TRUCKEE, Calif. – 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. 

The “2” in the R2SC acronym refers to the two conjoined thoroughfares of West River and East River Streets in downtown Truckee where many historic homes, long-standing commercial buildings and industrial storage yards exist.

In recent months, the Economic Vitality action team, a subcommittee of the R2SC, has been talking to current East and West River Street land and business owners. To date, they’ve met with 70% of commercial property and business owners that are located in this particular part of town.

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“We are trying to better understand people’s presence along the river corridor, why they’re here, what they’re doing, what their motivations are, as well as what their vision is for the future,” says R2SC economic consultant Aaron Nousaine. “The ultimate goal is to help clear the path for people that are actively interested in doing something different and then showing other property owners along the corridor what might be possible.”

Nousaine estimates that there is a total of around 320,000 square feet of built-out commercial space along the corridor, with 48 additional acres of open-air storage, vacant lots and land used for parking and internal circulation.

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“There’s a lot of opportunity right next to this beautiful river – it’s truly a community asset that serves as the heartbeat of our community,” says Jeff Menasco, Truckee Tahoe Airport District’s director of aviation and chair of the R2SC Economic Vitality action team. “So how do we reimagine that to make it economically viable for the residents, the business owners and the landowners that currently have a presence here? How do we make it more accessible for the community and ultimately, how do we protect the river better so that it’s here for future generations to enjoy?”

What’s Next?

The R2SC is now taking all of the feedback gathered from river corridor businesses and property owners along with input from the general public and residents of the area and working to find creative solutions that align with an ultimate vision.

“We’re not trying to create a mega resort. We want to reimagine this space for the community at large,” says Menasco, “but what are the actual solutions? What are things that we can do, actions we can take–whether it’s through the planning process, through zoning updates or working with other landowners elsewhere in town that may accommodate different types of businesses better.”

 Additionally, the River Health action team, a Receiver Site subcommittee and an Outreach subcommittee have been meeting regularly to move the work forward. Numerous engagement events were also held last spring where input was received from hundreds of attendees, including river corridor residents and business owners.  A link inviting folks to “Join the Conversation” is live on the R2SC Town site landing page, providing continued opportunities for community members to weigh in with ideas and feedback.

R2SC chair and Contractors Association Tahoe Truckee (CATT) representative Joan Jones applauds everyone who has been a part of the process.  “The contributions from interested community members has been vital in helping the committee shape the vision and direction of the R2SC’s important work.” Jones has been active in the community for many years, as a former mayor and local business owner.