Title
Planning and Building Department recommending the Board:
1) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 121-2026 declaring County-owned real property located in the unincorporated community of 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
2) Authorize and appoint 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 California Tahoe Conservancy, or their designated representative, for said properties.
(District 5)
FUNDING: Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (100%).
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DISCUSSION/BACKGROUND
The County owns five (5) parcels of land, consisting of a cumulative 3.28 acres, (Assessor’s Parcel Numbers [APNs] 034-623-002, 034-623-003, 034-623-006, 034-622-007, and 033-191-006) located in the unincorporated community of Meyers at 620, 621, 630, and 660 West San Bernardino Avenue and 1374 Boca Raton Drive, respectively. The four (4) parcels on West San Bernardino are vacant lots beyond a gate on a paper road and the one (1) parcel by the California Tahoe Conservancy's (Conservancy) Elks Club property is a vacant wetland parcel by the Upper Truckee River.
The County is proposing to dispose of the aforementioned property and acquire parcels as part of a land exchange with the Conservancy. The six (6) parcels the County would acquire from the Conservancy are identified by APNs 034-300-025, 034-300-026, 034-300-027, 034-300-028, 034-331-015, and 034-331-023, consist of a cumulative 4.44 acres, and are located in the unincorporated community of Meyers - four (4) parcels are located immediately south of the State Route 89 and U.S. Highway 50 interchange, and two (2) parcels are located in the Meyers Town Center. The purpose of the proposed land exchange is to: 1) facilitate the construction and operation of the permanent watercraft inspection station in Meyers (Meyers AIS Inspection Station); 2) preserve open space/sensitive stream environment zone properties near other Conservancy-owned parcels creating management efficiencies; and 3) provide developable, non-sensitive land to the County within the Meyers Town Center to further its goals and policies.
Pursuant to Government Code Sections 54220-54234 (the Surplus Land Act), prior to taking any action to dispose of property, the land must be declared as either surplus or exempt surplus land, and a resolution must be adopted by the Board and provided to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for their concurrence. Once adopted, HCD will have 30 days to review the Resolution prior to the County’s relinquishment of the property. The properties are declared exempt surplus lands pursuant to California Government Code section 54221(f)(1)(D), as a local agency, the County, is transferring to a state agency, the Conservancy.
On May 28, 2026 (Legistar file 26-0833), the Planning Commission determined that the proposed land exchange contemplated between the County and Conservancy, as described above, is in conformity with the El Dorado County 2004 General Plan, pursuant to Government Code Section 65402. This ensures that land use actions align with the long-term planning goals of the County. This item will return to the Board for action to finalize the land exchange after the HCD determination.
These actions are not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because they are activities that are excluded from the definition of a project by Public Resources Code Section 21065 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15378. Declaring property exempt surplus land and initiating negotiations with the Conservancy does not have the potential of resulting in direct physical damage to the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could decline to approve and adopt the Resolution, preventing the County from declaring the five (5) properties as exempt surplus land. This would impede land exchange negotiations with the Conservancy. The Department would be required to return all Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) funds spent to date. Additionally, TRPA would need to pursue alternative solutions to support the Meyers AIS Inspection Station, and current progress would be lost.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
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 continue to assist the County and TRPA with Phase 1 of the Meyers AIS 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 August 19, 2025 (Legistar file 25-1146), the Board approved and authorized the Chair to sign Amendment 2 to Agreement 24C00051 with TRPA, to allow the County to continue to provide project management services for Phase 1 of the Meyers AIS Inspection Station, increasing the budget by $195,000 for a revised not-to-exceed of $669,726, and extending the term by approximately 18 months for a revised expiration date of December 31, 2027.
On June 25, 2024 (Legistar file 24-1013), the Board approved and authorized the Chair to sign Amendment 1 to Agreement 24C00051 with TRPA, to allow the County to continue to provide project management services for Phase 1 of the Meyers AIS Inspection Station, 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 June 25, 2024 (Legistar file 24-1011), the Board approved and authorized the Chair to sign Agreement 8821 with Nichols Consulting Engineers, to assist the County and TRPA with Phase 1 of the Meyers AIS Inspection Station, with a not-to-exceed of $399,486, and a termination date of June 18, 2026.
On April 9, 2024 (Legistar file 24-0326), the Board approved and authorized the Chair to sign Agreement 24C00051 with TRPA, to allow the County to provide project management services for Phase 1 of the Meyers AIS Inspection Station, with a not-to-exceed of $389,400, and a termination date of December 31, 2025.
OTHER DEPARTMENT/AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel; TRPA; and the Conservancy
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact with declaring this property exempt surplus lands. TRPA will reimburse the Department for staff time related to the land exchange, as well as costs incurred through the consultant contract for environmental review. These associated expenditures and revenues have been included in the Department’s Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget and in the proposed Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
The Clerk of the Board will obtain the Chair’s signature on the original 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