AUBURN, Calif. – The Placer County Planning Commission this week unanimously recommended that the Board of Supervisors approve three items related to the Tahoe Basin Area Plan Phase 2 Housing amendments to support the development of new achievable housing in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The recommendation asks the board to consider adopting a resolution and ordinance to repeal and replace the Tahoe Basin Area Plan in its entirety at a public meeting later this year. The proposed update would amend Chapters 2 and 3 of the plan’s Implementing Regulations to refine code sections that promote achievable housing.

An addendum to the TBAP’s environmental impact report was presented by county staff to the planning commission in compliance with California Environmental Quality Act requirements. The Planning Commission recommended finding that the proposed Phase 2 Housing amendments would not result in any new or substantially more severe significant effects than those previously identified in the prior environmental impact report.

These amendments apply only to 100% deed-restricted housing projects within the town centers in Kings Beach and Tahoe City, along with other areas already zoned to allow multifamily housing, providing greater flexibility related to height, density and parking in those areas. The deed restrictions would specify one of three categories: affordable, moderate or achievable (local worker) groups.  

The amendments were approved by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s Governing Board on Dec. 13, 2023, with further amendments approved on June 26, 2024. Those amendments were subsequently litigated before the parties settled in July 2024.

These amendments must be incorporated into the Lake Tahoe Basin’s applicable area plans to be consistent with the TRPA’s Regional Plan and Code of Ordinances. As the TBAP is a joint document, the TBAP Phase 2 Housing Amendments must be approved by both TRPA’s Governing Board and the Placer County Board of Supervisors. TRPA’s Governing Board adopted the TBAP amendments on March 26.

The TBAP was amended in 2020 for housing and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) updates and again in 2023 for housing and economic sustainability updates.

Over the past five years, diverse stakeholders and community groups shared feedback on these amendments through the TRPA’s Tahoe Living Working Group. Formed in 2020, this group identified development standards that could incentivize the construction of multifamily housing options to support local workers. The working group is composed of representatives from local jurisdictions, non-profits, builders and community members. The group identified the following three phases for recommended amendments:

First phase:

• Align Tahoe-Basin accessory dwelling unit allowances with state requirements
• This phase was approved by the Board of Supervisors Dec. 15, 2020 and by TRPA’s Governing Board Feb. 24, 2021

Second phase:

• TRPA hired a consultant, Cascadia Partners, to conduct a study in 2020 to outline what development standards could be changed to make projects financially feasible without public subsidies
• The changes target height, density, parking and coverage for deed-restricted housing, mixed use development and accessory dwelling units

Third phase, called ‘Cultivating Communities’:

• The working group began meeting in Dec. 2024 to discuss a new system to govern development rights and create future housing amendments to TRPA code and regional planning
• The third phase is expected to return to TRPA’s board next summer

The Board of Supervisors is expected to hear this item for final approval later this year.

Learn more about the planning commission here: https://www.placer.ca.gov/2403/Planning-Commission.