TRUCKEE, Calif. – The Town of Truckee Council Chambers were packed to the brim on Tuesday with residents interested in the fate of the 2040 General Plan. 

After years in the making, the 2040 General Plan was presented to the Town Council for approval. 

The Planning Commission heard the same General Plan presentation on March 21 and recommended the Council not certify the Environmental Impact Report, which is required as part of the General Plan approval. The commission cited concerns of accuracy in the EIR. 

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The commission did express support of adoption of the Downtown Truckee plan but were split on whether to extend the ban on gas stations and storage units. 

During the Tuesday meeting, council heard the General Plan presentation and asked staff questions, but the bulk of the meeting was taken up by public comment. 

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The council chambers were standing room only and an overflow room was opened up in the building. Public comment lasted over two hours with a mix of pro and con comments. 

The members of the public who were against approval felt that the plan wasn’t quite finished, stating its been years in the making so what’s a few more weeks to make sure it’s perfect. 

On the other side, many members of the public quoted Voltaire saying, “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.” 

The council was thrilled with the public engagement, which remained civil throughout the two hours. Mayor Lindsay Romack pointed out the diversity of the commenters, from young to old and new residents to long-time residents.

Councilmember Courtney Henderson said that the amount of engagement is why she enjoys being on council.

Many of the questions asked by the council were taken from the public comment, such as questions about the hospital plan and parts of the downtown plan. Vice Mayor Dave Polivy asked staff how much time they spend on the General Plan, to which they said 40-60%, adding that following approval of the General Plan, they will shift focus to implementation and working on the hospital plan. 

Because of the lateness of the evening, council voted to continue the meeting until Thursday April 13, during which council will further discuss and deliberate. 

The council encouraged the public to attend again on Thursday but noted they will not be able to give another comment.