TAHOE CITY, Calif. – The owners at the Boatworks Mall have a redevelopment vision, replacing the current 45 to 65 year old buildings near the Tahoe City Marina.

In place of the Boatworks Mall, Tahoe City Inn and commercial building containing a library, bank and offices, an over 7,000 square foot commercial building would front North Lake Boulevard (Hwy 28), shadowed by a residential condo building behind, and five star hotel more than doubling lodging units to 79, from the current 33.

The hotel proposal also offers a spa, three restaurants, a roof top bar, event space and a hotel guest pool.

The plans would eliminate the large parking lot and place 155-175 parking spaces underground with electric vehicle charging stations.

There are plans to improve water runoff and capture sites, providing water quality improvement for Lake Tahoe. The plans reduce encroachment on the neighboring zone around Bliss Creek. Designers have also incorporated trip reducing elements like employee bicycle parking and storage, guest bicycles, and shuttles.

Owners Marie Murphy and Vinton Hawkins shared their plans with the public and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Advisory Planning Commission on Feb. 14 in order to get feedback for considerations in their joint Environmental Impact Report and Environmental Impact Statement.

This environmental document is required by the California Environmental Quality Act and TRPA regulations. The joint document will analyze a long list environment impacts including air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, water quality, wildfire, land use, hazards, population and housing.

It will also consider project alternatives, including no project at all, reduced units and reduced height. The current proposed height is 56 feet, the maximum height allowed for mixed-use developments in town centers.

Workforce housing was a subject of concern from many public members and Commission Member Susan Chandler. The plans so far do not include workforce housing other than potentially providing it through an off-site property or paying in-lieu fees per Placer County’s policies.

Chandler noted, without workforce housing, more people would have to drive in and out each day, increasing vehicle miles traveled, which is something they are trying to reduce.

Other recommendations from the commission included working with the Bliss Creek neighbor, currently Safeway, in providing collaborative enhancement for the creek, looking into best management practices for water runoff improvements, and fire evacuations with the increased density.

Many community members shared similar concerns regarding fire safety.

Fire Chief Representative Chad Stephen said North Tahoe Fire is happy with the communication they’ve received from the owners and developers on enhancements to public safety, “Evacuation is absolutely something that they are always considering and talking about.”

Vice Chair Jennifer Carr was surprised to hear the underground parking does not intersect the ground water, since it’s so close to the lake. Carr requested information on plans in the event dewatering is required at any point.

Within their comments many commissioners expressed positivity for redevelopment, saying it’s appropriate there.

Placer County Lay Member Kevin Drake recommended accommodations in the event a water taxi is implemented, since the site falls along a high use trail. He said he’d like to see it in the plans now, “I’d hate to have to look at a redesign or shove a square peg into a round hole.” He’d also like to see a bus stop with a shelter, “If we’re really trying to focus on multimodel.”

Some public commenters provided a long list of concerns, and mentioned planning on writing in more. They listed concerns around meeting no net vehicle miles traveled and measuring them, the mass and height of the project, public access to the lake, cumulative impacts with other area projects, and site population, “This is 10 pounds in a five pound bag.”

At the beginning of the meeting, Brandy McMahon with TRPA introduced members of Ascent Environmental, the organization preparing the environmental documents. The members were in the audience taking notes on concerns brought up at this meeting to consider within the environmental analyses.

Another scoping meeting will take place Feb. 26 from 4-6 p.m. at Tahoe City Public Utility District. They are also providing a virtual option to attend by a Zoom link.

Placer County is taking written comment through Feb. 29 by mail to Shirlee Herrington, Environmental Coordination Services at 3091 County Center Drive, Suite 190, Auburn, Calif. 95603 or email to cdraecs@placer.ca.gov.

The entire TRPA Advisory Planning Commission meeting can be viewed on the agency’s website.