For those of you who are looking for a Lake Tahoe architect to help you build a home on Lake Tahoe, commence on an extensive home remodel, or are involved in a redevelopment project, I encourage you to read this blog to the end.

This past week, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency provided us with an update to their two-year process of developing a new Shoreline Plan.

Noted by the TRPA as “milestones,” this initiatives will come to a close – estimated for final approval October 24th – with the final unveiling of what property owners and commercial developers will need to know before anyone puts their pen to the paper to design, or redesign, any property along the Lake’s well-protected shoreline.

What is the TRPA Shoreline Plan and Why Is It Important to You?

Two years ago, the TRPA joined forces with a variety of stakeholders and embarked on a highly-collaborative planning process focused on fighting aquatic invasive species, improving the health of our forests, upgrading the region’s transportation system and developing a basin-wide wildfire preparedness program.

Why is this important to you?  According to the TRPA’s recent newsletter:

“The proposed Shoreline Plan creates development caps and regulations for a limited number of new shoreline structures such as piers, buoys, and public boat ramps, as well as a framework for marinas to expand or reconfigure if they incorporate environmental improvements.”

The update from TRPA continued to explain  … “The programs include better boater education and enforcement of the 600-foot no-wake zone, an expansion of the no-wake zone to include all Emerald Bay, and new no-wake buffer zones for swimmers, paddlers, and shoreline structures; all aimed at reducing boating noise impacts and improving recreation safety on the lake.

“… the new programs also include better monitoring for noise and scenic impacts, additional projects to control harmful aquatic invasive species, enforcement of unauthorized moorings on the lake, and new provisions to keep loud boats with aftermarket exhaust systems that exceed noise standards from operating on the lake.

In short … as a property owner, with a home within in the Lake Tahoe basin and on the lake, in particular, you will be held to requirements if you choose to alter your land, remodel your boathouse, our replace or install a buoy.

Have no fear!  The Borelli Team is here …

For over 30 years, Borelli Architecture in Lake Tahoe and Truckee have been offering a variety of architectural design services to help our clients get through the numerous TRPA policies and county ordinances that one must adhere to when one wants to change the lay of the land.  Some of the services key to this subject include:

  • Site Planning
  • Space Planning
  • Permit Processing Assistance
  • TRPA Feasibility Studies

If you believe you might be impacted by the new regulations of the TRPA Shoreline Plan, please do reach out.  We’ve been around the Lake region for a long time and have the appropriate connections and local insight that only a local Lake Tahoe architectural firm can offer.

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