Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Records

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) was created jointly in the late 1960s as a bi-state compact by the states of California and Nevada to meet Lake Tahoe basin-wide planning needs, including general plans. Areas over which the TRPA has authority include new construction, erosion control, storm water runoff, shore zone development and protection, road construction, land use, and tree conservation and harvesting. This compact, approved by the U. S. Congress, authorized the TRPA as an appointed, non-elected governing body which can pass ordinances governing the use of all the land, air, and water, both public and private, within the Lake Tahoe Basin. Five members of the Agency represent Nevada and five members represent California. Other members are a member appointed by the governors of each state, the Director of the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Director of the California Department of Natural Resources, and a non-voting member appointed by the President of the United States. They have superior jurisdiction over the elected governing bodies of all five counties surrounding the lake and over the City of South Lake Tahoe for issues within the Basin.

The Compact, as revised in 1980, gave TRPA authority to adopt environmental quality standards, called thresholds, and to enforce ordinances designed to achieve the thresholds. The TRPA Governing Board adopted the thresholds in 1982.

The Governing Board adopted a long-range regional plan in April 1984. The same day, two parties filed suit in federal court claiming they were not convinced the plan would adequately protect the Lake Tahoe environment. The judge effectively ordered a moratorium on new building at Lake Tahoe. The Executive Director of TRPA then called together a consensus group to hammer out another regional plan. After three years of negotiations, the lawsuit was settled and the TRPA Governing Board adopted the 1987 Regional Plan.

TRPA was the first bi-state regional environmental planning agency in the country. Preservation of the environment is a cause that is now widely supported by both residents and visitors to the Lake Tahoe Region.

(Much of the above history is taken from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency website.)