Title
Planning and Building Department, Tahoe Planning and Building Division, recommending the Board adopt Resolution 143-2026 (Attachment B) for the Meyers Watercraft Inspection Station Project:
1) Adopting the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, comprised of the Final IS/MND dated July 2026 (Attachment C) and the Draft IS/MND dated April 2026 (Attachment D);
2) Adopting the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan (MMRP) (Attachment E); and
3) Authorizing staff to file a Notice of Determination with the County Recorder Clerk's Office and California State Clearinghouse (Attachment F).
(District 5)
FUNDING: Tahoe Regional Planning Agency - 100%.
Body
Discussion / Background
In partnership with TRPA, California Tahoe Conservancy (Conservancy), Tahoe Resource Conservation District (Tahoe RCD), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Planning and Building Department, Tahoe Planning and Building Division, (Department) is pursuing the construction and operation of the Meyers Watercraft Inspection Station Project (Project) as described below. The partner agencies are proposing to relocate the existing watercraft inspection station in Meyers, California currently located at 2175 Keetak Street to a more suitable, permanent location on Pomo Street near the junction of State Route 89 and U.S. Highway 50. As the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Department prepared an IS/MND to assess potential environmental impacts in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 14000 et seq. Adoption of the MND and MMRP by the Board would complete the CEQA portion of the Phase 1 Project deliverables, including development of thirty percent (30%) design plans, an environmental document, and community engagement efforts.
The Project must also satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and TRPA Planning Compact. NEPA is required because the Project is funded with federal funds through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. TRPA environmental review is required as well because the Project is in the Tahoe Basin. Therefore, a joint IS/MND for CEQA, Initial Environmental Checklist for TRPA, and Environmental Assessment for NEPA was prepared by the three (3) lead agencies.
Project Description
The Project would consist of construction of a permanent watercraft inspection and decontamination area, vehicle entrance and exit with truck/boat trailer queuing lanes, decontamination unit and other mechanical and stormwater treatment facilities, associated mechanical and storage buildings, an office building, public restroom, public service bicycle station, workforce housing and associated parking, on-site parking for employees, open space/public access area, connection to nearby bike trails, and an aquatic invasive species (AIS) interpretive area. Presently, visitors queue on nearby public roadways, and the new location would provide on-site queuing, a more safe and efficient location for inspecting vehicles, and would also minimize impacts of vehicular traffic on neighborhood streets. The current location also requires seasonal setup and breakdown.
The proposed new location is on four (4) Conservancy asset lands parcels on Pomo Street near the junction of State Route 89 and U.S. Highway 50, currently identified by the following Assessor’s Parcel Numbers: 034-300-028, 034-300-027, 034-300-026, and 034-300-025. The asset lands are zoned as Recreation, pursuant to the Meyers Area Plan; however, the Conservancy is unable to own property with the purpose of development in the area where the Project is proposed. As such, it has been determined that a land exchange between the County and the Conservancy is the most feasible solution. Upon future Board approval, the land exchange agreement between the County and Conservancy will transfer the property from Conservancy ownership to County ownership. After that, the County will enter into an agreement with the TRPA that assigns all responsibilities for operating and maintaining the site to TRPA and other appropriate entities.
The site provides the opportunity for superior facilities for watercraft inspectors and the public as it has queuing space for at least 14 boats, which essentially eliminates the potential for queuing on public roadways. It is significantly safer for inspectors and the public as inspections would not need to occur on the roadway, and reduces the work needed for annual setup and breakdown. A permanent facility also provides the opportunity for onsite workforce housing for watercraft inspectors in summer and County snow removal staff in winter.
Project Need
Watercraft inspections are proven to be extremely effective in preventing the introduction of new AIS, such as quagga mussels and golden mussels, into Lake Tahoe. This reduces the threat of devasting impacts from AIS to the Lake Tahoe Region.
Permanent inspection stations, like the one proposed in Meyers, have been a priority for the AIS Program since its inception in 2008. The current Meyers watercraft inspection station is a temporary location that is privately owned and leased annually, which does not provide the long-term reliability or stability the AIS Program requires. The current site is also constrained and does not provide the necessary queuing, storage, and operational space for sustained operations of the Meyers location. This includes the need for year-round inspection operations, as boats can launch into Lake Tahoe throughout the year.
Mitigation Measures
Mitigation measures are added to the Project to reduce potential impacts to a level of insignificance. Avoidance, minimization, and/or mitigation measures are established in Section 5, Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan and summarized in Table 4 of the IS/MND.
Public Engagement/Participation
The partner agencies have conducted extensive public engagement and provided ample opportunities for public feedback on the Project. The County and TRPA have also specifically engaged with the community with respect to the environmental analysis and design considerations of the Project at several points, meeting both the legal noticing requirements and going beyond what is required. At the beginning of the planning process, County and TRPA staff went door-to-door to speak with neighbors near the Project location and later sent those neighbors a letter providing a status update on the Project. There were two (2) community meetings (October 14, 2024, and May 4, 2026) that were conducted for the Project to receive feedback on the planning process generally, design, environmental document, and status or next steps. Notice of each public meeting was provided using a variety of media, including flyers (electronic and hardcopy), email updates, posting in the Tahoe Daily Tribune and South Tahoe Now, and on the Project website. The Project website contains actively managed frequently asked questions, an email address for submitting additional comments, and a link to the prior community meeting materials (slides and recordings). The website can be found here: <https://tahoeboatinspections.com/meyers/>.
Scoping Comments
During the 30-day public comment period of the environmental document, 13 comments were received, including comments received from California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), District 3. Staff responded to each comment, which is included in Attachment C. Minor revisions were necessary to the IS/MND, which included clarification on where the noise was evaluated on the Project site. The revisions do not constitute substantial new information, as defined by the State CEQA Guidelines Section 15073.5, because they do not result in a new or substantially more significant impact and recirculation of the environmental document was not required. Commenters were notified of the document posting for their reference.
Alternatives
The Board could choose not to adopt the IS/MND and may direct staff to revise it. Staff, as directed by the Board, may revise the IS/MND and bring this item back to the Board at a later date. Revisions to the joint environmental document would need to be reviewed by all external agency partners. Any adjustments to the IS/MND would likely delay the Project and may increase the cost of the Project.
The Board could cancel the Project. The Department would be required to return all TRPA funds spent thus far. External agency partners would have to navigate alternative solutions to advance the Project and current progress on the Project would be lost.
Prior Board Action
On April 9, 2024 (Legistar file 24-0326), the Board approved and authorized the Chair to sign Agreement 24C00051 with TRPA, allowing the Department to provide project management services for Phase 1 of the Project, with a not-to-exceed of $389,400, and a termination date of December 31, 2025.
On June 25, 2024 (Legistar file 24-1011), the Board approved and authorized the Chair to sign Agreement 8821 with Nichols Consulting Engineers, CHTD., to assist the Department and TRPA with Phase 1 of the Project, with a not-to-exceed of $399,486, and a termination date of June 18, 2026.
On June 25, 2024 (Legistar file 24-1013), the Board approved and authorized the Chair to sign Amendment 1 to Agreement 24C00051 with TRPA, increasing the budget by $85,326 for a revised not-to-exceed of $474,726, and extending the term of the Agreement by six (6) months for a revised termination date of June 30, 2026.
On August 19, 2025 (Legistar file 25-1146), the Board approved and authorized the Chair to sign Amendment 2 to Agreement 24C00051 with TRPA, increasing the budget by $195,000 for a revised not-to-exceed of $669,726, and extending the term of the Agreement by eighteen (18) months for a revised termination date of December 31, 2027.
On April 28, 2026 (Legistar file 26-0206), the Board approved and authorized the Chair to sign Amendment 1 to Agreement 8821 with Nichols Consulting Engineers, to assist County and the TRPA with Phase 1 of the Meyers Aquatic Invasive Species Inspection Station, extending the term by approximately six (6) months for a revised expiration date of December 31, 2026, with no changes to the scope of work or not-to-exceed amount.
On July 21, 2026 (Legistar file 26-1091), the Board adopted and authorized the Chair to sign Resolution 121-2026 declaring County-owned real property located in Meyers, California, identified by Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 034-623-002, 034-623-003, 034-623-006, 034-622-007, and 033-191-006 exempt surplus land pursuant to Government Code 54220-54234 (Surplus Land Act); and authorized and appointed the Chief Deputy Director of the Department’s Tahoe Planning and Building Division as the real estate negotiator on behalf of the County to enter into negotiations with the Conservancy, or their designated representative, for said properties.
OTHER Department/Agency involvement
Internal: County Counsel
External: TRPA, Conservancy, Tahoe RCD, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
CAO Recommendation
Approve as recommended.
Financial Impact
There is no change to Net County Cost associated with this item. TRPA will reimburse the Department for Consultant’s services and staff’s time. The Department has included expenditures and revenues in the Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget and will include additional expenditures and revenues in future Fiscal Years, as applicable.
Clerk of the board follow up actions
The Clerk of the Board will obtain the Chair’s signature on the Resolution.
Strategic Plan Component
N/A
contact
Thea Graybill, Planning Manager, Long Range Planning Unit
Planning and Building Department
Brendan Ferry, Chief Deputy Director, Tahoe Planning and Building Division
Planning and Building Department