Tahoe Planning Agency Seeks Public Input On Plan To Improve Lake's Shoreline

At Nevada Beach, people lay and play on the golden shores under a rainbow of umbrellas. Some think about how it could be better.
 
“It reminds me when you see in Florida where you see everyone sitting on top of each other at the beaches and it has kind of gotten like that,” says Corby Hughes of Minden.
 
Jeri Pearson of Ohio wants people to care.

“If there were more trash receptacles, it would be on your mind that someone cares about the beach and we should also,” Pearson says.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is asking for ideas like this as it updates a 30-year-old plan to guide development on the lake's shoreline. It spent two years developing ideas with 20 organizations. One controversial idea that has blocked updates in the past is building more boat facilities.

Stephanie Siverling likes the idea of more boats. “Definitely, more access, more docks more access to the general public,” she says.

There would be more boats under the plan, up to 1,430 more buoys and 128 new private piers -- and two public ones as well. Kevin Adler of San Francisco would prefer fewer piers and points to a run-down one right over his shoulder.

“So I would say hey, lets take care of those ones first before you actually make new piers,” Adler says.

The piers and buoys wouldn’t show up overnight. There would be annual limits, and to get them homeowners and marinas would need to try to eliminate breeding grounds for invasive species or buy electric boats. The public has one month to read the plan and chime in on how to make Lake Tahoe better.