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1. What are Specific Plans and Area Plans?

Specific Plan

A Specific Plan is a tool for the systematic implementation of a General Plan. A Specific Plan essentially establishes a link between implementing policies of a General Plan and individual development proposals in a defined area. A Specific Plan must comply with Sections 65450 - 65457 of the Government Code. These provisions require that a Specific Plan be consistent with the adopted General Plan of the jurisdiction within which it is located.

The Martis Valley West Parcel Specific Plan is located in Placer County and must therefore be consistent with the Placer County General Plan, the Martis Valley Community Plan (MVCP), and Section 17.58.200 of the Placer County Zoning Ordinance. Amendments to the General Plan and MVCP may be required to approve the Specific Plan. For example, the land use designations for the East and West Parcels in the Placer County General Plan and MVCP would be amended if the Martis Valley West Parcel Specific Plan (MVWPSP) is approved.

Area Plan

An Area Plan is an instrument of the planning and permitting system within the Tahoe Basin, initially devised through adoption of the 2012 Regional Plan. An Area Plan is a Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) planning document prepared pursuant to the TRPA Code of Ordinances, Chapter 13, and is a mechanism to address multiple regulatory requirements (TRPA, local, state, and federal) for a specific geographic area.

Plan Area

The proposed MVWPSP covers a 7,568 acre plan area, including the 6,376-acre East Parcel and the 1,192-acre West Parcel. Of the total acreage, 269.8 acres are located within the Tahoe Basin and within the jurisdiction of the TRPA, and a 112.8-acres subset of that (all of which is on the West Parcel) is proposed to be rezoned to Resort Recreation. The Area Plan is included as Appendix C to the MVWPSP.

2. What is the process to prepare and approve the Specific Plan and associated Area Plan?

Placer County is responsible for approval of the entire Specific Plan, and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) approval is required for the Area Plan, which addresses the portion of the Specific Plan area proposed for development within the Tahoe Basin. The Specific Plan (including the Area Plan) was prepared by the applicant, East West Partners, and submitted to Placer County for review for consistency with County policies and regulations. The Specific Plan was also circulated for public review and comment. Once approved as to content by Placer County, the Area Plan is submitted to TRPA for consideration. The Area Plan is a component of the Specific Plan, and is included as Appendix C of that document.

The Specific Plan will be the subject of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared by Placer County pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Public Resources Code [PRC] Section 21000 et seq.) and the State CEQA Guidelines, and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared by TRPA pursuant to its Compact, Code of Ordinances, and Rules of Procedure. Ultimately, the Placer County Board of Supervisors will decide whether to certify the EIR and approve the Specific Plan and Area Plan. If approved, the TRPA Governing Board will consider certification of the EIS and approval of the Area Plan. If approved by both agencies, the Specific Plan becomes the County’s plan for the project site.

Please also see this Flow Chart (PDF) of the process.

3. What are the opportunities for public input?

An initial study and notice of preparation (NOP) of an Environmental Impact Report/Statement (EIR / EIS) for the Martis Valley West Parcel Project (MVWPSP) were issued by Placer County and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) on March 28, 2014. The NOP was sent to the California and Nevada State Clearinghouses, federal, state, and local agencies, and members of the public. An NOP informs the reviewer of the lead agency’s intent to prepare an EIR or TRPA EIS. Four public scoping meetings were held to provide the public with the opportunity to learn more about the Specific Plan and Area Plan and to receive comments from the public and other interested parties and agencies regarding the issues that should be addressed in the EIR / EIS.

Scoping Meeting Dates

The scoping meetings were held in April, 2014 as follows:

• April 24 - TRPA Governing Board
• April 16 - Cedar House Sport Hotel
• April 16 - North Tahoe Event Center
• April 9 - TRPA Advisory Planning Commission

At each of these meetings, Placer County and TRPA staff made presentations to describe the proposed MVWPSP for evaluation in the EIR / EIS and identify key environmental issues identified by the TRPA Initial Environmental Checklist and CEQA Initial Study and Checklist.

Notification & Public Comment

Interested parties were notified of the availability of the Preliminary Draft Specific Plan and Area Plan on the Placer County website, and that public comments on the preliminary draft plans would be accepted through August 1, 2014. A public workshop on the Preliminary Draft Specific Plan and Area Plan was held on July 17, 2014 in Kings Beach, California.

Additional opportunities for public input will be available throughout the environmental review process.

Process Flow Chart

Please also see this Flow Chart (PDF) of the process.