“Through local governance, can we do better for all?” This is the big question Eastern Placer Future, a new local nonprofit organization here in Tahoe, is asking citizens as they think about their future town.
Unlike Truckee, the towns of Tahoe City, Kings Beach, Tahoe Vista, Olympic Valley, Northstar, and even as far south as Tahoma, are known as the unincorporated area of Eastern Placer County. They are each their own sections of land and governance.
So why do we care as high school students about this complex local government structure and these elected officials that we didn’t vote for?
If the town of North Lake Tahoe becomes a real thing – which officials involved have claimed could still take several years if approved – it would really change how the communities of North Lake Tahoe are governed, maintained, repaired, and developed. Which would affect how teenagers find jobs, drive through town, and get involved in political or environmental matters in our area.
“Our communities are facing some challenges,” said Andrew Ryan, a member of the interim executive committee, in an interview with Moonshine Ink. “We all know about the housing challenges. We know about catastrophic wildfires. What makes us more resilient? Is that possibly local governance? Can we do better for all of us with local governance? That’s the question we’re asking.”
Although the town of North Lake Tahoe would not have jurisdiction over TTUSD and things like our curriculum, programs, athletics, school accreditation, or staffing, it might impact maintenance and expansion or development of school facilities such as a future field house in North Lake Tahoe.
“Bringing decision-making back to our community will create more opportunities for citizens of all ages to be more involved in town discussions around policy changes, infrastructure priorities and how to create lasting economic vitality. Young people have the most at stake as we plan for the future of North Tahoe and my hope is that a new town government can intentionally integrate younger voices into our planning efforts.” says Kevin Drake, a committee member of Eastern Placer Future.
Right now, the communities of North Lake Tahoe are governed by the Placer County Board of Supervisors, which is composed of five supervisors that are primarily based on the other side of Donner Summit stretching all the way to Roseville.
Like Truckee, North Lake Tahoe does have a county supervisor that represents them, and who lives in Tahoe — Cindy Gustafson, but she also represents all of Placer County District 5, which covers a huge portion of land and communities from Sugar Bowl all the way to Applegate.
If the town of North Lake Tahoe were to become a thing, the town might have more control over zoning, housing development, or building permits. That in turn could affect local population growth or demographics, which then affects school enrollment in TTUSD schools such as North Tahoe High, Truckee High, and Kings Beach Elementary.
The new town would also likely take on the road and sidewalk maintenance, maybe increasing lighting in certain areas, and working with CalTrans to fix areas of the community that need repairs. This could impact student commutes to school, sports, and extracurricular activities. It could make things safer and more efficient for school bus routes across Truckee and North Tahoe, or walking around downtown Kings Beach or in Carnelian Bay, for example.
There is still a long way to go for the members of Eastern Placer Future and the communities of North Lake Tahoe, but they are raising money and are hopeful they will be able to make a difference for the better of the north shore of Lake Tahoe.
