The TRPA, BMPS, Building in Tahoe

One of the biggest differences in owning property around Tahoe vs. Truckee is the 

governing body called the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. A bi-state, governement funded

organization that has jurisdiction over the whole Tahoe Basin (comprised of the geographical area 

that drains back into lake Tahoe)  The TRPAs does many things, some of them unclear, it seems that

they try to control growth, building size, maintain views and asthetics around the lake and probably 

foremost try to maintain the clarity of the lake. I think we need the TRPA for better or worse due to the

  

http://www.trpa.org/ 

Understanding their system of scoring lots

http://www.trpa.org/default.aspx?tabindex=6&tabid=187  

BMPS (from the TRPA website)  http://www.tahoebmp.org/ 

Best Management Practices (BMPs) are methods to help







developed properties function more like natural, undisturbed forest and







meadowland. Water that is conveyed to a lake by an undisturbed







watershed is usually quite pure, because the watershed’s soils and







plants act as a natural water purification system. BMPs help developed







properties mimic natural conditions, preventing sediment and nutrients







from entering our surface waters and filtering runoff water through the







soil. By implementing BMPs, property owners can help slow the loss of







lake clarity. 

BMPs prescribed for residential properties usually fall into the following categories: vegetating and mulching bare, disturbed soils; infiltrating stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces; paving dirt driveways and roads; and stabilizing or retaining steep slopes and loose soils.

Mulching and vegetating soils helps them to absorb rain and snowmelt like a sponge, mimicking natural conditions. TRPA regulations require that native and/or adaptive vegetation is planted, reducing the amount of irrigation and fertilization needed, thereby reducing nutrient loading and runoff even further. Runoff from impervious surfaces is stored and infiltrated in specially designed systems, which allows the stormwater to filter through the soil instead of letting it collect and run off the property.

Paved driveways are a good BMP because dirt driveways become compacted over time, allowing stormwater to flush dirt off of them into surface waters. Also, vehicle tires pick up sediment from dirt driveways and track it on to street surfaces, where it flushes into storm drains and ultimately Lake Tahoe during the next rainstorm.

Unstable slopes and loose soils can be stabilized in several ways depending on the steepness of the slope, including attractive methods that utilize native vegetation and rock. Steeper slopes may require wood or rock retaining walls, terraces, or willow wattles.

Building:

In either El Dorado county or Placer County if you are in the basin you will need both county and TRPA approval and abide by both agencies laws.

More to come....