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Hi everyone,
Welcome to the latest edition of the North Lake Tahoe newsletter. My name is Gabe Armstrong and I am the Deputy Director for Placer County's Community Development Resource Agency. I'm proud to highlight the tremendous work of our building inspections team here in eastern Placer County. They work hard to provide excellent service to our communities.
Our team strives to provide timely assistance. In fact, we're one of the only teams nationally that offers same-day building inspections via video technology. Our team can complete 44 different types of inspections within two hours of these appointments. This allows Placer homeowners and contractors to keep projects moving forward and offers flexibility throughout the construction process.
In 2024, our team completed 573 of these inspections and saved priceless time and reduced vehicle miles for our staff and for community members. This is just one of the ways we’re helping our residents get what they need quickly while also keeping our roads clear. We also offer in-person inspections for next-day appointments for those who cannot make virtual appointments.
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Our team of seven in the Tahoe region performed 5,564 building inspections last year – that includes everything from changing out a water heater to brand new construction.
Of that total, 1,147 inspections were conducted to ensure construction sites were properly set up to protect Lake Tahoe’s famed water clarity and adhere to strict Tahoe Regional Planning Agency environmental protection regulations.
In our community development office, we have 30-plus staff members, many who are already working on grading and digging permits. Although digging season doesn’t open in North Lake Tahoe until May 1, our teams are working on applications to ensure crews can get started quickly when the time comes.
Grading and digging work is confined to drier months to protect Lake Tahoe’s famed water clarity from sources of erosion and sediment. During the normal grading season of May 1 through October 15, soil work can proceed in dry conditions but is prohibited when a project area is covered with snow, when ground is saturated, muddy or unstable, and during periods of precipitation.
Working in dry conditions prevents soil compaction and stops loose soil and mud from washing away from project sites or into roadways, storm drains, waterways, and the lake.
In addition to the standard county requirements for a grading permit, in the Tahoe Basin a grading permit is also required for these activities:
- Fill or excavation greater than three cubic yards for projects that include sensitive lands
- Fill or excavation greater than 10 cubic yards for projects that include non-sensitive lands
Our Engineering and Surveying Division issues grading permits here. Our eServices website allows citizens to submit commercial and residential development project permit applications online.
If you want to visit us, schedule an appointment for our Tahoe office online here. Our counter is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and closed on Fridays (excluding county holidays).
One last important reminder: Tahoe experiences a shorter digging season than the rest of the county and there’s always increased interest in building permits. That’s why it is wise to submit applications early. Those who can submit in February have a greater chance of starting work May 1 than those submitting in March.
Thanks for reading.
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— Gabe Armstrong
Placer County Deputy Director
Community Development Resource Agency
 Ever wonder what TOT stands for or what it funds?
Transient occupancy tax, commonly known as TOT, is a rental tax collected by owners/management companies from guests for short-term rentals up to 30 days.
Where does TOT revenue go?
The Placer County Board of Supervisors has authorized 100% of TOT funding generated in eastern Placer County is to be spent to benefit the area. The board looks to the NTCA Board of Directors and local committees for recommendations on how to spend a portion of this funding.
What is the TOT-TBID Dollars at Work program?
The TOT-TBID Dollars at Work program is a framework that aligns with the goals and priorities of the Placer County Board of Supervisors and the North Tahoe Community Alliance and provides a mechanism by which businesses, non-profits, regional agencies and others can request investment.
The TOT-TBID Dollars At Work program reinvests TOT and also Tourism Business Improvement District or TBID dollars generated in North Lake Tahoe in support of initiatives that contribute to community vitality, economic health and environmental stewardship and benefit residents, businesses, and visitors.
Committees convened by the NTCA that consist of representatives from local businesses evaluate and determine which investment opportunities align with community-identified priorities, including workforce housing, economic development, transportation, sustainability, human impact mitigation, and trails.
TOT helps address community impacts, including:
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- Traffic congestion
- A lack of workforce housing
- Litter and trash removal to keep public spaces clean and safe
- And protection of our natural habitats
TOT funding also helps maintain parks, beaches and shoreline recreation. Plus, TOT-funded projects have helped secure matching funds from the state and federal governments for more than $300 million in local projects we could not otherwise afford.
Learn more about the recent TOT investment of $9M:
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This past January, the board approved more than $9 million of TOT funding for seven projects in North Lake Tahoe.
The approved projects fall into three categories: facilities, trails and transportation:
Facilities
- Community art and gathering space – $250,000
Trails
- North Tahoe Trail access improvements – $472,000
- Tahoe City Public Utilities District West Shore Multi-Use Trail – $3,537,625
- North Tahoe Shared Use Trail, Segment 1 construction – $2,835,000
- Martis Valley Trail, Segment 3F gap funding – $1,215,000
Transportation
- Radar speed sign project with Placer County – $50,000
- Tahoe City Downtown Access Improvements project – $741,000
FIND DETAILS ON THE NEW PROJECTS HERE
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Past projects funded with TOT:
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Workforce Housing Preservation Program - More than $3.5 million in TOT funding has been awarded to help address the shortage of local worker housing through the county’s incentive-based home buying assistance program, the Workforce Housing Preservation Program. Since it’s inception, its helped 13 members of the local workforce purchase a home and ensure that home stays available to the local workforce when its sold in the future.
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Resort Triangle Trail segments - The Resort Triangle Trail network will eventually connect Tahoe City, Kings Beach and Truckee with a Class 1 multi-purpose trail. TOT funding has helped construct and reconstruct portions of this trail in Tahoe City, Martis Valley and recently funds were approved for a portion of this trail through Tahoe Vista.
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Free transit services and TART Connect micro-transit - Free public transit first became a reality in North Lake Tahoe thanks to TOT funds. Free-to-the-rider transit has multiple benefits for the North Lake Tahoe region's economy and environment, such as improving mobility, air quality, and access to jobs, as well as serving as a key amenity expected by visitors seeking a high-quality vacation experience.
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Speedboat beach - TOT-funded improvements were made at Speedboat Beach in Kings Beach, including a new permanent restroom and reconstruction of the wooden staircase that provides access to the beach from Harbor Avenue.
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Penny Bear art installation - The popular “Penny Bear” public art installation in Tahoe City was made permanent in 2020 with the approval of $40,000 of TOT funds to match funding efforts undertaken by Tahoe Public Art.
District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson hosted a virtual town hall meeting Feb. 13 to present the state Routes 89/267 transit priority lane plan and discuss parking management updates in North Lake Tahoe.
County staff is scheduled to present the final state Route 89 and Route 267 adaptive corridor management plan to the Placer County Board of Supervisors at its Tahoe meeting in April.
Several updates to the parking ordinance were proposed and approved at the Feb. 18 Placer County Board of Supervisors meeting to allow for paid parking and residential permit parking zones in accordance with the Kings Beach parking management implementation plan and the summer 2025 parking program recommendations.
WATCH THE RECORDING HERE
The recyclable materials placed inside blue bags have always been recycled but now the bags themselves are also being recycled! Blue bags can be recycled because they are cleaner than regular trash bags, so manufacturers are willing to take back the material and recycle it into something new. Blue bags are an optional program for plastics #1 and 2, glass, metal cans, paper, and cardboard. The program is a great option for any extra recyclables that don’t fit in your trashcan because blue bags placed next to your trashcan are collected at no additional charge. Blue bags aren’t required and any recyclables you place in your regular trash will still be sorted by our team of professionals at the MRF. See how Placer recycles for you at TahoeOneBigBin.com.
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If you've previously signed up for avalanche control alerts in eastern Placer County, we encourage you double-check your alert settings and sign up again, if needed. It's easy to create a new account and re-register anytime. To receive avalanche alerts, select that notification when signing up.
GET STARTED HERE
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Placer County's housing team will present the county's Housing Action Plan at next month's Board of Supervisors meeting, March 4. The Housing Action Plan maps out a five-year proposal for action and planning recommendations from staff. Find ways to watch that board meeting, starting at 9 a.m., by clicking here. A remote option will be available to make public comments during the Board of Supervisors at the Tahoe Administration Center, second floor conference room, 775 N Lake Blvd, Tahoe City
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This photo of a Lake Tahoe night sky was taken and shared by Zario Mancassola from our Department of Public Works office.
OTHER NEWS
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Tahoe City Public Utility District Board meeting, Feb. 21
- The Futures Tour at Northstar, Feb. 25-28
- TRPA Governing Board meeting, Feb. 26
- North Lake Tahoe SNOWFEST, Feb. 26 - March 9
- Placer County Planning Commission meeting, Feb. 27
- Alpenglow Winter Speaker Series with Dave Nettle, Feb. 28
- Gar Wood's annual Polar Bear Swim, March 1
- Tahoe City SNOWFEST Street Faire, March 1
- SNOWFEST Sunnyside Luau, March 2
- Placer County Board of Supervisors meeting, March 4
- North Tahoe Community Alliance Board meeting, March 5
- TRPA Officers Hearing meeting, March 6
- SNOWFEST Kings Beach parade, March 8
- Local Government Committee meeting, March 12
- TRPA Advisory Planning Commission meeting, March 12
- Placer County Planning Commission meeting, March 13
- Placer County Board of Supervisors meeting, March 18
- TOT Advisory Committee meeting, March 20
- Visit Placer's Tourism and Quality of Life Summit, March 20
- Growth Management 101 - Public Webinar, March 24
- TRPA Governing Board meeting, March 26
- Placer County Planning Commission meeting, March 27
- Toyota U.S. Mogul Freestyle Championships at Palisades Tahoe, March 28-30
- Placer County Board of Supervisors meetings (in Tahoe), March 31-Apr. 1
Find more Placer County news unique to the Tahoe region on our dedicated North Lake Tahoe website by clicking here.
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