placer vision summary

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placer county vision summary august 2006 Vision from 2027 Purpose and Process Values and Opportunities Guiding Principles Key Planning Concepts PO Box 5310 Stateline, NV 89449 A 2027 Story: Placer’s Basin Communities Whether it’s a first glimpse of deep blue water, or the daily grind of a snow-covered commute, arriving in one of the North Shore’s main street beach towns instills a sense of anticipation and desire to experience Lake Tahoe’s natural places. These communities function well for visitors and residents. People gravitate to alluring restaurants, imagina- tive storefronts, beachside neighborhoods and diverse accommodations. Visitors stay overnight by the beach, bike through vibrant town centers, and hike on mountain trails. Residents thrive in healthy, prosperous communities and are united in the common goal of environmental stew- ardship. It’s easy to get around, there is a variety of hous- ing choices and a strong sense of community–all in a well- planned place.

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Placer County Vision Summary - The Place-Based Planning process identified the values, vision, and interests of local communities in the regional planning process. Basin communities got together during a series of workshops to discuss opportunities for new investment, reinvestment, and restoration. The three step process looked at opportunities, alternative futures and actions for the urban areas around the basin and also for the surrounding public lands and waterways. More that 2,000 members of the public participated in this multiagency process. County and city planning directors helped to guide this process. Place-based vision plans were unanimously adopted and approved for four identified. Prepared by Darin Dinsmore

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Page 1: Placer Vision Summary

placer county

vision summary

august 2006

Vision from 2027

Purpose andProcess

Values andOpportunities

Guiding Principles

Key PlanningConcepts

PO Box 5310Stateline, NV

89449

A 2027 Story: Placer’s Basin Communities

Whether it’s a first glimpse of deep blue water, or the daily

grind of a snow-covered commute, arriving in one of the

North Shore’s main street beach towns instills a sense of

anticipation and desire to experience Lake Tahoe’s natural

places. These communities function well for visitors and

residents. People gravitate to alluring restaurants, imagina-

tive storefronts, beachside neighborhoods and diverse

accommodations. Visitors stay overnight by the beach,

bike through vibrant town centers, and hike on mountain

trails. Residents thrive in healthy, prosperous communities

and are united in the common goal of environmental stew-

ardship. It’s easy to get around, there is a variety of hous-

ing choices and a strong sense of community–all in a well-

planned place.

Page 2: Placer Vision Summary

Placer County’s Basin Communities: A 2027 StoryWhether it’s a first glimpse of deep blue water, or the daily grind of asnow-covered commute, arriving in one of the North Shore’s mainstreet beach towns instills a sense of anticipation and desire to expe-rience Lake Tahoe’s natural places. These communities function wellfor visitors and residents. People gravitate to alluring restaurants,imaginative storefronts, beachside neighborhoods and diverseaccommodations. Visitors stay overnight by the beach, bike throughvibrant town centers, and hike on mountain trails. Residents thrive inhealthy, prosperous communities and are united in the common goalof environmental stewardship. It’s easy to get around, there is a vari-ety of housing choices and a strong sense of community–all in a well-planned place.

2027–North Lake Tahoe’s welcoming gateway communities benefitfrom the concerted efforts to coordinate the design of roadways,new buildings, recreational and community facilities. Whether arriving in the Tahoe Basin on SR89 in Tahoe City or on SR267 in Kings Beach,you know where you are. Kings Beach and Tahoe City are distinct places in history andby design. Their downtown districts have evolved, taking advantage of their unique histo-ries, traditions, and natural settings. The evolution happened when their downtownswere revitalized to function as mixed-use districts. Each and every public and privateinvestment contributes to their shared success.

2027–Reinvestment in Tahoe City, Kings Beach and other smallermixed-use places around Lake Tahoe has greatly enhanced the com-munities’ appearance and created social focus. This enhancedappearance and redeveloped lodging properties have been accom-plished while improving water quality, increasing public use of tran-sit and leading to a stable and growing year round local economy.

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Overall Planning Themes:

• Revitalize and reinvest inPlacer County’s TahoeBasin communities with amix of uses, updatedtourist accommodations,workforce housing and“functional commercial”;

• Improve the image andvitality of gateway areas;

• Improve transit and non-motorized access for resi-dents, visitors andemployees; and

• Approach water qualityand other environmentalimprovements as part ofan area-wide solution.

Page 3: Placer Vision Summary

A key reason for the environmental, economic and social success of Placer County’s North LakeTahoe area has been the commitment to reinvest in existing community centers, rather than in build-ing new places. Appropriately scaled mixed-use infill reflects local character and seems familiar tothe historic main streets of Kings Beach and Tahoe City, while adding vitality, better visitor accommo-dations and workforce housing. Historic buildings are prominently featured, new small open spacesenrich shopping streets, and shared parking reduces the visual impact of parking lots. Walkingalong Hwy 28’s traditional beach towns is now a delightful "postcard experience".

2027–The most popular ways of experiencing North Lake Tahoe are not by car.Traveling along the completed bike trail connecting Kings Beach and TahoeCity and traveling between communities by water borne transit are a favoriteday-trip for visitors and residents.Hwy 28 has become a versatile and effective mixed-mode thoroughfare that connects the NorthShore’s communities with connected bike trails and water-borne transit. Most importantly, transporta-tion options have adapted to the needs of the downtown districts where new transit centers havebeen built at the intersections of car, bus, bike trails and walking paths. Main streets include widesidewalks and medians have improved economic vitality and pedestrian/bike safety and comfort.

2027–There has been a measurable improvement in lake clarity in the past 20years. Roadways have been designed to capture run-off, improvements toolder parking lots and landscaping have made a difference.As part of the public and private reinvestment in the downtown areas, solutions for safeguarding andimproving water quality and other mandated environmental improvements were designed at abroader, area-wide scale, rather than one parcel or project at a time. This reinvestment was neces-sary to accelerate meeting important environmental thresholds and to create the types of mixed-usedistricts envisioned 20 years prior.

2027–The success of Placer County’s communities can be traced to an innova-tive regional plan, development codes, and incentives that have rewardedpublic and private investment consistent with communities’ aspirations.The Pathway 2007 effort resulted in a comprehensive update of policies and related codes and ordi-nances. Placer County's Redevelopment Agency, local Special Districts, Regional Agencies, localbusinesses and civic organizations worked together to encourage reinvestment in existing communi-ties. New investment made it possible to create successful communities that have become casestudies for sustainable design and economic revitalization. A bike ride along main street Tahoe Cityand Kings Beach reflects 20 years of public-private cooperation.

place-based | 3

Vision from 2027

Purpose andProcess

Values andOpportuni-ties

Guiding Principles

Key PlanningConcepts

Page 4: Placer Vision Summary

Purpose of Vision SummaryThe Placer County Vision Summary is an overview of Principles andConcepts framing a desired direction for Placer County’s LakeTahoe Basin communities over the next 20 years. The VisionSummary is the end result of Pathway 2007 Partners’ Placed-BasedPlanning Process engaging local community members in the devel-opment of the next 20 year regional plan for the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Planning ProcessThree community workshops took place in Kings Beach at the North Tahoe CommunityConference Center as part of the Pathway 2007 Place-Based Planning Process. Thefirst workshop on March 28, 2006, invited participants to identify Opportunities forInvesting in a sustainable Tahoe Basin. The second community workshop held on May23, 2006, focused on exploring Alternative Futures for Placer County’s Lake Tahoe Basincommunities. The third workshop was held on July 18, 2006 and focused onImplementation. A preliminary set of Principles and Concepts were derived from theseworkshops and subsequently refined with local representatives, the Placer CountyPlace-Based Working Group (PWG).

The Place-Based Planning Process explored what participating community membersvalue about the Tahoe Basin and what futures they desire. Workshop participantsacknowledged the well documented public concern over catastrophic fire, water qualityand the overall scenic excellence and natural beauty of the Tahoe Basin that is sharedby visitors and residents. A comprehensive set of preliminary Principles and Conceptshas emerged, based on information collected at the Workshops and input from the localrepresentatives (PWG). The preliminary Principles and Concepts were discussed andrefined in meetings with the Placer County PWG and have become the basis for thePlacer County Vision Summary.

Local Planning and ImplementationThe Placer County Planning Department is charged with the long-range and currentplanning of the unincorporated areas of Placer County. The Placer County

Purpose and Process

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Placer Planning WorkingGroup Members

Bill [email protected]

Cindy [email protected]

Dave [email protected]

Duane [email protected]

Jan [email protected]

Jeff [email protected]

Jennifer Merchant [email protected]

John [email protected]

Keith [email protected]

Lydia [email protected]

Mike [email protected]

Pam [email protected]

Paul [email protected]

Rachelle [email protected]

Ron [email protected]

Ron [email protected]

Steve [email protected]

Sylvia [email protected]

Page 5: Placer Vision Summary

Redevelopment Agency (PCRA) assists community members, private individuals and organizationsand public agencies to reinvest in defined redevelopment areas. There is one redevelopment projectcomprised of three sub-areas–Kings Beach/Tahoe Vista, Tahoe City and Tahoe Gateway. The PCRAprovides financial support and incentives for development opportunities that reduce and eliminateblight. The Principles and Concepts developed in the Place-Based Planning Process can help priori-tize Placer County Redevelopment Agency investment based on overall community goals.

Future Community Plan and Code UpdatesTRPA and Placer County have five adopted Community Plans: Tahoe City Community Plan, KingsBeach Commercial Area Community Plan, Kings Beach Industrial Area Community Plan, TahoeVista Community Plan, West Shore Community Plan and Carnelian Bay Community Plan.Coordinated with the combined efforts of local Community Plan Teams, Placer County, TRPAand others interested parties, these more detailed local plans will be updated over the next twoyears to reflect new regional planning policies and local aspirations. Community plan updates willalso include an opportunity for the public to continue to refine planning at the local level.

The TRPA codes and ordinances that regulate development in Placer County’s Basin communitiesare also going to be updated to reflect the new goals and policies. These include development stan-dards such as lot coverage, allowable height and setbacks and Plan Area Statements, which includeland use classifications (allowable uses), management strategies (types of mitigation), and specialdesignations (such as receiving areas for transferred development rights).

Next Steps: Updating Regional Plans and PoliciesThe Vision Summary will contribute to establishing an overall regional planning framework for theTahoe Basin. The planning Principles and Concepts have been included in an interactive workshopwith the Forum. The Forum is an advisory committee representing local, state and national interestsin the Basin. The Forum will make recommendations to the Pathway 2007 partners (Tahoe RegionalPlanning Agency, US Forest Service, Nevada Department of Environmental Protection, andLahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board) in the coordination of updating their plans and poli-cies. Find out more about Pathway 2007 visiting http://www.pathway2007.org.

The Place-Based process will continue to represent the values, vision and interests of local commu-nities in the regional planning process.

place-based | 5

Vision from 2027

Purpose andProcess

Values andOpportuni-ties

Guiding Principles

Key PlanningConcepts

ABOVE: Over 200 people attended the first two workshops. Their participation with the guidance of the repre-sentative Planning Working Group has been the basis for the Principles and Concepts.

Page 6: Placer Vision Summary

Values and Opportunities

On March 28, 2006 over 125 people attended the first of three community work-shops in the Place-Based Planning Process of the Pathway 2007 Regional Planupdate. The workshop was held at the North Tahoe Community Conference Centerand provided a chance for participants to identify valued places in their communi-ties and locations that represent opportunities for investment, reinvestment andrestoration.

Valued Places: Lake Tahoe, Mountains and ForestsThe most important or valued places identified by those who participated in the workshopwere Lake Tahoe, its shoreline and beaches, the mountains, forests, and recreationareas. More than that, the participants stressed the QUALITY of those places–such asthe views of open water, Lake Tahoe’s water quality, air quality, and ease of access torecreation areas. Specific places in communities were also cited including Tahoe Cityand participants’ own neighborhoods.

Areas of Opportunity: Improving Commercial and Community CentersThe desire and opportunity to reinvest in Placer County’s Basin Community commercialareas was popular. Places that provide an opportunity for new investment as well as rein-vestment included Kings Beach, Tahoe City, Tahoe Vista and Homewood. Several areaswere identified as important opportunities for restoration, including the Tahoe Basinwatersheds and forests. Participants also suggested that residents of the Tahoe Basinstart improving their own homes and neighborhoods to reduce the impact those homesand neighborhoods have on the natural environment.

Greatest Opportunity: Kings BeachParticipants identified commercial centers in the communities as a top opportunity forreinvestment with Kings Beach as the leading candidate. The greatest opportunities weredetermined to be in upgrading community centers’ infrastructure, improving their image,and enhancing social and economic performance. Solutions discussed included providingincentives for business and property owners, supporting improved transit and makinglife safer and more comfortable for pedestrians. Some participants connected improve-ments in Tahoe City and Kings Beach as a gateway strategy for Placer County’s LakeTahoe experience.

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Did you know that …

…at $195 and $189, summerand winter per capita dailyvisitor expenditures in North Shore communities are 1.5%and 14% higher than corre-sponding expenditures at South Lake Tahoe. (TRPA)

…”peak” daily attendance atBurton Creek State Park isan estimated 5% of annual visitation, or about170 persons. (CA StateParks)

…average August daily trafficvolumes on Hwy 28 haveremained flat. (TRPA)

…the estimated shortfall ofaffordable housing in PlacerCounty’s Tahoe Basin communities is 1,800dwelling units. (PlacerCounty)

Page 7: Placer Vision Summary

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Vision from 2027

Purpose andProcess

Values andOpportunities

Guiding Principles

Key PlanningConcepts

OpportunitiesLEFT:

In the first community workshopparticipants identified opportuni-ties for improving PlacerCounty’s Basin communities.

They identified Places:• Downtown Kings Beach• Downtown Tahoe City• Homewood

Environments:• West Shore beaches• Restored watersheds• Healthy forests• Improved water quality

Connections:• Hwy 28 with sidewalks and

landscaping• Bike connections between

communities and to parks

Page 8: Placer Vision Summary

Guiding Principles

At the June 20, 2006 Planning Working Group workshop, teams pre-pared concepts for the Placer County’s Tahoe Basin communities thatidentified the most desirable changes envisioned for the next twentyyears. Teams highlighted five categories of desired changes; includingreinvesting in existing community centers, enhancing gateways,improving transportation connections, addressing water quality at adistrict scale, and improving local government cooperation.

Principle 1: Reinvest in and RevitalizeExisting CentersReinvestment and revitalizationshould take place in PlacerCounty’s existing Basin commu-nity centers; this is preferable todeveloping new community cen-ters.

Planning and Design Features:

• Reinvestment in town centers shouldintroduce “functional retail”, eliminateblight, and diversify the local economy.

• Placer County’s Basin communities should include workforce housing.

• Public and private investment shouldenhance the image of Placer County’sBasin communities.

• Planning should emphasize the town cen-ters of Kings Beach and Tahoe City asimportant focal points. These town cen-ters are envisioned as mixed-use places

with visitor accommodations, retail serv-ices, housing and recreational activities.

• Investments in the smaller surroundingcommunities should respond to communityneeds and should reflect communitycharacter.

• New investment in Placer County’s Basincommunity centers should enhance theconnections and community interfacewith adjacent neighborhoods and recre-ational opportunities.

• Investment should reflect the communities’unique scale and character; “clean upthe junk” and “keep the best buildings.”

Principle 2: Enhance Placer County’sBasin GatewaysInvestment in Placer CountyBasin gateways should improvetheir image and vitality. Gatewaysshould be designed and plannedas integral parts of the LakeTahoe travel experience.

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Page 9: Placer Vision Summary

Vision from 2027

Purpose andProcess

Values andOpportuni-ties

Guiding Principles

Key PlanningConcepts

Planning and Design Features:

• Planning should acknowledge the gatewayroles of Kings Beach/SR267, Tahoe City,SR89 at the Truckee River corridor, and thesouthern part of Lake Tahoe’s West Shore.

• Gateway land use planning should emphasizearriving at Lake Tahoe rather than at a typicalcommercial intersection.

• Highway design, landscape architecture, sig-nage and visitor information should be coordi-nated as part of gateway plans.

Principle 3: Improving ConnectionsPublic and private investment inPlacer County’s Basin communitiesshould contribute to improved vehic-ular and non-motorized connectionsto commercial centers, neighbor-hoods, visitor attractions and recre-ation. Highway design shouldimprove economic vitality and pedes-trian safety and comfort.

Planning and Design Features:

• Improving connections between PlacerCounty’s Basin communities should be a pri-ority in planning better transportation systems(i.e., bus transit, water-borne transit and bicy-cle routes).

• Investment in Placer County’s Basin commu-

nities should contribute to the completion ofregional systems of trails, bike routes, parkingand transit services.

• Each public roadway and private roadsideproject should improve the safety and comfortof the pedestrian experience in PlacerCounty’s Basin communities.

• Parking in community centers should beplanned at a district scale, where resourcescan be effectively applied toward more effi-cient transportation, improved water qualityand community appearance. Cooperationbetween public agencies (i.e., Placer County,Public Utility Districts, Tahoe RegionalPlanning Agency, and Federal and Stateagencies) is required.

• Connections between regional-serving air-ports, ski resorts and communities outside theBasin should be part of the regional trans-portation strategy.

Principle 4: Area-wide EnvironmentalImprovements Solutions for safeguarding andimproving water quality and otherenvironmental improvements shouldbe approached at the broader, area-wide scale, rather than one parcel orproject at a time.

Planning and Design Features:

• Water quality projects, such as multi-use

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Page 10: Placer Vision Summary

swales, should be incorporated intoplans for new development; applyingstate-of-the-art water quality systemtechnology to create needed pathways,snow storage and open space.

• Investment and regulations should sup-port comprehensive area-wide strategiesthat improve the Tahoe Basin’s environ-ment.

• Opportunities to improve water qualityand other environmental conditionsshould be addressed immediately,including projects currently funded andunder design.

• The design of roadways and parkingareas and the placement of buildingsshould be planned as part of a larger,comprehensive strategy for managingstormwater runoff.

• Solutions for managing water runoff fromcommercial areas and adjacent residen-tial neighborhoods should be soughtwithin town centers and gateway areas.

• Investments should result in a healthyforest and safer interface with communi-ties to protect them from catastrophicwildfires.

Principle 5: Local GovernmentCooperationLocal governing bodies shouldcollaborate on policies andinvestment in- and out-of-theBasin. This should include landuse planning, economic develop-ment, marketing, transit, housing,recreation, and mitigating associ-ated environmental impacts.

Planning and Design Features:

• The Placer County General Plan shouldinclude policies about the economic andenvironmental relationships betweenresorts, communities and towns in andaround the Basin.

• Transportation services offered by pri-vate providers and public transportationagencies should be coordinated to sup-port peak travel times by visitors andeveryday needs of residents andemployees.

• Workforce housing needs generated byPlacer County resorts should beaddressed by the County’sRedevelopment Agency.

• Parking, public facility, recreation andother infrastructure needs should becoordinated between local special dis-tricts, Placer County and TRPA.

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Page 11: Placer Vision Summary

Key Planning Concepts

Planning concepts for Placer County’s Basin communities stressreinvesting in existing places, rather than creating new ones. Everypublic and private investment is expected to contribute to the suc-cess of communities.

Concept 1: Revitalizing the Centers ofExisting CommunitiesConcepts for revitalizing PlacerCounty’s Basin communities’centers require a comprehen-sive approach; creating suc-cessful mixed-use districts andinviting public gathering places.

Mixed-use Future• Investment in Placer’s Basin communi-

ties would be part of a County eco-nomic development strategy respond-ing to opportunities presented by thegrowing regional population and the“Resort Triangle”.

• Downtowns in Kings Beach and TahoeCity would become mixed-use placeswith commercial, tourist accommoda-tions, civic, and residential uses.

• The downtowns would have a varietyof upscale and affordable lodging facili-ties. Existing facilities would be mod-ernized and new accommodationswould be developed as part of redevel-

opment efforts.• New uses would support economic

development and placemaking objec-tives for community centers.

• The character of mixed-use infill devel-opment would be compatible with thebest of the existing traditional build-ings.

Workforce Housing• Plans for Tahoe City and Kings Beach

would include workforce housing aspart of mixed-use projects.

• In some locations housing would belinked to commercial uses.

• Concepts would provide incentives forreinvestment in existing units afford-able for Placer’s Basin communities’workforce.

Connections to Neighborhoods• New investment in downtowns and

other mixed-use areas would provideappropriate transitions in scale anduse with adjacent neighborhoods.

• Roadways, pathways and sidewalkswith adequate lighting would be

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Key PlanningConcepts

Triple Bottom LineBenefits from achievingPrinciples and Concepts:

SocialThe three main social bene-fits for reinvesting in KingsBeach and Tahoe City are:providing for workforcehousing, maintaining a mid-dle class and adding invitingpublic gathering places.

EnvironmentalReinvestment in PlacerCounty’s Basin communitiespromises a variety of envi-ronmental benefits, includingimproved water and air quali-ty due to reduction of autotrips, green buildings, andrestoration of degradedecosystems.

EconomicThe economic benefit com-ing to Placer County’s Basincommunities is expandedvisitor accommodations andfacilities, economic diversifi-cation, and a more constantannual business cycle.

Page 12: Placer Vision Summary

planned and designed to provide safeconnections between residential neigh-borhoods and mixed-use downtowns.

• Neighborhoods would be made safer andmore social by including community usesand facilities, lighted streets and side-walks, and parks serving the community.

• Shared downtown parking would bemanaged to reflect the needs of mixed-use districts and adjacent residentialneighborhoods.

Improving the Image• Public investment in roads and facilities

would contribute to the enhancement ofthe overall image and local character ofmain streets.

• New development would be responsiveto local site conditions, architectural tradi-tions, and micro-climate.

• Site planning would support the creationof gathering places while protecting thetrees and beaches that give Lake Tahoelakefront towns their unique character.

Concept 2: Planning Placer County’sBasin GatewaysConcepts for the Tahoe Basingateways treat them as integralparts of the Lake Tahoe travelexperience and improve theirimage and vitality.

Lake Tahoe Arrival • Information and welcome centers would

assist visitors in finding their destination,become aware of the uniqueness ofTahoe’s ecology, and discover other trav-el modes that allow them to experiencethe Tahoe without a car.

• The design of roadways and related

transportation infrastructure (walls,bridges, signage, etc.) would acknowl-edge the uniqueness of Lake Tahoe.

• Views, vistas, and scenery that charac-terize the region would be incorporatedinto the design of gateways.

Kings Beach/SR267• The arrival in Kings Beach via SR267

would feature both the spectacular natu-ral setting and charming small town char-acter.

• The intersection design would be welllandscaped and include a round-a-bout.

• Generic or franchise design would not beappropriate in the Kings Beach gatewayarea.

• Highway commercial uses, such as serv-ice stations or convenience stores, wouldnot be permitted at the SR267 intersec-tion.

Tahoe City• The arrival in Tahoe City via SR89 would

feature both Lake Tahoe and TahoeCity’s downtown mixed-use main streetdistrict.

• Generic or franchise design would not beappropriate in the Tahoe City gatewayarea.

• Highway commercial uses, such as gasstations or convenience stores, would notbe appropriate at the SR89 intersection.

• The gateway intersection would not befaced with parking.

• The roadway and intersection design atthe SR89 gateway would be in theappropriate scale and character of TahoeCity.

SR89/Truckee River• Planning would facilitate the screening or

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Page 13: Placer Vision Summary

place-based | 13

Key PlanningConcepts

Concepts

Land Use

trail to Northstar

Page 14: Placer Vision Summary

Pathway 2007 • Place-Based Visioning • www.regionalplanningpartners.com

relocation of industrial uses.• The “forest and river meets beach” travel experience

would feature open views and vistas where parking lotsare located behind buildings and screened, and build-ings are located to protect views.

Concept 3: Mixed-mode Transportation StrategiesPublic and private investment in PlacerCounty contribute to improved vehicular andnon-motorized connections to commercialcenters, residential neighborhoods, visitorattractions and recreation. Highways aredesigned to improve economic vitality andpedestrian safety and comfort.

Enhanced Regional Connections and Local Service• Transit connections to regional airports would support

residents and visitors.• Transit connections, intercept parking and non-motor-

ized pathways would connect Placer County’s Basindestinations to communities and resorts outside thebasin.

• Transit service would be increased to enhance its relia-bility for residents and visitors. This includes increasingfrequency of service/headways and providing busesand shuttles appropriate for the needs of passengersand their belongings.

• The future proposed Kings Beach Pier would supportrecreation and water-borne transit.

Transit Centers • Tahoe City and Kings Beach would include transit cen-

ters located near the junction of transit and auto routes,bike paths and walking trails.

• If found feasible, (seasonal) water transit stops wouldserve downtowns of Kings Beach and Tahoe City.

Managing Downtown Parking• Shared downtown parking would be laid out and man-

aged as a district (with cooperation of Placer County,TRPA, and Federal and State agencies), rather thanon a parcel by parcel or project by project basis.

• Parking plans and design would respond to local andregional transportation objectives.

• Parking would meet dual objectives: community charac-ter and water quality.

Mixed-mode Main Streets• Hwy 28 in downtown Tahoe City and Kings Beach and

SR89 in West Shore communities would be redesignedto accommodate pedestrians, bikes and parking neces-sary to support the success of mixed-use main street

districts.• The design of Hwy 28 would support the seasonal tran-

sit, parking and non-motorized access needs of BurtonCreek State Park.

Completing Bike Connections• Completion of the Dollar Hill Bike Trail (as multi-use

trails) would connect Kings Beach to Dollar Point,Northstar to Kings Beach, and complete the trail to des-tinations from Dollar Point south.

• Improved bike connections would be developed throughthe Homewood area.

• Transit service (with vehicles equipped with bike racks)to popular bike trails would be an objective when plan-ning transit centers.

Concept 4: Area-wide Environmental Improvements Opportunities to improve water quality andother environmental conditions areaddressed immediately, including projectscurrently funded and under design. Solutionsfor safeguarding and improving water qualityand other environmental improvementswould be approached at the broader, area-wide scale, rather than one parcel or oneproject at a time.

Roadway and Parking Design• The design of roadways and parking areas would be

planned as part of a larger, comprehensive strategy formanaging stormwater runoff.

• Passive on-site and off-site solutions for detaining andfiltering parking lot runoff would be considered in con-text of an area-wide approach.

Commercial and Mixed-use Districts• The design of parking areas and the placement of build-

ings would be planned as part of a larger, comprehen-sive strategy for managing stormwater runoff.

• Managing water runoff from commercial areas and adja-cent residential neighborhoods would be part of a com-prehensive solution.

• Multi-use swales and basins would be incorporated inplans for mixed-use areas. Water quality investmentswould be used as a method for creating pathways,snow storage and open space.

Forest and Lake Health• Continued restoration of watersheds and forest areas

would contribute to lake clarity.• Fuels management would make communities safer from

catastrophic wild fires while contributing to potential bio-fuel opportunities.

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