectively. 

Prior to that meeting, county staff held several stakeholder and key partner meetings to gauge desire for possible uses of the site. There was overwhelming support in seeing the space used as a flexible, multi-use facility that focuses on art, science and education. 

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Starting in August 2023, staff will begin holding community workshops on the topic. CWI is expected to finalize their use proposal this Fall. 

The board also approved an agreement with the Tahoe Transportation District for regional transportation project implementation support. The agreement secures support of three priority projects, which the county can leverage for state and federal funding. The three priority areas include priority lanes on State Routes 89 and 267, which can be used for public transit only lanes in the winter and evacuation lanes in the summer, parking management for commercial and recreation sites and expansion of public transit. 

The board unanimously approved the allocation of $500,000 in transient occupancy tax reserve funds to continue the program for a second year and provide additional grants to more homeowners with underused properties in North Lake Tahoe who agree to rent only to locals.

“This is a great program and it’s been hugely successful,” said District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson in a press release following the meeting. “Going forward, I think it’s important we continue to find partners to help fund the program, such as those non-tourism businesses and agencies that could join us to ensure we get the most from our TOT contributions.”

The new funding includes $95,000 for Placemate to continue implementing and marketing the Lease to Locals program over the next year.

The Lease to Locals program incentives property owners to offer their property for seasonal leases of between five and 12 months or long-term for 12 months or more, with incentivized amounts varying by the length of lease and number of tenants.

Since the program’s implementation in August 2022, 86 local workers have found short-term rental housing through the program.

“We know that local workforce housing continues to be at the forefront of community conversations in North Lake Tahoe,” said NTCA President and CEO Tony Karwowski. “We are focused on supporting and advocating for solutions that benefit our residents and businesses and are pleased to recommend turned-back TOT funding for Placement to continue for a second year.”