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Board of Supervisors (Board) and Planning and Building Department, Tahoe Planning, Stormwater, and Vacation Home Rental Division, hosting a Board public workshop to solicit input and encourage public comments on the Tahoe El Dorado Area Plan as directed by General Plan Goal 2.10, Policies 2.10.1.2 and 2.10.1.3 and Measure LU-O.
FUNDING: Phase one: California Department of Housing and Community Development Local Early Action Planning (LEAP) grant (19%); Phase two: Discretionary Transient Occupancy Tax (25%), Affordable Housing Fees (10%); Phase three: Funding TBD (46%).
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DISCUSSION/BACKGROUND
This informational workshop for the Board of Supervisors is being hosted by the Planning and Building Department, Tahoe Planning, Stormwater, and VHR Division (Department). The purpose of this workshop is to solicit comments from the public and the Board on the Tahoe El Dorado (TED) Area Plan. No formal action will be taken.
The County coordinates its land use planning efforts in the Tahoe Basin with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA). The adopted plan for the Tahoe Basin is the “Regional Plan for the Tahoe Basin” and supersedes the El Dorado County General Plan. General Plan Goal 2.10., Policy 2.10.1.2 states that the County shall work with TRPA and other agencies to identify lands capable of supporting affordable housing development without jeopardizing attainment of the Environmental Thresholds identified by TRPA. The General Plan goes on to direct the County in Policy 2.10.1.3 to identify and prioritize the completion of community plans within the County’s jurisdictional area of the Tahoe Basin. Implementation Measure LU-0 further specifies that the County must 1) coordinate with TRPA and other agencies to create a comprehensive approach to land use regulation in the Tahoe Basin; 2) prepare and adopt a community plan for the Tahoma/Meeks Bay area; 3) identify additional affordable housing opportunities; 4) modify the County’s Zoning Ordinance to be consistent with, or adopt as County Code, the TRPA Code of Ordinances and Plan Area Statements; and 5) implement actions recommended in TRPA’s periodic threshold evaluation.
In December 2023, TRPA passed the Phase 2 Housing Amendments to its Code of Ordinances, encouraging development of affordable and workforce housing in the Tahoe Basin by allowing flexibility in some development standards. To fully benefit from the Phase 2 Housing Amendments, and future amendments as part of their Phase 3 effort, and for the County’s Zoning Ordinance to be consistent with the TRPA Code of Ordinances and Plan Area Statements, the Department is proposing development and implementation of the TED Area Plan.
The County has started the process of developing the TED Area Plan, which is a comprehensive, long-term planning document that will incorporate and update the Meyers Area Plan and include other communities in the Tahoe Basin area of the County. Completing the TED Area Plan will 1) ensure consistency between the County’s Zoning Ordinance and the TRPA Plan Area Statements, 2) streamline permitting and environmental review, 3) allow the County to control land use policies and decisions based on each community’s needs, and 4) incorporate TRPA Code of Ordinances and State law updates - ultimately, establishing a better framework to advance housing and economic development.
The County anticipates the TED Area Plan will be completed over three (3) years with potential adoption in 2026. Phase 1 of the effort includes creating an informational website, in-person and virtual community workshops, an online survey, stakeholder outreach, preparing a County and TRPA land use/zoning consistency study, and drafting an outline for the TED Area Plan. Phases 2 and 3 will largely consist of developing, revising, and finalizing a draft TED Area Plan, conducting environmental review, and holding hearings for possible adoption of the TED Area Plan. The County has contracted with Ascent Environmental, Inc. to assist with Phase 1 of the TED Area Plan, which is scheduled to be completed by Fall 2024.
Staff presented this information to the Planning Commission on April 25, 2024. The Planning Commission provided comments and expressed general support and need for the TED Area Plan.
For more information on the TED Area Plan, please visit the County’s website at tedareaplan.com. The TED Area Plan website includes the project timeline and event dates, a resource library, online survey, and contact information. The County will update the website on an ongoing process. Community members and stakeholders may also sign up to receive TED Area Plan e-mail notifications here: bit.ly/TEDAreaPlanEmail.
ALTERNATIVES
N/A
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Presentation of this informational item does not have a financial impact; however, the total cost of the TED Area Plan is expected to be approximately $1 million and will be in three phases.
Phase 1 of the TED Area Plan ($185,000) is funded by a California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Local Early Action Planning (LEAP) grant and Departmental savings and are included in the current FY 23/24 budget.
Phase 2 proposes to use $250,000 Discretionary Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) and approximately $100,000 in Affordable Housing Fees, collected through Development Agreements and paid by Developers to support affordable housing opportunities in the County. These costs are included in the budget request for FY 24/25. A detailed scope of work and actual costs for Phase 2 is still to be determined.
Phase 3, estimated at $450,000, is currently not funded, and staff are working on a funding strategy. A detailed scope of work and actual costs for Phase 3 will be determined at a later date.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Safe and Healthy Communities and Thriving Economy
CONTACT
Brendan Ferry, Deputy Director of Tahoe Planning, Stormwater, and VHR
Planning and Building Department