How to Secure Permits to Build a Home in Lake Tahoe (Part Two)

TRPA Permit

TRPA Permit

Earlier this month we provided you with a list of possible applications and forms that may be critical to complete prior to and during the design and construction of a new home or during a major remodel to a home in Lake Tahoe.  That was the first part of this two part series that you need to know about before moving forward.

This section outlines what the TRPA lists as “General Forms” that may be required to complete if your construction project includes additions of home generators, removal of underground tanks, project extensions, significant grading, or if your home is located on the lake.

As a full-service architectural design firm in Lake Tahoe, Borelli Architecture certainly can assist in the process of securing the proper permits then review the details together with you and work with our peers at TRPA to move things forward.

Below is a complete list of applications that may be needed to finalize your building permit.

General Applications & Documents

Pre-Application Consultation Request @

Construction Schedule Extension @

Owner Authorization

Qualified Exempt Declaration @

Backup Generator Installation Guide

MOU Qualified Exempt Declaration @

Underground Tank Removal Application @

Project Impact Assessment Online Tool

Project Impact Assessment Guidelines

Project Impact Assessment Fact Sheet

Standard Conditions of Approval

Security Procedures (Attachment J)

Standard Conditions of Approval – Residential Driveway (Attachment P)

Standard Conditions of Approval – Grading (Attachment Q)

Standard Conditions of Approval – Residential Projects (Attachment R)

Standard Conditions of Approval – Shorezone Standards (Attachment S)

Standard Conditions of Approval – Underground Tank (Attachment U)

If you have any questions at any time about building, designing, or securing TRPA or county permits for your new home, please reach out at any time.

Jim Borelli - Borelli Architecture Lake Tahoe Carson City Truckee

James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060

How to Secure Permits to Build a Home in Lake Tahoe? (Part One)

TRPA Permit

 

If you have recently purchased land or a home in the Lake Tahoe basin and have plans to either build a home or do an extensive remodel, our team at Borelli Architecture based in Incline Village Lake Tahoe is here to help you move forward in planning for your future.  Throughout the last 30 years, we have been working closely with the agencies and counties that fall within the Lake Tahoe Basin area and have strict policies that must be followed.

As a full-service architectural design firm, we certainly can assist in designing the home of your dreams.  In addition, we have solid relationships with the individuals who review and approve the many permits that it takes to finalize a home in the Lake Tahoe Basin, and outlying Carson City and Truckee regions as well.

Below you will find a list from the TRPA website that will provide you with an overview of the various applications and forms that may be required to complete, submit, and receive approval before and during the permitting, home building and renovation processes.

Take a look at this list below.

Then, check back into our News section at Borelli Architecture at the end of this month to learn more about the permitting process to build or remodel a home within the High Sierra.

Single Family Dwelling Application @

Single Family Dwelling Findings

BMP Retrofit Permit Application @

BMP Small Retrofit Plan@

Driveway/Parking Area Paving Application @

Grading Project Application @

Land Coverage Exemptions for Residential Improvements

Backup Generator Installation Guide 

Multi-Family Dwelling Application @

Multi-Family Dwelling Project Findings

Qualified Exempt Declaration @

Scenic Protection Information

Wood Heater Retrofit Statement Form @

Construction Schedule Extension @

Historic Resource Determination @

If you have any questions, at any time about building, designing, or securing permits for your new home, please reach out at any time.

Jim Borelli - Borelli Architecture Lake Tahoe Carson City Truckee

James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060

Earth Day and Earth Week Activities at Lake Tahoe

As this month comes to a close we are encouraging our friends and family to get outside and get involved in the numerous Earth Day events throughout the Lake.

One of the region’s most focused and forthright agencies has taken the lead in creating activities and events for all ages.  The group is called Take Care Tahoe and they have an impressive list of things to do and see this week.  For more details, other than this list from their website, click into their site for ways to keep Tahoe Blue this week, and all year-round.

Mother Nature Monday …

  • Download the Tahoe Nature Activity Book for a month’s worth of nature activities
  • Join the dark sky movement and turn off outside lights at night to protect wildlife and save energy
  • Download the Citizen Science Tahoe app, to share your observations of Lake Tahoe with scientists to help researchers better understand conditions around the lake

What to Wear: Animal print or animal-themed shirt

Climate Action Tuesday

What to Wear: White for clean clouds

Clean Water Wednesday

  • Fill your reusable water bottle with Tahoe Tap and help eliminate microplastics from polluting our waterways
  • Pick up dog poop on your neighborhood walk to help protect water clarity
  • Take the Tahoe Keeper Quiz to learn how to clean, drain and dry your boat and gear to keep Aquatic Invasive Species out of Lake Tahoe
  • Complete Keep Tahoe Blue’s Preserve a Plant activity

What to Wear: Blue for clean water

Trash Free Thursday

What to Wear: Green for the Earth!

Healthy Forest Friday

What to Wear: Red to prevent wildfire

Sustainable Saturday

What to Wear: Colors of the rainbow

At Borelli Architecture in Incline Village and Lake Tahoe, we will be out and about supporting their efforts. And we encourage you to do the same.

 

Jim Borelli - Borelli Architecture Lake Tahoe Carson City Truckee

James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060

Below the Blue Keeps Tahoe Clean … for You!

Lake Tahoe North Shore

Lake Tahoe North Shore

Throughout the great Lake Tahoe Basin, there are endless ways to enjoy the pristine waters that make our lake so famous.  But what about the Lake bottom?

Thanks to the efforts of “Below the Blue” the debris that flys off boats or are tossed into the lake does not exist like it used to.

This past week there was an excellent press release from the Tahoe Regional Planning agencies about “Below the Blue’s” efforts to clean up the lake, from its lakebed.  Here are some highlights that we thought you would enjoy reading today as posted on CarsonNow.com.

Monique Rydel-Fortner and Seth Jones have seen more of what lies underwater at Lake Tahoe than most. Unfortunately, that includes trash and lots of it — from drones, car batteries and sunken boats, to plate glass windows and enormous sheets of metal siding.

For more than a decade, the SCUBA divers and co-founders of the Tahoe-based nonprofit Below the Blue have removed more than 100,000 pounds of foreign objects from the Lake. Over countless dives, one source of submarine trash stands out as persistent but preventable — debris from shoreline building projects.

In cooperation with the League to Save Lake Tahoe and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, the underwater environmentalists are working to stop the illicit practice of using Lake Tahoe as a construction site dumpster.

As noted by the co-founder of Below the Blue, Seth Jones said: “Out of sight is not out of mind.”

And our architect firm in Lake Tahoe completely agrees.

Sure, we have probably dropped our sunglasses off a pier yet to see the junk that they collect on an annual basis is just makes you think: “What were they thinking?”

Unloaded any unwanted items into the Lake is not only ‘not right,” it’s illegal.  Steve Sweet, who is the Compliance Code Program Manager at TRPA said it best:

“Discarding material of any kind in Lake Tahoe is illegal and violates the high standard of environmental stewardship in this community. Strengthening the requirements for shoreline construction permits will eliminate these careless and environmentally harmful practices to better protect Lake Tahoe.”

With Earth Day around the corner, we encourage you all to get involved in the variety of initiatives underway to keep Tahoe blue this year, and in years to come.   Click into South Tahoe Earth Day to learn more about where and when you can chip in to help in a small or significant way.

Jim Borelli - Borelli Architecture Lake Tahoe Carson City Truckee

James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060

New TRPA Forestry Efforts Give Hope to Healthier Habitats to Come

Hiking in Lake Tahoe

Hiking in Lake Tahoe

With memories of a summer filled with smokey skies and raging fires, residents throughout Lake Tahoe are fully-focused on efforts to keep summers like last year in the past and never to return.

Recently, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPS) Governing Board approved new policies to expedite forest revitalization programs throughout the High Sierra.  In a recent press release, they announced their plans – with the most aggressive change focusing on the change in policies about ‘ground-based’ mechanical equipment (bulldozers, etc.).  As the story noted:

The decision expands the areas where ground-based mechanical equipment can be used on steep slopes. The new policy will promote forest and ecosystem resilience to disturbances such as climate change, the agency said today.

Steep terrain can be more difficult and resource-intensive for land managers to reduce hazardous forest fuels. Prior to the update, Lake Tahoe agencies could use ground-based mechanical equipment on slopes up to a 30 percent gradient, while work on steeper slopes was limited to hand crews, pile burning, and aerial logging to protect water quality from potential erosion.

TRPA Executive Director Joanne S. Marchetta said, “The Caldor Fire and the surge of megafires in the region are clear directives for us to improve our forest health policies to better protect communities and the environment from wildfire. TRPA is committed to advancing science-based practices that protect the lake and bolster our resilience to ever-growing wildfire threats, especially given the need for fuels reduction work in untreated areas narrowly missed by the Caldor Fire.”

In previous years, in fact in decards, machinery was not allowed on ANY slope over 30%.  This long-standing directive dates back to our own experience here in Incline Village when the former Ski Incline transformed its resort and doubled its terrain back in 1987.  During that year, the expansion (now known as Diamond Peak) was literally built by hand.  And for those of you who have skied the upper mountain, you can only imagine how the crews had to dig the holes for the lift towers, remove vegetation, and build structures at the top of the Peak.

The story adds another visual to the challenge at hand:

The policy change will facilitate additional forest health projects on steeper slopes. Approximately 61,000 acres in the Tahoe Basin have slopes from 30 to 50 percent, and nearly half of that area is in wildland-urban interface defense and threat zones near communities where hand crews continue to work. Additionally, post-fire assessments of the Caldor Fire show that steeper slopes tended to burn at higher severity than other areas.

“This is a game-changer for fuels reduction in the basin,” Chief Scott Lindgren of Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District said. “Hilly terrain is a significant portion of the Tahoe Basin and with the right kind of equipment, we can do quality fuel reduction work and protect the environment at the same time.”

Our team at Borelli Architecture applauds the TRPA and all who are focused on a healthier, safer, future for the entire region.  If you are interested in learning more about their year-round efforts to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, contact Jeff Cowen, Public Information Officer, at (775) 589-5278 or jcowen@trpa.gov.

If you would like a personal insight about the TRPA, securing building permits in Tahoe, and other key initiatives that are key to starting to build a home in the Tahoe basin Feel free to reach out to our architect firm in Lake Tahoe, Carson City, and Reno region.

James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060

 

New Clubhouse at Clear Creek Tahoe Now Open

Clear Creek Tahoe Golf Resort Development at Lake Tahoe

Clear Creek Tahoe Golf Resort Development at Lake Tahoe

(Photo courtesy of Clear Creek Tahoe and Chase International – Listing Real Estate Office)

On behalf of Borelli Architecture firm at Lake Tahoe and Carson City, Nevada, we are sending out our congratulations to our friends at Clear Creek Tahoe in Carson City.  This past month they announced the Grand Opening of their new 20,000 SF Clubhouse.

In a recent article in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, General Manager Milward Bell-Bhatti quoted:

“Now more than ever, our community seeks connection, and we couldn’t be more excited to introduce the Clear Creek Clubhouse to meet this need. We focused on the pillars that set our community apart, from culinary to wellness and golf, with spaces appropriately both grand and intimate to celebrate life in the mountains and provides a legacy environment for our members active Tahoe lifestyle.”

If you have ever wanted to live a life that included year-round recreation steps from your porch, this prestigious development on the eastern edge of the High Sierra offers its own golf course and private beach house on the edge of Lake Tahoe.  In addition, the new Clubhouse offers the following features and amenities:

Highlights of the new Clubhouse at Clear Creek Tahoe include:

  • A stone hearth and fireplace —the ideal spot to warm up
  • Outdoor dining areas, complete with a fire pit and stunning views
  • Terraces for lounging that overlook our beautiful golf course with dramatic rock outcroppings in the background
  • A welcoming dining room complete with fireplace and vaulted windows that overlooks the 18th green and the Event Lawn
  • A pub and lounge just off the dining room for light snacks, cocktails, and that all-important recap of the day’s golf game
  • Fitness room with the latest cardio equipment and weights, a movement studio, a spin studio, and a refreshment station
  • Locker rooms thoughtfully designed around gathering and socializing, with generous wet areas and steam rooms
  • Single and couples’ treatment rooms for massage and other body work

At this time, Borelli Architecture is designing several homes within the resort and is in contract with a few other residents who have chosen to live a full and active life at Clear Creek.

Lots are still available for sale – yet there are not many left to purchase.

If you would like a personal tour of what is, without question, THE place to work or retire, I would be happy to show you the options at any time. Feel free to reach out to our architect firm in the Lake Tahoe, Carson City, and Reno region.

James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060

Top Tips for the Perfect Workspace and Environment

Trends in workplace design

Trends in workplace design by Borelli Architecture

Throughout the year, we like to keep our clients up to date on business and architectural design trends.  And this news posting is yet another opportunity to share a business story that was recently posted in the Reno Gazette Journal re: American’s could be working from home until spring of 2022.

Above you will see a home that our architecture firm in Lake Tahoe is working on as we speak.  You will see that within this design, we have included some key features to keep the home/work environment light, bright, and efficient as well.

Our favorite part of this particular ‘workspace design’ includes a porch and a large sliding glass door that offers some spectacular lake views. In addition to the desk component, you will see that we have added ‘room to relax,” a good sound system, and plenty of storage to keep the area fresh and tidy.  All of which are assets that came to play within the RGJ story.

I’ll now share some of their insight (see information in italics) about workplace statistics and a few tips on how to keep the ‘art of working at home’ working for you in 2022.

How long will the ‘work from home’ directive last? 

When the coronavirus outbreak first erupted and workers were told to pack up their desks and prepare to do their jobs from home, many companies assumed they’d uphold that arrangement for a handful of weeks. Back then, no one could’ve predicted that 18 months later, a large chunk of the U.S. workforce would still be working remotely.  Earlier this summer, big-name companies started firming up plans to have staff members return to office buildings – some on a partial basis, and some on a full-time basis. But then, the delta variant hit, and since then, those same companies have had to walk back their plans and postpone their reopenings.

Facebook, for example, is delaying its office return until January of 2022. Apple initially postponed its reopening to October but has since moved it back even further to match Facebook’s timeline. And now, it’s looking like remote work easily has the potential to last two solid years.

Tips to  ‘feel right at home’ while working at home

Give yourself a break.  We have found that our team can get so focused on designing mountain homes that we forget to breathe.  As such, ew now set alarms every half hour to remind ourselves to stop and smell the roses – so to speak.  It never ceases to amaze me how a short break can help one’s mind regroup.

Save some ‘body’ time.  Within our architect design firm, we work with several of the region’s finer new communities.  And many times were are on site.  During that time, we make time to get out and take a short walk in between meetings.  Be it on the links at Clear Creek Development in Carson City or throughout the beautiful neighborhood of St. James’ Place in Reno, NV, there’s always an excellent opportunity to stretch the legs and take in the mountain scenery.

Schedule an actual lunch break.  Back in the day, when we worked in our office, there was always someone talking about where they would go for lunch.  Today, it’s a bit different as our kitchen is steps from our interior design firm and architect company in Nevada.

Get comfy, yet not too comfy.  Article after article that we read about tips for the perfect workspace and environment note that wearing sweats and t-shirts may be comfortable, they apparently have a way of making humans too lazy.  One article actually noted that the best thing to wear is pants with a tight waistband. It reminds us to keep away from the tempting snacks and daily pizza routine.

Top tips for an ideal workspace design.

Above you will see a home that our architecture firm in Lake Tahoe is working on as we speak.  You will see that within this design, we have includes some key features to keep the home/work environment light, bright, and efficient as well.

Our favorite part of this particular ‘workspace design’ includes a porch and a large sliding glass door that offers some spectacular lake views. In addition to the desk component, you will see that we have added ‘room to relax,” a good sound system, and plenty of storage to keep the area fresh and tidy.

If you have been working from home and feel like it’s time to remodel your office, or other spaces throughout your home, our team at Borelli Architecture would be happy to share some of the ideas that we have already implemented in properties throughout Incline Village, Truckee, Lake Tahoe, and the greater Reno/Carson City region.

James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060

Top Reasons to Move to Nevada

Top Reasons to Move to Nevada

Top Reasons to Move to Nevada

Over 30 years ago, I started my architectural firm in Lake Tahoe.  As time went on, fortune followed as hundreds of my clients decided to leave the city life and head to the High Sierra.  Lucky for all of them, and my wife and I, we still love the decision we made so many years ago.

I was reminded of this fate while reading a story in the ‘about why Nevada is such a great place to live.  The article was written by Journalist Brett McGuinness is entitled: Why I Am Thankful to be a Nevadan. Here are some of the highlights that we thought you might enjoy reading and/or sharing with your friends and family.

Nevada is a great place to call home.  Why? Here’s what Brett had to say, as noted in the italics below.

1) Wide Open Space

More than 3 million people live in the Silver State. That’s slightly fewer residents than Iowa and slightly more than Arkansas, putting us at No. 33 out of 50 states, population-wise. Pre-pandemic numbers ranked Nevada as the third-most-visited state in the country, trailing only California and Florida. Everyone in America knows Nevada. And international tourists know us, too … mainly because of Las Vegas, but still.

2) It can be lonely, and that’s a good thing

If you love personal space, there are few spots on the planet with fewer humans than Nevada: just 28.5 people per square mile… if you were blindfolded, strapped into a parachute, and shoved out of an airplane, and your first thought upon landing is “Where is everybody?” there’s a good chance you’re in Nevada.

3) There’s a lot of ‘horsing around

If you have time, head down to the old south Reno area and poke into the neighborhoods off of NV 341 (on your way to Virginia City).  In addition to viewing some of the old architectural designs of homes built in the late 1960s and 1970s, you will likely see horses roaming around in the neighborhoods?  As Brett noted:

But how many places have wild horses hanging out on front lawns? It’s worth the occasional cleanup just so we can post horse pictures to social media and astound all our out-of-state friends.

4) Rock stars love it here

You know who’s on stage this weekend in Reno?  Multi-platinum rock group Cheap Trick, Emmy-nominated comedy writer Demetri Martin and Grammy-winning comedian Lewis Black.  Do you know who’s on stage in Mobile and Huntsville?

5) And there are endless stars to see

Because of the whole no-people-having situation, Nevada also has some of the best stargazing sites in the world. Among them are the International Dark Sky Park in northeastern Nevada’s Great Basin National Park and the Dark Sky Sanctuary at northwestern Nevada’s Massacre Rim. These sites are so free from light pollution, the stars themselves are literally bright enough to cast shadows. 

6) We’re friendly, and very tax-friendly as well

The list of reasons why one should move their family OR their business to Nevada is too long for this short news clip.  Yet for the full details, visit the Economic Development Authority of Nevada and read on!

So there you are.  If you have plans to move to Nevada and build a home, or purchase a home and need an architect to help you remodel your investment, do reach out to our team.  Our team at Borelli Architecture in Incline Village and Lake Tahoe has been providing advice about the best reasons to move to Nevada for decades and would be happy to share our insight with you.

James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060

 

How To Get A Permit to Build A Boat Dock or Buoy Mooring in Lake Tahoe

This past year it seems like the world moved to Lake Tahoe to enjoy the lifestyle that comes with living and working throughout the High Sierra.  Within this ‘dream-like lifestyle,’ comes visions of working in the morning and heading out on the Lake for an afternoon of wake surfing or waterskiing.

As one who has lived here for over 30 years, and designed lakefront homes at Lake Tahoe, this lifestyle is real and very doable.

However, slipping out onto the crystal clear waters from your own boat dock doesn’t come easy for those who have purchased a Lakefront home and want to add a pier and/or buoy mooring just outside of one’s home office.  Living within the Lake Tahoe Watershed comes with from pretty stringent rules – all for good reasons – to keep the Lake as pristine as it is today.

To secure a permit to build a boat dock or get a mooring is like winning the lottery, yet can be done.

Within the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s website is a section that will help you to better understand the steps one must take to POSSIBLY secure a permit to build your dream dock.  Here are some highlights from their website.

All moorings including buoys, boat lifts, and boat slips are subject to annual registration fees paid through this system. New moorings require a TRPA permit and existing moorings must be registered and/or permitted through the Phase 1 process below.

Allocation of New Moorings

As part of the Shoreline Plan, TRPA may permit up to a maximum of 2,116 additional (new) moorings. Allowable moorings include buoys, boat lifts, and boat slips and are distributed through the following pools:

  • 1,486 private moorings (buoys or boat lifts)
  • 330 marina moorings (buoys or boat slips)
  • 300 public agency moorings (buoys or boat slips)

New mooring allocations will be released in accordance with TRPA Code of Ordinances 84.3.2.E.4: a maximum of fifteen (15) percent of the available moorings from each of the three pools can be allocated annually.

Eligibility Criteria

Private moorings

Single-family parcels:

  • Up to two moorings per parcel; existing moorings count towards maximum moorings allowed
  • Littoral – single-family parcel must adjoin or abut the high water elevation of Lake Tahoe
  • Best Management Practices (BMPs) Certificate – The littoral parcel must have a BMP Certificate of Completion prior to entering the mooring lottery. You can check the BMP compliance status on the TRPA Parcel Tracker. For more information on BMPs or to request assistance from TRPA’s Stormwater Management Program, please visit tahoebmp.org or call the BMP hotline at (775) 589-5202.

In addition, private moorings must comply with all eligibility, capacity, mitigation, development and location standards of TRPA Code of Ordinances Chapters 80-85, which include, but are not limited to:

  • Located outside a Stream-mouth Protection Zone
  • Boat lifts: one per parcel on an existing pier, up to four
  • Mooring buoys:
    • At least 50 feet from another mooring buoy (50-foot grid spacing for buoy fields)
    • At least 20 feet from adjacent littoral parcel projection line boundaries
    • Buoys not in buoy fields: No greater than 600 feet lakeward from elevation 6,220 feet Lake Tahoe Datum, as measured horizontally, or no farther lakeward than elevation 6,210 feet Lake Tahoe Datum, whichever is less
    • Buoy fields: No greater than 600 feet lakeward from elevation 6,220 feet Lake Tahoe Datum, as measured horizontally, and does not exceed the maximum buoy field size (derived from littoral HOA parcel dimensions)
On behalf of our team at our architect firm serving Lake Tahoe, Truckee, and Carson City, NV, we are here to help you build the home of your dreams, be it on the lake, golf course, or high atop the High Sierra.

James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Lake Tahoe / Truckee
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060