Category: Environmental Projects at Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe Flips Due to Extra-Chilly Winter

There’s no question that this winter was one for the records. From all the calls we received about how to shovel snow from a roof to the intricate engineering and architectural design one needs for higher elevation homes, we will remember this one for a long time to come.

While we were caring for our clients and shoveling our own driveways, Lake Tahoe was experiencing an unusual winter as well.

This past month, the Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) shared the news that Lake Tahoe had actually ‘flipped’ or mixed vertically from top to bottom. According to the experts at TERC, most years, the mixing does not extend beyond 1,000 feet.

Full mixing is an annual event in shallower lakes, however for Lake Tahoe and its 1,640-foot depth, it is a less common occurrence. Lake Tahoe last mixed during the 2018-19 winter. Typically mixing starts in the fall, with the surface layer of the lake cooling and gradually mixing deeper. Most years, the mixing does not extend beyond 1,000 feet.

What causes the mixing? TERC explained that the air temperature is the largest factor, not the intensity of individual storms. As this has been a particularly cold winter, it caused the Lake to mix deeper and weeks earlier compared to most other years.

So, is that a good thing? Yes. They told us that lake mixing is extremely good as it renews the water at the Lake bottom with “fresh” oxygen-rich water from the surface.

As we wrap up this ski season and winter to remember, we thank all the unsung heroes who kept the roads clear, our utilities intact and businesses running throughout it all!

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

How to Ski for Free at Lake Tahoe

Really! As residents of Lake Tahoe for over 30 years, we have heard it all … and this one is one we like to share.

In cooperation with TahoeFund.com, you can ski or ride for free with you order a Nevada or California License Plate. The program is called Plates for Powder, and here’s the scoop as noted on the Tahoe Fund website:

Buy a Tahoe plate and ski or ride for free! Show off your love and support for Lake Tahoe by ordering your California or Nevada Lake Tahoe License Plate.

Those who purchase a new Tahoe plate in either California or Nevada before April 1, 2023 through the “Plates for Powder” program receive a free lift ticket to one of twelve participating Tahoe downhill or Nordic resorts, or a Tahoe City Sports Park season pass to be used during the 2022-23 winter season, while supplies last.

Over 96% of the funds from purchase and renewal fees for Lake Tahoe License plates are used to build, maintain and protect the trails, water quality, wildlife and forest health of the Lake Tahoe basin.

For a complete list of resorts, click in here:

To learn more about how you can order a Nevada or California plate to support this project visit TahoePlates.com.

To learn more about how your support helps keep Tahoe beautiful or to learn about specific conservation, recreation and watershed restoration projects, visit the California Tahoe Conservancy and the Nevada Division of State Lands.

In the meantime, if you want more details about the best secret spots to ski at Lake Tahoe, give me a call. I’d be happy to share a few insider’s tips with you!

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

How to Safely Shovel Snow Off A Roof

With all the recent snowfall, our architectural firm at Lake Tahoe has been receiving calls about snow loads on our clients’ roofs. Within that conversation, they ask how to safely remove the load – as there is more snow in the forecast this month.

Last year, we posted one of our most popular blogs about how we design mountain homes that meet the structural requirements for significant snowfall. And within the blog, we offered immediate advice as to how one can know if there is too much snow on the roof, and how to safely remove the snow. With the heavy snow that we received during Christmas and New Year’s, we thought we should share that advice again.

Here are the highlights of the story posed by the question “How do you know if you have too much snow on the roof?”

One cubic foot of fluffy, dry snow weighs about three pounds. The same amount of dense, wet snow can weigh as much as 21 pounds. While most roofs are built to withstand more than that, your roof may be under too much pressure if you see these signs:

Visible sagging along the roofline
Cracks in the ceiling or on the walls
Popping or creaking noises
Difficult-to-open doors and windows

As it melts excess snow can also lead to ice dams — melting snow refreezes and can damage your home’s interior under the eave line.

How to safely clear your roof

Keep the following in mind:

Hire a professional. A person who does this work regularly should know the best techniques and likely be insured.
Never work alone. Always have someone with you in case you slip or have an emergency.
Clear the area. The ladder up to your roof should be positioned on solid ground. Also, make sure the rungs are clear of ice and snow before you climb.
Secure yourself. If possible, use a strap or belt to anchor yourself to something strong, like a chimney.
Avoid shingle damage. Stay away from picks, hammers, or other sharp tools to clear snow and ice.
Use the right tools. If you have a one-story or flat-roofed house, invest in a snow rake. These long-handled tools with plastic blades can help you gently pull snow from the edge of the roof line.

Inasmuch as this is a good recap of how to get the job done, our team at Borelli Architecture suggests you seek professionals to get the job done. Roofing companies and possibly professional tree removal companies would be a good place to start. Here’s a link to the Better Business Bureau’s recommendations.

In the meantime, if you want more details about how to build a structurally sound home in the mountains, feel free to reach out at any time.

Be safe out there!

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

Tahoe In Depth Publishes 10th Anniversary Edition

This past week, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency published the 10th Anniversary edition of Tahoe In Depth. For over a decade, this publication has offered some of the most insightful details about what their organization is doing and has done to protect the Tahoe Basin.

In this special 10th anniversary issue, they cover the intersecting 10th anniversary of the 2012 Regional Plan Update, which was approved on 12.12.12, and take a look back at some outstanding stories from past issues.

New stories on mushroom foraging, epic philanthropy, Take Care Tahoe campaigns, and more round out the winter issue.

They are incredibly grateful to their many subscribers who continue to support Tahoe In Depth. Every little bit helps them to continue to share Lake Tahoe environmental news with you twice a year. If you aren’t a subscriber, consider becoming one this holiday season.

If you have plans to start to design and build a home within the Lake Tahoe Basin, it will take time and local expertise to get your permit. Within our architect firm at Lake Tahoe in Incline Village, we offer a wide variety of services to help you get your permit sooner than later. Among this list:

Personal Architectural Design Services in Lake Tahoe
Custom Interior Design
Site Planning
Space Planning
Permit Processing Assistance
TRPA Feasibility Studies
Contractor Selection and Bidding Assistance
Construction Administration Services

Time is of the essence as well as there are date restrictions as to when we can ‘move dirt’ or not. Want to know more? Please reach out to us at any time. We have been working with all the local agencies for over 30 years and have the contacts and insight to get your dream home started in 2023.

Happy New Year to all,

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

Lake Tahoe Ski Resort Web Cams

(Photo courtesy of Mt Rose Ski Tahoe)

With all the recent snowfall throughout the High Sierra, we thought this blog could be a perfect spot to share the beauty of Mother Nature. When you are ready to hit the slopes in 2023, click on these Lake Tahoe Ski Resort Web Cams for your bird’s eye view!

And if your plans for next year include building a home by the slopes, our team at Borelli Architecture is ready to get your project moving forward. For over 30 years, we have designed slope-side mountain homes, mountain-modern masterpieces, and quaint retreats throughout the High Sierra.

To see some highlights of our client’s dream homes, see a sampling of the Residential Homes in Lake Tahoe and Carson City designed by Borelli Architecture.

If you are interested in learning more about how to build a mountain home in Lake Tahoe, or own property on a golf course and are ready to start the design process, I welcome the opportunity to share our professional advice with you. Contact us at any time.

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

What to Plant in the Fall in the High Elevation

Although our architectural services in Lake Tahoe and Truckee focus primarily on designing your home, we are often asked about the trees and plants that might be ideal to complement our home designs. And as fall is now in full swing, now is the time to decide what trees and shrubs you might want to plant before the frost arrives.

To help you out, we researched the internet and found this great blog written by the professionals at the Outdoor Design Group out of Colorado.

As their elevation is similar to ours, here are their recommendations for high-elevation trees that would be ideal for homes in and around the High Sierra.

Deciduous Trees

Quaking Aspen Populus tremuloides
Canada Red Cherry Prunus virginiana ‘Canada Red’
Russian Hawthorne Crataegus ambigua
Ginnala Maple Acer ginnala
Apple and Crabbaple Malus (several types)
Alder Alnus tenuifolia
Tartarian Maple Acer tartaricum
Birch Betula (several types)
Mountain Ash Sorbus aucuparia
English Oak Quercus robur

Evergreen Trees

Southwestern White Pine Pinus strobiformis
Ponderosa Pine Pinus ponderosa
Colorado Blue Spruce Picea pungens
Douglas Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii glauca
White Fir Abies concolor
Limber Pine Pinus flexilis
Bristlecone Pine Pinus aristata

Deciduous Shrubs

Burning Bush Euonymus ‘Turkstanica Nana’
Peking Cotoneaster Cotoneaster lucidus
American Cranberry Viburnum trilobum
Currant Ribes (several types)
Lilac Syringa (several types)
Potentilla Potentilla (several types)
Siberean Peashrub Caragana arborescens
Snowball Viburnum Viburnum opulus
Rock Spirea Holodiscus dumosus
Sumac Rhus (several types)
Willow Salix (several types)
Sand Sage Artemesia filifolia
Serviceberry Amelanchier (several types)
Barberry Berberis (several types)

Evergreen Shrubs

Juniper Juniperus (several types)
Mugo Pine Pinus mugo
Dwarf Alberta Spruce Picea glauca
Blue Globe Spruce Picea pungen ‘Globosa’
Weeping Norway Spruce Picea abies ‘Pendula’
Yucca Yucca (several types)
Euonymus Euonymus (several types)

Ornamental Grasses

Blue Oat Grass Helictotrichon sempervirens
Blue Fescue Festuca glauca
Ravenna Grass Erianthus ravennae

Perennials

Aster Aster (several types)
Columbine Aqueiegia
Blue Flax Linum perenne
Snow in Summer Cerastium tomentosum
Wild Strawberry Waldsteninia ternata
Kinnikinnick Actostaphylos uva-ursi
Painted Daisy Tanacetum coccineum
Delphinium Delphinium (several types)
Bleeding Heart Dicentra spectabilis
Oregon Grape Holly Mahonia repens
Yarrow Achillea (several types)
Lupine Lupinus (several types)
Sedum Sedum (several types)
Black Eyed Susan Rudbeckia fulgida
Windflower Anemone canadensis
Serbia Iris Iris sibirica

We hope this information helps you and your family prepare your yard for the years to come. And, if you ever need more insight into what it is like to live in the mountains or need a professional architect in Lake Tahoe to help build your mountain, lakefront, or golf resort home at Lake Tahoe, feel free to reach out at any time.

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

Incline Village Curbside Chipping, Pine Needle Pickup, Deadlines Approaching

During the year, our team at Borelli Architecture in Incline Village likes to provide information about living in the mountains and tips to keep your home safe in your natural surroundings. During the fall season, Kelly and I make it a point to clean up our yard and prepare for the winter months to come.

Another bonus of living in the high-elevation wrapped within a forest setting is the free services we receive from various local agencies and organizations.

Read on to see the details about Incline Village Waste Management’s Yard Waste pick-up service and the North Lake Tahoe Protection District’s curbside chipping services.

Next, get your yard and piles in order.

Clean up all the fallen leaves and perhaps limbs or tree debris accumulated over the summer months.
Pine needles and clean yard waste should be placed in large trash bags; place your Waste Management stickers on each load and put them on the curb for pick-up (now through October 28). If you did not get your stickers from Waste Management, or have more questions, see all the details about Incline’s Yard Waste Management Program right here.

Next, take advantage of the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District FREE curbside chipping service if you have branches too big for your regular trash containers. Sign up on this form to make a request.

Then, prepare your curbside piles:

All branches The branch diameter cannot exceed 6 inches.
The pile must not contain stumps, roots, garbage, nails, lumber, or pine cones.
The pile must not exceed 30 feet in length, 6 feet in height, and 6 feet in width.

Repurpose the chips:

Once the chipping has been completed, they will be left right where you left your pile and are ideal for erosion control or natural landscaping. Do note that WHERE you place the clipping is essential as well. The NLTFPD suggests that you keep the chippings AT LEAST five feet away from your home or any structure.

Information on their website also noted that if you spread the chips within 30 feet of a structure, you should be sure they are separated by ‘noncombustible’ areas like rock, pathways, driveways, or dirt.

After you do all the hard work, take time to enjoy the fall season. It will be snowing before you know it!

We hope this information helps you and your family prepare and plan for the winter months. For more tips, visit the blog we posted last fall about Home Winter Preparation Tips. And, if you ever need more insight into what it is like to live in the mountains or need a professional architect in Lake Tahoe to help build your mountain, lakefront, or golf resort home at Lake Tahoe, feel free to reach out at any time.

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

Best in Basin Awards Announced by TRPA

Every year the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency presents its Best in Basin Awards” that mirror their mission:

To preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment.

This past month, they rolled out the red carpet and presented their annual accolades to the following companies. At our architect firm in Lake Tahoe, we applaud our peers for a job well done!

The nomination period for these awards spanned two years due to delays related to the region’s Covid response. The Best in the Basin Award recipients for 2020 and 2021 are as follows:

Best Water Quality & Restoration Projects

Tahoe Pines Restoration and Public Access Improvement Project
Meyers, Calif.
By California Tahoe Conservancy, Burdick Excavation Company, and Stantec Engineering

Brautovich Park Stream Environment Zone Restoration and Park Rehabilitation Project
Upper Kingsbury Grade, Stateline, Nev.
By Douglas County and Nevada Tahoe Conservation District, Design Workshop, and Impact Construction

Best Water Quality Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Incline Village Golf Course Maintenance Drainage and Wash Pad Improvement Project
Incline Village, Nev.
By Incline Village General Improvement District Public Works, PR Design and Engineering, Inc., and Cruz Construction Co.

Best Environmental Improvement Program Projects

Dennis T. Machida Greenway Memorial Trail
South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
By El Dorado County Department of Transportation, California Tahoe Conservancy, City of South Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Community College, and Herback General Engineering

Eyes on the Lake – Aquatic Invasive Species Early Detection Rapid Response
Lake Tahoe, Calif./Nev.
By the League to Save Lake Tahoe, Tahoe Resource Conservation District, and Marine Taxonomic Services, Inc.

Best Defensible Space and Forest Health Project

NV Energy Resilient Corridor 4100 Line Project
North and East shores, Lake Tahoe, Nev.
By NV Energy and North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District

Best Sustainability Action

Homewood High and Dry Marina Electric Boat Charging
Homewood, Calif.
By JMA Ventures, LLC, Homewood High and Dry Marina, Nautique, Superior Boat Repairs & Service, Ingenity Electric, and the Tahoe Fund

Nominations for the next awards will open late next year and will be for projects completed in 2022 and 2023, according to TRPA. Additional information is available at trpa.gov/how-we-operate/awards.

If you want to learn more about the high-quality standards and environmental regulations that one must employ while designing and building private and commercial properties, please contact us at any time.

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

What is a Site Plan and Why Do You Need One?

When you live in one of the most beautiful spots on the planet, you have an innate ability to appreciate your surroundings and protect them as best as you can. When working with our clients, we offer professional Site Plan services that enhance your property’s setting while abiding by the strict environmental regulations set by the counties around the Lake and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency – for all the right reasons.

We employ a proactive approach regarding communications with both regulatory officials and interested stakeholders in order to build consensus surrounding a project’s design and objectives. Applying our collective talents and experience, Borelli Architecture in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, is here to design your dream home while ensuring we protect the environment that surrounds your investment.

When you work with the team at Borelli Architecture in Lake Tahoe and Carson City, Nevada, you will receive a visual presentation of your property that includes:

location of your home
location of other buildings (guest house, garden sheds)
terraces
extended features (outdoor kitchen, firepit)
playground

When completed, you will have a much better visual of the size and scale of your home as it relates to its orientation on your property.

Your site plan may be presented in different formats.

2D Site Plan This is usually a simple overview that may be black and white or color coded. It’s usually the first step in your home design which gives you an initial understanding of the layout of your home.

3D Site Plan This option is more elaborate and includes a more defined full-color understanding of the structure of your home and its materials and colors, as well as some outdoor features (potential trees, etc.)

3D Video Our team prefers this option and uses this technology to give our clients a much clearer understanding of your site plan, house plan, and environment in which it will be built.

For example, take a tour through our Borelli Architecture Video Models now.

If you have any questions at any time about our services to help you visualize your next home, please reach out at any time.

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 Two)

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.