Talk From The Town
TOWN OF TRUCKEE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
What’s New
TOWN MANAGER UPDATE
VISITING DONNER LAKE THIS SUMMER 2 NEW BUSES COMING THIS SUMMER
18TH ANNUAL TRUCKEE DAY COVID-19 RENTAL RELIEF FUNDS
STILL AVAILABLE
NO ASH IN THE GREEN WASTE CARTS INNOVATE GATEWAY UPDATE FREE RESIDENTIAL WASTE EVENTS SB 2
HOUSING REZONE PROCESS SHORT TERM RENTAL HOTLINE
2040 GENERAL PLAN UPDATE COMMUNITY WORKSHOP FREE PET MICROCHIPS AVAILABLE ACHIEVABLE HOUSING SPEAKER SERIES
COVID-19 & VACCINE UPDATE COLDSTREAM COMMONS INTEREST
LIST NOW OPEN
PROPOSED BUDGET SET TO GOT TO COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS
Happy Memorial Day Truckee!
Memorial Day weekend signifies the unofficial beginning of summer, and is a wonderful holiday for friends, family, and neighbors to come together for backyard picnics, family gatherings, hiking, or a day at the beach. What we cannot lose sight of however, is the immeasurable sacrifice underpinning this Federal holiday, a sacrifice made by men and women who laid down their lives to ensure our individual freedoms and national prosperity.
While we can never repay that debt, Memorial Day is a reminder to never forget their ultimate sacrifice, their bravery and selfless courage, which lives on through this day of remembrance.
Town Manager Update
By: Jen Callaway, Town Manager Chris Turner, Rimfire Photography
Town Manager Update Continued
So while you are out this weekend enjoying time with your family or friends, out enjoying the beauty and adventure of our region, please take a moment to look around at all we have today to be grateful for, and think of all of those service men and women, those that lost their lives protecting our way of life. Also, please do not forget to take a moment to thank a veteran or current service man or women for
their service.
As we move into June, there is a lot going on in Truckee. We are expecting high visitation again this summer and taking a number of preventative measures to help mitigate the visitor impacts, from adding additional compacting trash receptacles around Town, to increases contract support with Clean Tahoe to help with litter mitigation and pick-up, to hiring additional staff to support litter disposal.
We will be bringing on a trailhead steward Intern for the summer that will roam the Town trails to help educate our visitors about trail use and garbage disposal. You will notice that outdoor dining for our downtown business will
be operational through September 30th and a number of capital projects will be underway including the Legacy Trail-Brockway Road Multi-Use Trail Connection and Roundabout at Coldstream Road.
We are also working to up staff our Police Department for the peak summer period, will be doing regular traffic patrols to help reduce speeding and illegal traffic maneuvers, and working on a number of emergency preparedness and evacuation measures in case of a wildfire or other emergency. The Town Council and Town staff are working hard to keep our community safe this summer but also to remind our visitors of our values in Truckee and to enjoy the adventure that Truckee offers while being good stewards of our natural resources and beauty.
Thank you for taking time to read this update. I encourage residents and visitors to share this with their neighbors. As always, if you would like to share your thoughts, ideas, and concerns please reach out to me either by phone at 530-582-2901 or e-mail at
Caitlin Brennan
By: Bronwyn Roberts, Public Information Officer Donner Lake is a huge part of the Truckee experience and we all want to protect it for years to come. Here are a few tips for recreating at Donner Lake that will help to protect this important resource.
1. Stay on Formal Trails
There are many trails in and around Donner Lake, including the trails that are listed here.
Formal trails have been created and are maintained to allow safe and sustainable access for our community and visitors. Use of undesignated trails results in degradation of important environmental resources.
This summer you may see a Take Care
Ambassador on the trails. They are there to educate and inspire outdoor enthusiasts to recreate responsibly. This is a regional effort throughout the Truckee/Tahoe region with a number of community partners. Be sure to say hi!
2. Pack It In, Pack It Out
This means being prepared and planning to take your trash with you when you visit public spaces. With the increase in visitation over the summer in high traffic areas, trash cans may be full. It’s a great idea to bring trash bags with you and to be prepared to fit it in your car. We want encourage everyone to show accountability and promote environmental stewardship.
Want to do more? Participate in Truckee’s Grab a Bag
Program . Eleven businesses throughout Truckee offer litter pick-up supplies to residents and visitors alike and reward community care with prizes and discounts. Additionally, Truckee Litter Corps is a volunteer-led litter clean-up group that meets the first Saturday of each month to clean up Truckee streets and trails. The biggest annual clean-up day, Truckee Day, is coming up on June 5, 2021.
3. Overnight Parking, Pier Use & Camping
Last July the Truckee Town Council adopted permanent no-parking zones on portions of Donner Pass Road, South Shore Drive, and West River Street. The no-parking zone resolution was adopted to prohibit overnight parking in response to public health and safety concerns and is specifically for one side of the road from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am. The resolution and map with further details can be found here.
It’s important to highlight that camping is not permitted in undesignated areas. Camping in undesignated areas, around Donner Lake, and other Truckee wilderness areas, can erode the natural landscape, lead to inadequate trash and waste disposal, and increase the risk of a wildfire. We want to encourage all community members and visitors who want to camp at Donner Lake to book a campsite here. Public piers are available on a first come basis but please do not leave items overnight to try to ‘’reserve’’ the piers.
Visiting Donner Lake This Summer
Two New Buses Coming This Summer!
4. Donner Lake Watercraft Inspection Program & Watercraft Storage Before placing your boat in the water, make sure to
submit a self-inspection form to the Truckee Police Department and obtain an inspection sticker. Watercraft self-inspections are mandatory for all motorized and/or trailered watercraft launching on Donner Lake through the Town of Truckee ordinance Title 14. Inspections are to help prevent the introduction of aquatic invasive species into Donner Lake. Make sure to store your private watercraft in designated areas and not on public land or public docks/piers. Boats are allowed to anchor on the waters of Donner Lake for up to 72 hours.
5. Drive & Ride Safely, Watch Out For Others, & Keep The Bike and Vehicle Lanes Clear
The last thing anyone wants is a collision between a vehicle, bicycle or pedestrian. Donner Lake is a particularly busy area with multi-use traffic. It is important that everyone uses caution, sticks to the speed limit and their designated lanes, reframes from illegal U-turns in blind areas, watches for others when packing or unpacking your belongings, and keeps the bike and vehicle travel lanes clear of parked vehicles.
Parking spots have been modified along Donner Pass Road to create better safety and clearance of the lanes. This can be a hazardous area and our Police Department will be monitoring and issuing parking citations when necessary. As a reminder, bicyclists should always ride in the same direction as traffic, should make themselves visible with brightly colored clothing, and should always wear a helmet and use hand signals when turning or stopping.
6. Consider Using Public Transit
Parking is limited around the lake. We hope to see our community utilizing TART this summer and encourage residents and visitors to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by making conscious choices in how they get around our town. As a reminder, we have a new spring schedule and changes to local routes. Check them out at TahoeTruckeeTransit.com.
Visiting Donner Lake This Summer Continued
By: Bronwyn Roberts, Public Information Officer
Two new buses that have been recently added to our transit fleet. A little about these buses:
• They are ultra-low emissions vehicles (ULEV), making them much more efficient than our current buses, while still being all- wheel drive to manage the Truckee winter conditions
• They hold 8 passengers and included an electric ADA ramp
• They will be utilized for our night service and the dial-a-ride service
As a reminder, we have a new spring schedule and changes to local routes. Check them out at TahoeTruckeeTransit.com. We hope to see our community utilizing TART this summer and encourage residents and visitors to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by making conscious choices in how they get around our town. Click here to watch a video about the new buses.
Join us for the 18th annual Truckee Day on Saturday, June 5! Let’s show our love for our amazing town by rallying our community together to beautify our streets. This year’s event will include extra precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. There will not be a BBQ following the litter clean-up and volunteers must sign-up prior to the event to limit interaction at check-in stations.
8-10 AM: Volunteers will meet at neighborhood check-in stations to receive supplies, a Truckee Day t-shirt, and a road assignment. Participants will collect litter on Truckee
streets and trails in designated orange bags. Please leave your bags on the edge of the street and they will be collected by Tahoe Truckee Sierra Disposal the following week.
To keep our community safe, we ask volunteers to wear a mouth and nose covering when around others, bring their own gloves, and stay 6 ft. away from others not in the same party. Gloves will be available at check-in stations if needed. Sign up by May 30 to guarantee a t-shirt in your desired size! To sign up, visit: keeptruckeegreen.org/volunteer/
truckee-day-volunteer.
Ride your bike to the check-in station! In honor of Tahoe Bike Month
in June, volunteers are encouraged to ride their bikes to their check-in station, instead of driving. Bikers will receive extra prizes at their station, including bike lights, bells, and reflective ankle bands! You can thank Tahoe Bike Coalition for the prizes, and be sure to stay riding your bike and participate in Tahoe Bike Month all of June! For questions, contact [email protected].
18th Annual Truckee Day 2021 on June 5th
By: Erica Mertens, Program Manager
COVID-19 Rental Relief Funds Still Available
By: Seana Doherty, Housing Manager
The California Emergency Rental Assistance program will help eligible households pay rent and utilities, both for money owed and future payment.
Need assistance applying? Truckee-Tahoe based Sierra Community House can help community members apply for the rental assistance funding. Sierra Community House staff can walk you through the application process, eligibility requirements and help with any language or documentation barriers.
Phone: 530-546-0952
Website: sierracommunityhouse.org/covid19
Innovate Gateway Update
By: Jaime LaChance, Senior Planner
Background: Innovate Gateway is a grant-funded planning process to study new housing options, economic development strategies, sustainable mobility opportunities, and quality of life enhancements within the Gateway Area. This project builds from the recent Envision Donner Pass Road work and provides an opportunity for the community to discuss the look, feel, character, and types of uses that are most desired and appropriate for the Gateway Area’s future. This effort will culminate in an adopted strategy document to help guide future land use and streetscape decisions.
Online Survey #2 Closes 6/4: A community survey is currently available online through June 6th. The survey is requesting community feedback on the draft “Vision Framework” which encompasses the overarching Vision Elements that identify the goals of the community, Strategies that can guide change, and Project Opportunities, which include potential development and streetscape projects.
Virtual Workshop #3 on 6/17: The third and final virtual workshop for this planning effort will be on June 17th at 5:30pm. We will discuss the preferred land use and development/design concepts. There will be virtual interaction and polling for participants to provide input on their preferences.
In-Person Pop-up Outreach: In June/July, Town staff is planning to conduct outreach within targeted areas of the Gateway Area to share a brief overview of the draft strategy concepts and to obtain input from underrepresented members of the community.
Next Steps: There will be some coordination with the General Plan Update efforts over the next two months to obtain additional feedback about land uses and ideas within the Gateway Area. The draft strategy document will be shared at a Planning Commission meeting later this summer and is anticipated to be presented for Town Council review/adoption in early fall.
For project details and background information, go to
townoftruckee.com/InnovateGateway or contact Senior Planner Jaime LaChance at 530-536-8087.
No Ash in Green Waste Carts
By: Erica Mertens, Program Manager
Please no ash in the Green Waste Carts!
Tahoe Truckee Sierra Disposal has encountered ash in green waste carts, which is unacceptable and a major fire hazard. Mixing ash with pine needles and yard debris is NEVER a good idea, even if you think your ash is cooled. Green waste carts are for yard debris ONLY.
Safely dispose of your ash by placing it in a metal bin and putting it next to your trash can when cooled. Or, put it out with your trash in a bag when cooled.
Free residential green waste disposal kicked off on Friday, May 14, 2021, at the Truckee Rodeo Grounds. Every year homeowners are encouraged to create and maintain defensible space. Building a buffer between a structure and the grasses, trees, and shrubs that surround it, is essential to slowing or stopping a wildfire. Defensible space helps protect homes while providing greater safety for firefighters who may need to take a stand to defend property.
With 5 of the state’s 10 largest wildfires having burned in 2020, the trend seems to indicate that fires will be more intense and destructive in years to come. Unseasonably warm weather, low fuel moisture, and drought conditions early in the season have climate and fire professionals alike sounding the alarm that this fire season is likely to be severe.
“As we are heading into another drought in California, it is vital that everyone does their part to reduce fire fuels in our neighborhoods. It is going to take all hands on deck to help make our communities safer,” says Truckee Fire Protection District Chief Seline.
The Free Residential Green Waste Program is a partnership between the County of Nevada, Fire Safe Council of Nevada County, Town of Truckee, Truckee Fire Protection District, and the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
June 4, and June 25, 2021 8:00 am-2:00 pm Truckee Rodeo Grounds
10695 Brockway Rd, Truckee, CA 96161
IMPORTANT: The increasing fire danger posed by the high volume of dead grass and hotter, drier conditions in the region is prompting CAL FIRE to suspend all burn permits for outdoor residential burning within the State Responsibility Area of Nevada, Yuba, and Placer Counties. This suspension took effect Monday, May 24th, 2021, and bans all residential outdoor burning of landscape debris such as branches and leaves.
Free Residential Waste Events on June 4th & June 25th
By: Bronwyn Roberts, Public Information Officer
Short Term Rental Helpline
Senate Bill (SB) 2 Housing Rezone Process
By: Jenna Gatto, Planning Manager
Background: The House Truckee First process (otherwise known as the SB 2 housing rezone process) was conceived in 2018 as part of the Town’s overall 2040 General Plan Update. Following a series of community workshops, 11 housing opportunity sites were selected as part of the 2019 Housing Element and were included in a $160,000 grant the Town received from the State. This grant was awarded to conduct housing site analysis on each property to determine its suitability for an upzone for greater housing density. The Town selected a private consultant who prepared a comprehensive report analyzing the potential for each candidate site.
Process: At the May 25th Town Council meeting, staff presented the consultant’s report on the different sites and provided an overview of each site and an opportunity for the property owners to present their vision for each property. The Council provided input on the suggested evaluation criteria for each property and discussed the potential public benefits which could be associated with an upzone of the properties.
Ultimately, the Council will be asked to select which property or properties they want to move forward to be upzoned. Once this decision is made, the consultant will conduct environmental review on the selected sites and will prepare a document which evaluates the environmental impacts from increased density on the selected site(s).
Next Steps: Staff will be returning to the Town Council in late June or early July with a report which includes staff’s final recommendations on each site. The Council will make their selections at this meeting and will direct staff to complete the process with the consultant. In early 2021, staff will return to the Planning Commission and Council to go through the rezone process.
The Town adopted a short-term rental ordinance that went into effect on January 1st, 2021. This ordinance regulates parking, noise levels, adult occupancy, fire safety, and proper garbage disposal at short-term rentals operating in Truckee. As we enter the summer season and tourism ramps up, Town staff is working to ensure we are staffed to respond to nuisances related to short-term rentals as outlined in the ordinance.
If a short-term rental is causing a disturbance near you, we
encourage you to call the helpline at (530) 450-2430 or submit a report via the online portal here.
Once a report has been submitted, the operator of the short term rental will be notified and has one hour to respond to the complaint. The Town will also respond to the complaint to ensure that the operator has rectified the issue. In some cases, the Town may determine that a citation is necessary to remedy the issue or to prevent the issue from recurring.
The Town collects its own evidence in order to pursue punitive
measures when they are necessary, therefore we ask our community members to submit a helpline complaint whenever an issue is witnessed.
By: Nicole Casey, Finance Manager
2040 General Plan Update Community Workshop
By: Jenna Gatto, Planning Manager
What: A virtual community workshop will be held on Thursday, June 24th to discuss the Land Use Alternatives being considered for the 2040 General Plan Update. These include 6 different land use scenarios including a range of different options for housing, commercial, industrial, mixed-use and institutional uses within Truckee. The purpose of this workshop is to allow the community to weigh in on the different options and to provide feedback to Town staff and the General Plan Update team. The community’s feedback will be forwarded to the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) for their consideration at their regular July GPAC meeting. At that meeting, they will make their formal recommendation which will then be considered by the Planning Commission and Town Council later this summer.
When: Thursday, June 24th. Start time TBD.
Where: The workshop will be conducted over Zoom and will be a virtual format. Staff is in the process of scheduling in-person workshops as well and these are tentatively scheduled for mid-July. More details will be provide shortly.
Staff will be posting details on the June workshop shortly. Please visit the town’s General Plan Update website at Truckee2040.com for more information.
FREE Pet Microchips Available
By: Deverie Acuff, Support Services Manager
Microchips are FREE for pets of residents of the Town of Truckee!
Why Microchip?
• Microchipping is your pet’s best chance of being returned home should it ever become lost.
• Microchips are as critical means of being reunited in the event of a natural disaster or emergency.
Microchipping is done by injecting a small chip, the size of a grain of rice, under the skin between the shoulder blades.
Implantation is quick, simple, essentially painless, and virtually stress-free for animals. Call 530-582-2484 to make an appointment at the Animal Shelter, 10961 Stevens Lane, Truckee.
2021 Mountain Housing Council “Achievable Housing for All” Lunch-n-Learn Speaker Series
Provided by Mountain Housing Council
This new virtual, interactive speaker series provides an opportunity for community members to get
involved in housing solutions. The FREE series will cover a number of important housing-related topics directly and allow for engagement with experts in the field through a live Q & A.
June 15: Projects in the Works: Pacific Crest Commons, Frishman Hollow II, and Dollar Creek Crossing Pacific Crest Commons, Frishman Hollow II,
and Dollar Creek Crossing are housing projects that reflect a regional approach to achievable local housing in our region. Housing at Pacific Crest Commons will be between 50 and 60 units and restricted to individuals and families that earn no more than 80% of the area median income. Frishman Hollow Phase II apartments are designed to be affordable for households earning below 80% of the Area’s Median Income at the time of move-in. The 11.4-acre Dollar Creek Crossing site aims to provide a mix of for-rent and for-sale housing for local workers. Come learn more about these specific housing projects.
Shellan Rodriguez, The Pacific Companies, will be speaking. Click here to register in advance:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEvfumsqDwpHt129IB9MUx629vX_AFNokHQ
June 29: Projects in the Works: Meadow View Place, Coldstream Commons, and Truckee Artist Lofts Meadow View Place, Coldstream Commons, and Truckee Artist Lofts are three affordable housing projects expected to open by Fall 2021 in Truckee and Placer County. Learn more about these specific development projects, how they are funded, and why they are restricted in specific ways.
Azzie Youseffi, Truckee Artist Lofts, and Luke Watkins, Neighborhood Partners LLC, will be speaking. Click here to register in advance:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qd- -vqzMvE9fEuUHLzJnmrvlxknOxKurp
COVID-19 & Vaccine Update
By: Bronwyn Roberts, Public Information Officer
& Robert Womack, Emergency Operations Manager COVID-19 UPDATE
On Tuesday May 25, 2021, the state declared that Nevada County’s COVID case rates had met the requirements for the Blueprint for a Safer Economy’s Orange “Moderate” Tier. If Nevada County meets the criteria for the Orange Tier next week, we would move into the Orange Tier on June 2. Industry modifications would include restaurant capacity increasing to 50% indoors and gyms to 25% capacity indoors.
The State has also announced its guidance for June 15, when California will move “Beyond the Blueprint.”
It has been stated that more people will be fully vaccinated by this date which is why they have made the decision to lift almost all restrictions on physical distancing and capacity. There will be certain requirements for “mega” events and it is also expected that requirements on masks will align with current CDC guidance, where vaccinated individuals will be able to be unmasked in most settings and unvaccinated individuals will be required to continue wearing masks in most settings.
You can find further information on California Department of Public Health’s website on the updated guidance that will go into place on June 15.
VACCINES
Vaccination is the most important tool to end the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 vaccine is widely available in Nevada County to all residents age 12 and over. Nevada County Public Health and the state are working to make access to your COVID vaccine as easy as possible. As of this week, nearly 85,000 doses have been administered to Nevada County residents. To
make an appointment for your vaccine in Truckee, visit the Nevada County Vaccine Provider page for scheduling information of our different providers.
You can also read more at CDC’s benefits of getting a COVID-19 vaccine here.
Stopping a pandemic requires using all the tools we have available. Our community has shown responsibility and care in their actions locally and we need to continue to follow the guidance as we move forward and beyond the Blueprint.
To sign up for the Coldstream Commons interest list, call 916-561-0324. Leave a voice mail and staff will get back to you.
Coldstream Commons is a three-story complex offering 48 apartments. 24 of the units are 2- bedroom units and 24 are 1-bedroom units. The apartments are located next to Donner State Park and are expected to open early Fall 2021. Applications go out June 1 to those on the interest list.
All 48 apartments are income restricted as follows:
• 24 of the units are restricted to those making no more than 60% of area median income or below (based on household size)
• 12 of the units are restricted to those below 30% area median incomes and 12 are restricted to those with disabilities per HUD 811 requirements
Income Caps
Coldstream Commons Affordable Multi-family Housing Interest List Now Open
By: Seana Doherty, Housing Program Manager
**Source: Housing and Community Development Agreement with Developer, 2021 * Housing and Community Development, 2021
If you are interested in learning about other affordable housing developments in Truckee, sign up for E-Notifications by clicking here.
Proposed Budget Set to go to Council for Adoption
By: Nicole Casey, Finance Manager
In January of 2021, the Town embarked on its annual budget development process. Following Council’s two-day priority setting workshop in early February, staff collaborated to create a balanced budget proposal that includes robust funding for council’s priorities. On Thursday May 20th, staff presented the draft budget to council in a six-hour workshop. Council reviewed the Town’s proposed on-going operating expenditure budgets and the details of every capital improvement project included in the proposed budget. Staff has incorporated Council’s requests and the proposed budget will be presented to Council for adoption at the Tuesday, June 8th meeting. The new budget will be effective on July 1st, 2021 for the 2021/2022 fiscal year.
The proposed budget includes new staff and ongoing funding for existing positions to work on emergency preparedness, housing, sustainability, short-term rental monitoring, litter abatement, enhanced public communications and the expansion of trails-related snow removal. $33 million has been budgeted for capital projects in fiscal year 2021/2022 and over $100 million has been programmed for capital projects over the five-year budget horizon. Notable capital projects include work to extend the Legacy Trail from West River street to Highway 89 north, streetscaping and the construction of a park on West River Street, and over $4 million for housing programs including a long-term rental grant program and an accessory dwelling unit program.
To view the proposed budget, please visit the Town website:
.townoftruckee.com/government/administrative-services/budget
Upcoming Meetings & Events
Want to get involved in your local Town Government? See the Town’s Calendar of upcoming meetings and events to participate. Be sure to check the Town’s website for any cancellations or changes
https://www.townoftruckee.com/living/event-calendar/-curm-6/-cury-2021
