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Agenda Item
16. Public Hearing: (1) Second reading and possible adoption of an ordinance amending the Washoe County Code at Chapter 110 (Development Code) to update Articles 220 Tahoe Area and 220.1 Tahoe Area Design Standards. These updates include adding a section to establish standards for affordable, moderate, and achievable housing in multifamily areas. These updates also include amending various sections to: amend references to the prior Washoe County master plan and update organizational names; clarify application requirements for amendments to Articles 220 and 220.1; update references to the TRPA's code of ordinances related to land coverage; update maximum height and minimum residential density in town centers; add standards for height, parking, density and coverage for affordable, moderate, and achievable housing in town centers; update standards for bicycle storage; provide for reductions in parking minimums for affordable, moderate, and achievable housing, and add standards for the submittal and review of the required parking analysis; modify minimum lot width and setbacks for residential and mixed use developments in preferred affordable areas; modify requirements for encroachment into front yard setbacks on corner and sloped lots; modify standards for accessory dwelling units; modify standards for temporary uses; require development within avalanche hazard areas to record a hold harmless agreement; modify explanation of use tables to clarify the meaning of "A" and add administrative review permit; modify permitting requirements for multiple family dwellings in Crystal Bay Tourist, Incline Village Tourist, and Incline Village Commercial; add Schools-Kindergarten through Secondary Schools as a special use in Incline Village Tourist; add multiple family dwellings and employee housing as allowed uses and update special policies in the Ponderosa Ranch regulatory zone; allow single family dwellings by right in the Incline Village 5, Crystal Bay, and East Shore regulatory zones, and require a hold harmless agreement for development in the Incline Village 5 and Crystal Bay regulatory zones; and update special policies for Crystal Bay; and all matters necessarily connected therewith and pertaining thereto; and
(2) Adopt an amendment to the Tahoe Area Plan (the Washoe County Master Plan for Washoe Tahoe) to add the Tahoe Transportation District to the development of a parking management plan; update a section related to transit; update a section related to pedestrian, bicycle, and multi-modal facilities; update planned roadway network project details; update references to University of Nevada, Reno at Tahoe; and add dates to data tables as adopted by the Planning Commission; and if approved, authorize the chair to sign a resolution to this effect. The master plan amendment is subject to approval and a finding of conformance with the Tahoe Regional Plan by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. Community Services. (Commission District 1.) FOR POSSIBLE ACTION
The proposed amendments to the Tahoe Area Plan for Incline Village and Crystal Bay do not reflect the safety, values, and needs of local residents.
The key issues raised by our community are clearly stated in the staff report:
• First and foremost, wildfire evacuation in an area already highly vulnerable and with limited evacuation routes.
• Second, impacts on community character, with taller buildings altering the Tahoe landscape.
• Third, reduced parking standards that ignore the needs of essential workers who depend on their vehicles.
• Fourth, the definition of “achievable housing,” which lacks income requirements and instead creates incentives for market-rate projects rather than affordable apartments.
• And finally, ongoing concerns about deed-restriction enforcement, which has historically been weak and lacks transparency.
Many of these same objections were voiced last fall to TRPA, yet they were largely dismissed as the Phase 2 amendments advanced through committees and were approved by the TRPA Governing Board in December. This disregard for evacuation safety and a “one-size-fits-all” approach to code amendments ignores the vast differences between Tahoe’s north, west, and south shores.
To be clear: we strongly support affordable housing for our workforce. But approving amendments that allow taller buildings with reduced parking under the banner of “achievable housing” will not deliver what is needed.
Community trust depends on transparency, responsiveness, and collaboration. Stronger outcomes come from listening to those most impacted, not handing down predetermined solutions.
I urge you to oppose these amendments and advocate for a process that truly respects local input.
You have heard—and will continue to hear—from Incline Village and Crystal Bay residents who believe the proposed Amendment to the Tahoe Area Plan (the "TAP Amendment") poses a clear and present safety danger to our community. We ask that you do not approve the TAP Amendment until you have completed due diligence: specifically, a fire evacuation study and plan for Incline Village and Crystal Bay that confirms the amendment will not jeopardize the safety of residents, workers, and tourists. This analysis and resulting plan should be the bare minimum required before allowing denser, taller buildings along our primary evacuation route, Tahoe Blvd.
History has shown us time and again that when officials ignore risks, disaster follows—and so does regret. After tragedies, government officials often respond with shame and the familiar refrain: “Never again.” But those words come too late.
Remember the St. Francis Dam collapse. Hours before the disaster killed nearly 500 people, William Mulholland declared the dam was safe. His words became infamous. After the tragedy, officials promised to never repeat the mistake of ignoring warning signs.
From Hurricane Katrina to the Deepwater Horizon spill, to the wildfires in Los Angeles, the pattern is the same: the government failed to act on known risks. After each disaster, officials admitted they had not done enough. “We failed,” they say. “We’ll do better next time.” But “next time” is always after lives have been lost.We ask you to break this cycle.
We cannot afford to wait until after a tragedy to act. Our County must proactively address fire and evacuation concerns before approving such a major development change as the TAP Amendment seeks to make. You have the tools. You have the knowledge. What remains is the will to act responsibly.
Please don’t let shame be your legacy. Do not approve the TAP Amendment—at least not until a full fire evacuation study and plan are complete. you can stand up to TRPA and state that under TRPA Code section 12.6.3 TRPA must allow equal or superior measures to achieve threshold results and TRPA cannot ignore Washoe County's showing of special circumstances and local needs. Respectfully, Diane Becker
I oppose the approval of this sweeping change to the development code, for a number of reasons, but most seriously the lack of planning for fire safety and evacuation in the event of an emergency.
The proposed amendments to the Tahoe Area Plan for Incline Village and Crystal Bay do not reflect the safety, values, and needs of local residents.
The key issues raised by our community are clearly stated in the staff report:
• First and foremost, wildfire evacuation in an area already highly vulnerable and with limited evacuation routes.
• Second, impacts on community character, with taller buildings altering the Tahoe landscape.
• Third, reduced parking standards that ignore the needs of essential workers who depend on their vehicles.
• Fourth, the definition of “achievable housing,” which lacks income requirements and instead creates incentives for market-rate projects rather than affordable apartments.
• And finally, ongoing concerns about deed-restriction enforcement, which has historically been weak and lacks transparency.
Many of these same objections were voiced last fall to TRPA, yet they were largely dismissed as the Phase 2 amendments advanced through committees and were approved by the TRPA Governing Board in December. This disregard for evacuation safety and a “one-size-fits-all” approach to code amendments ignores the vast differences between Tahoe’s north, west, and south shores.
To be clear: we strongly support affordable housing for our workforce. But approving amendments that allow taller buildings with reduced parking under the banner of “achievable housing” will not deliver what is needed.
Community trust depends on transparency, responsiveness, and collaboration. Stronger outcomes come from listening to those most impacted, not handing down predetermined solutions.
I urge you to oppose these amendments and advocate for a process that truly respects local input.
Thank you.
Helen Neff
You have heard—and will continue to hear—from Incline Village and Crystal Bay residents who believe the proposed Amendment to the Tahoe Area Plan (the "TAP Amendment") poses a clear and present safety danger to our community. We ask that you do not approve the TAP Amendment until you have completed due diligence: specifically, a fire evacuation study and plan for Incline Village and Crystal Bay that confirms the amendment will not jeopardize the safety of residents, workers, and tourists. This analysis and resulting plan should be the bare minimum required before allowing denser, taller buildings along our primary evacuation route, Tahoe Blvd.
History has shown us time and again that when officials ignore risks, disaster follows—and so does regret. After tragedies, government officials often respond with shame and the familiar refrain: “Never again.” But those words come too late.
Remember the St. Francis Dam collapse. Hours before the disaster killed nearly 500 people, William Mulholland declared the dam was safe. His words became infamous. After the tragedy, officials promised to never repeat the mistake of ignoring warning signs.
From Hurricane Katrina to the Deepwater Horizon spill, to the wildfires in Los Angeles, the pattern is the same: the government failed to act on known risks. After each disaster, officials admitted they had not done enough. “We failed,” they say. “We’ll do better next time.” But “next time” is always after lives have been lost.We ask you to break this cycle.
We cannot afford to wait until after a tragedy to act. Our County must proactively address fire and evacuation concerns before approving such a major development change as the TAP Amendment seeks to make. You have the tools. You have the knowledge. What remains is the will to act responsibly.
Please don’t let shame be your legacy. Do not approve the TAP Amendment—at least not until a full fire evacuation study and plan are complete. you can stand up to TRPA and state that under TRPA Code section 12.6.3 TRPA must allow equal or superior measures to achieve threshold results and TRPA cannot ignore Washoe County's showing of special circumstances and local needs. Respectfully, Diane Becker
I oppose the approval of this sweeping change to the development code, for a number of reasons, but most seriously the lack of planning for fire safety and evacuation in the event of an emergency.