Council Approves Funding for Snow Removal Equipment

The City’s snow removal fleet includes 31 pieces of critical equipment, and the average age of the City’s snow removal fleet is approximately 20 years old. City Council has placed a high priority on ensuring that City crews have reliable equipment to remove snow from City streets in an efficient and effective manner, and recently allocated more than $3 million of unassigned General Fund reserves for the purchase of 3 new grader / plows, 1 new blower (streets), and 1 additional blower designed for snow removal on bicycle trails.

City staff are working to have this new equipment ordered and in operation in South Lake Tahoe in time for the 2020 winter season. Additionally, Council appropriated funding for the early retirement of outstanding snow removal equipment debt, and this strategic decision will put the City in a better position for future replacement of critical snow removal equipment.

Sierra Boulevard Improvements Underway

The City’s contractor has begun work on significant street improvements along Sierra Boulevard, and work will continue all summer on the construction of this “complete street” project. This $6 million+ project, funded primarily by multiple grants, includes the complete rehabilitation of the roadway and the construction of new sidewalk, driveway connections, curb and gutter, storm water improvements, lighting improvements, parking improvements, a mixed-use trail, and bike lanes.

Work is expected to be complete by mid-October. We appreciate the community’s patience and understanding as we work to complete this beneficial project, which will significantly enhance safety, accessibility, and aesthetics in this area of South Lake Tahoe.

City works to reopen Fire Station 2

In accordance with City Council’s identified priorities, the City is currently implementing plans to reopen Fire Station 2 in the Al Tahoe neighborhood, which has been closed since 2015. The City has submitted a Federal grant application for significant funding to hire 7 additional Fire personnel later this fall / winter, and will also shift 3 existing Fire personnel from Fire Station 3 to Fire Station 2 when the station reopens in early 2020.

The new station will reopen with a total of 10 Fire personnel, which will equate to a 3-man company (identical to staffing levels at Fire Station 1 and Fire Station 3) operating at Fire Station 2 at all times.

The City has developed a financing plan that relies on grant funding, additional General Fund appropriations, and reassignment of existing authorized positions from other City departments to the Fire Department in order to fund this additional nearly $1 million annual expense.

The City is also purchasing a new Fire ladder truck that will be assigned to Fire Station 2, and this necessary apparatus will be purchased with existing General Fund reserves later this spring and be in service next spring.

The reopening of Fire Station 2 will significantly improve the City’s Fire suppression capabilities, reduce response times in the central area of the City, and enhance Fire personnel safety.

City plans to rehabilitate/resurface nearly 2.5 miles of streets this summer

Also in accordance with City Council’s identified priorities, the City is actively working to develop an enhanced, consistent, annual street rehabilitation / resurfacing plan to systematically improve the pavement quality on the City’s 130+ miles of City streets. Many City streets have poor pavement quality, and past rehabilitation / resurfacing efforts have been sporadic depending on available resources and other competing priorities.

City Council recently allocated an additional nearly $2 million of unanticipated transient occupancy tax revenues for targeted street rehabilitation / resurfacing work this summer, and the combination of these funds and previously allocated state funds will enable the resurfacing of approximately 1.8 miles of City streets that would have otherwise been delayed indefinitely. These funds will complement more than $1.25 million of grant funding that will enable the resurfacing of an additional .6 miles of Sierra Boulevard this summer, resulting in a total of nearly 2.5 miles of work this summer.

City staff are working to develop an annual street rehabilitation / resurfacing program that would result in the annual resurfacing of approximately 5 – 6 miles of City streets each year, which would establish a 20 or 25 year life cycle for all City streets. City staff and City Council will be working diligently during budget and capital planning sessions in the coming months to hopefully identify a total of ~$6 -7 million of annual recurring funding for street rehabilitation / resurfacing efforts.

Council to consider plan for replacement of aging snow removal equipment

The City’s snow removal fleet includes numerous aging grader / plows and blowers, and the City is currently developing a financing plan to replace several of the oldest snow removal vehicles so that new, reliable equipment can be in place prior to the 2019 – 2020 winter season. Again, this initiative also reflects City Council’s recently identified priorities.

City staff have identified 9 snow grader / plows (ranging in age from 13 – 40 years old, with most in the 20 – 25 year old range) and 4 snow blowers (ranging in age from 24 – 44 years old) that are in need of replacement in the near future. The total estimated replacement cost for this critical equipment is nearly $6 million, and City Council will soon consider an initial investment of $2 - $3 million to address the most significant needs. (The City is fortunate to have a healthy undesignated General Fund reserve, with approximately $7 million available for priority expenditures.)

The City will be carefully analyzing all annual expenditures over the coming months, and will be working to re-allocate annual funding for the strategic, scheduled replacement of all critical equipment in the coming years to ensure timely and effective snow removal operations.

Snowglobe working with City to mitigate concerns, sign new contract

City staff continue to work to further mitigate noise concerns associated with SnowGlobe, and are working to advance a new multi-year agreement that results in continued economic benefits to the local business community. The City is hopeful that a new agreement will be considered by the City Council within the next two months in order to provide ample prep time for the 2019 events.

City seeks sustainable resolution to VHR Issue

The City is also working to build relationships with groups on both sides of the contentious VHR issue in an effort to successfully resolve the current legal challenge to Measure T (the citizen-initiated ballot measure that narrowly passed in November and that will eventually eliminate all vacation home rentals in residential areas by 2021).

City Council and City staff are seeking an eventual resolution that respects the valid concerns on both sides of this issue, that will hopefully be sustainable over the long-term, and enable the City to avoid continual conflict regarding VHRs in the future (ballot measure, lawsuit, ballot measure, lawsuit, etc.). The City hopes to identify a sustainable resolution by the end of 2019.

Big improvements coming to Sierra Boulevard

City staff are gearing up for the complete reconstruction of Sierra Boulevard this summer. This $6 million+ grant-funded project will completely transform the streetscape, including street rehabilitation / resurfacing, construction of new bicycle path, street lighting improvements, traffic calming features, and more. Work is expected to begin in May and be complete by later this fall.

City Clerk Sue Blankenship receives Municipal Clerk Certification

Newly elected City Clerk Susan Blankenship earned her California Professional Municipal Clerks (CPMC) certification from the University of California, Riverside University Extension. This certification represents 120 hours of technical training specifically designed for professional clerks consisting of courses related to municipal elections, professional ethics, Political Reform Act, California Public Records Act, and Emergency Crisis Management among others. This certification is recognized by the City Clerk’s Association of California and the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. Congratulations Susan!

Pilot food truck program to kick off soon

The City Council recently adopted new regulations to implement a pilot program that would allow more mobile food vendors to operate in the City in the future. The pilot program allows mobile food vendors to set up at up to 6 additional commercial locations on a regular basis in the future, thereby providing additional dining options for customers at other commercial facilities.

The program will be reviewed in early 2020, and further adjustments may be considered at that time.

Adult-Use Cannabis application period now open

The City Council also recently adopted new regulations to allow limited cannabis retail, manufacturing, cultivation, and distribution businesses in the City of South Lake Tahoe.

A maximum of 13 cannabis businesses could be open in South Lake Tahoe by the end of 2019, and the application window is open from now until April 5. Applicants must meet numerous requirements in order to secure a public safety license and cannabis use permit, and must execute a development agreement with the City that outlines the conditions of operation.

The new program is the result of several months of hard work by many stakeholders, and is aimed at promoting public safety, compatible land-use, fair competition, and successful cannabis businesses.

City places high priority on getting you important, timely information

The City Manager and new Communications Manager have placed a high priority on timely, objective, and effective communications to our customers – in a deliberate effort to ensure our community is well-informed and to hopefully build greater trust in the City organization.

Please stay engaged by subscribing to the City’s email and text message alerts, visit the City’s website (additional improvements planned), follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and more), and by tuning into SLT-TV 21.

Council works to bring California news back to South Lake Tahoe

In South Lake Tahoe, Spectrum is the cable television provider authorized by the State of California. Because of our proximity to Nevada, however, the local Spectrum channel lineup includes only Reno television stations, and our area lacks comprehensive coverage of California news that is more relevant to our community. The City is concerned about the lack of California news, and City Council has been engaging with Federal, State, and County officials in recent months in an effort to add Sacramento television stations to the channel lineup in South Lake Tahoe. These efforts continue, and we hope to affect the desired change in the near future.