At Lake Level October 2022 The official newsletter of the City of South Lake Tahoe

STATE OF THE cITY Address with Mayor Middlebrook

Are you interested in learning more about the City's initiatives and priorities? Join us at the Beach Retreat on Thursday, October 20, 5:30pm as Mayor Middlebrook highlights the City's accomplishments, current projects, and progress on the 5-year Strategic Plan. He will also preview what's on the horizon for our community.

If you plan on attending, let us know by going to the following link: https://fb.me/e/2eXYBmVbh.

Election Day is almost here! Are you ready?

Have you recently moved, changed your name, or want to change your party affiliation? There is still time to make changes! Visit: registertovote.ca.gov.

Unsure of your voter status? You can easily look it up at Sos.Ca.Gov.

The City also has a dedicated webpage regarding election information and campaign disclosures. Learn about voting options, important election dates, ballot measures, and where to vote. Visit: https://cityofslt.us/98/Elections-and-Campaign-Disclosures.

Letter from the City Manager to the community

The safety of our community is my highest priority. As the Lake2O event was recently announced to take place on October 19-23, residents and business owners understandably have shared concerns that promoters and participants of this event in 2020 failed to respect our community. While the promoters claim they are doing everything they can to ensure 2020 is not repeated, I want to make the City’s position very clear. The City of South Lake Tahoe does not condone, support, or authorize the Lake2O event within our jurisdiction. The City of South Lake Tahoe is not a good fit for or the appropriate venue for this type of event. As a matter of first amendment rights, however, the City cannot prevent the gathering of people or violate anyone’s constitutional rights in our process and response.

Due to traffic, parking, and public safety issues, this event does not just negatively impact the City, but also places a significant burden on our neighboring jurisdictions, including El Dorado County, Douglas County, California Highway Patrol, and Nevada Highway Patrol. South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) is working closely with these neighboring Law Enforcement Agencies for well-coordinated and increased traffic enforcement during the event dates in and around the City and neighboring communities. At a minimum, law enforcement activities will include the following:

• Vehicle code violations including, but not limited to, speed contests, reckless driving, speeding, exhibition of speed, modified exhaust, and any other violations will be strictly enforced.

• In addition to citations, vehicles will be towed when allowable by law.

• We are planning coordinated traffic enforcement on all routes into Tahoe and working with private property owners to close large parking lots to prohibit congregation in those areas, and requesting extra motor patrols from additional municipal law enforcement agencies.

• All SLTPD officer resources will be deployed during this time.

In addition to law enforcement activities, we are working with private property owners along the US 50 corridor on whether they would like to allow congregating events in their private parking lots. We will work with private property owners who choose not to allow such congregation. Finally, it is important to note that conducting roadblocks or ‘paper checks’ for locals only is unconstitutional outside of declared emergencies and will not be utilized for traffic control during this event period.

To reiterate, the safety of our community – including residents, businesses, visitors, and wildlife – is my highest priority and all available law enforcement tools will be deployed to ensure the safety of all.

If you have any questions, I am available at jirvin@cityofslt.us or 530-542-6043.

City Council adopts ordinance to ban Single-use plastic water bottles

On Tuesday, October 4, the City of South Lake Tahoe City Council adopted a single-use plastic water bottle ban, effective April 22, 2023 for city facilities and permitted, temporary activities and special events. The ban will expand to sales citywide on April 22, 2024, allowing businesses additional time to prepare for this shift. The ban will prohibit the sale of single-use plastic water bottles less than one gallon with an exception for emergency situations designated by the City Manager.

Single-use plastics are a significant source of waste and pollution due to the sheer volume of these products produced and used by consumers and the long amount of time they exist in the environment after their short, useful life ends. Discarded plastics are particularly damaging to water quality as they do not break down or decompose. Instead, they eventually break apart into microplastics that end up washed downstream into waterbodies. Through the course of an ongoing study, the University of California Davis’s Tahoe Environmental Resource Center (TERC) recently found plastic in almost every sample taken from beaches around the Lake. Because no wastewater is discharged to Lake Tahoe, most of the microplastic waste appears to be coming from plastic litter, especially plastic bottles and bags.

Visitors and businesses can contribute to the stewardship of Lake Tahoe by drinking local tap water or purchasing more sustainable single-use options. The Tahoe Water Suppliers Association (TWSA), a consortium of local municipal water agencies, and TERC, developed the ‘Drink Tahoe Tap’ campaign to encourage people to embrace the award-winning tap water and ditch the single use plastic water bottles. Even Raley’s, one of the area supermarkets, has been a committed partner displaying ‘Drink Tahoe Tap’ water bottles in the front of their stores.

“We aim to find ways to support an already robust ‘Drink Tahoe Tap’ marketing campaign and look forward to working with our business community to help them embrace this opportunity to participate in the stewardship of Lake Tahoe,” said Sara Letton, the City’s Sustainability Coordinator. “The community really stepped up to overwhelmingly support this at the first City Council presentation, but we also heard loud and clear from our business community that they are looking for some support as the ban is implemented.” In response, the City plans to install water bottle refill stations at strategic locations throughout the community over the next couple of years and will work with local partners on outreach and education to drive behavior change toward refilling with tap water.

While it’s true that beverage bottles are highly recyclable, consuming single-use plastics just to feed the recycling stream is not a model sustainability practice. Alternatives to single-use plastic water bottles are readily available in the market, including 100% recyclable aluminum single-use water bottles. “Most people might remember the adage ‘reduce, reuse, recycle.’ Consider that a prioritized list of actions,” Letton continued. When it comes to sustainability, “reduce” is always the most sustainable choice. Introducing visitors to South Lake Tahoe’s award-winning tap water is one of the many excellent experiences the City hopes to provide its residents and guests.”

The City’s location in the Lake Tahoe Basin makes us stewards of this internationally treasured resource. Today’s City Council action is an important step toward ensuring the sustainability and clarity of Lake Tahoe for generations to come.

Questions about the ordinance? Contact Sara Letton, Sustainability Coordinator, sletton@cityofslt.us or 530-542-6175.

A message from Fire Chief Jim Drennan

As we shift into the Fall season, the Fire Department is busy with several ongoing projects. Among those is recruiting for a Fire Marshal, Battalion Chief, and potentially three new Firefighters. We also have several upcoming promotions and retirements in the coming weeks. For those who will be studying and preparing for promotional exams and new hire testing, we have high hopes for you!

Fire season is still in full swing around the western states. The Mosquito fire started looking like a possible threat to the Sierra crest, which prompted all the basin fire departments to begin making contingency plans based on predicted fire behavior. Local resources were deployed and assisted with fighting that fire, but thankfully the weather provided some much-appreciated assistance. It is important to note that we are not done with Fire Season, which means that fire restrictions will still be in place for the foreseeable future. The rains helped, but our fuel moistures are still critically low. Stay vigilant and take some time to work on the defensible space around your home.

Speaking of fuel—we have been busy with defensible space inspections through the city with our defensible space inspectors working five days a week. We are fortunate to have this resource and will be building up the Prevention Bureau to tackle everything from commercial business inspections to home hardening and defensible space. It should be noted that the fire department would not be able to provide this service without the funding and support from the Tahoe Resource Conservation District (TRCD). Thank you to the staff at the TRCD for all of your assistance!

Want to learn more on how to prepare for wildfire and creating defensible space? Visit the following websites:

https://tahoercd.org/

https://www.tahoelivingwithfire.com/

Stay Safe!

Jim Drennan, Fire Chief SLTFR

October/November City Council and Commission Meetings

A Message from Police Chief David Stevenson

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department is still hiring several positions. Come be a public safety dispatcher, Community Service Officer, Lateral Police Officer, or a Parking Ambassador. These are all excellent career opportunities where you get to be part of a great team and help make a positive difference in your community! The application process is all on line and more information can be found at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/slaketahoe.

I just passed the two-year mark as the Chief of SLTPD. It’s been a challenging two years, but also very rewarding. I am so grateful, proud, and humbled by all the incredible people who work in the department. Your professional and compassionate commitment to the job and to this community is commendable. I would not be able to do this job without you. Thank you.

Respectfully,

Chief David Stevenson

In culture we thrive

The City of South Lake Tahoe, in partnership with the Multicultural Alliance Committee, would like to thank our sponsors, vendors, and all community members who attended our inaugural Multicultural Celebration. The event was a huge success! The celebration included cultural displays, kids’ activities, live performances, food trucks, and vendor booths. Bijou Community Park, in the heart of South Lake Tahoe, was the site for the celebration and transformed with beautiful displays, live art performances, and fun for the whole family. Celebrating Tahoe’s diverse community and cultures, this event lived up to its motto of “In Culture We Thrive”.

Article submitted by Kelley Edwards, Recreation Manager.

aRTS, cULTURE, AND tOURISM cOMMISSION SEEKS YOUR INPUT

The Arts, Culture, and Tourism (ACT) Commission is in the beginning stages of creating a master plan for the arts and culture in our community. The master plan will help identify the needs of the community, prioritize investments, and determine key projects and initiatives. They are seeking the community's input to identify what's important to everyone.

Please take a few minutes to complete the ACT Survey by going to the following links:

English version: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CYDZ7G2

Spanish version: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YHNLRKM

Survey closes on Monday, October 31.

city offices will be closed in observance of Veteran's Day

The City of South Lake Tahoe’s administrative offices will be closed on Friday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veteran’s Day.

The following municipal offices will be closed:

• The City Manager’s Office, City Attorney’s Office, Human Resources, and the Finance Front Counter, all located at City Hall, 1901 Lisa Maloff Way.

• Development Services, 1052 Tata Ln.

• Public Works, 1740 D St.

• Front counter/records of the Police Department

The following offices will operate with no schedule changes:

• The Lake Tahoe Airport, located at 1901 Lisa Maloff Way, will maintain regular operating hours, 7am-4pm.

• Parks and Recreation will maintain regular operating hours for the Recreation and Swim Complex at 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd., 7:30am-4:30pm.

• South Lake Fire Rescue, South Lake Tahoe Police Department, and dispatch will continue regular operations. Contact 911 for emergencies.