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

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The City of South Lake Tahoe is pleased to publish its monthly newsletter - "At Lake Level". You can sign up for the newsletter, and other City News, by texting JOIN NEWS to 38276 or going to sign up for notifications on the city's website. The monthly newsletter is prepared by the City Manager's Office in an effort to keep our community well-informed about City issues and initiatives.

City announces Interim Fire Chief Jim Drennan

City Manager Joe Irvin recently appointed Battalion Chief Jim Drennan to the role of Interim Fire Chief. Mr. Irvin will announce next steps soon, so stay tuned. Congratulations to Interim Fire Chief Jim Drennan!

A Message from Interim Fire Chief Jim Drennan

The month of May was eventful for the Fire Department. South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue (SLTFR) hosted the Wildfire Expo at South Tahoe Middle School on May 14. Agencies from all over the lake participated and provided a great experience for the community. Thanks to everyone that attended this event!

On May 18, SLTFR participated in a large-scale Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) training hosted by Barton Hospital. The intent of these types of trainings is to identify our strengths and weaknesses before we are faced with the real incident. Through the month of May we also focused our training on wildland firefighting in preparation for an anticipated busy fire season.

Marine 17 is back in the water. SLTFR will be ready to respond to any emergency on the lake for the upcoming boating season.

Lastly, fire restrictions are in place for the City of South Lake Tahoe until further notice. No charcoal or wood fires are permitted during this time. The use of natural (NG), propane (LPG) or pellet BBQ grills, smokers, and fire pits are permissible unless a red flag warning is issued.

Stay safe this summer!

Take The City's Mobility Survey

Now is the time to give your input about transit on the South Shore! By taking just 5 minutes, you can provide feedback on how mobility can be improved in the area. To take the survey, go to the following links:

Mobility Survey (English)

Mobility Survey (Spanish)

City Council Approves TRASH ORDINANCE TO REDUCE BEAR ACTIVITY

The new ordinance now prohibits placing trash outside before 6am on your schedule day of pick-up. This is just one way we can encourage bears to forge for food in their natural habitat rather than going into trash containers. To learn more about ways we can coexist with black bears, be sure to check out the article in the Summer publication of Tahoe.com magazine which will be released soon. You can also learn more at wildlife.ca.gov or southtahoerefuse.com.

Don't miss out on the 4th of July Parade!

Get ready to show us your red, white, and blue! Join us in a few weeks for the City of South Lake Tahoe's 4th of July parade. Don't miss out on the Best of the Parade Awards which is new to this year's event. A judging panel will score all parade entries, and trophies will be awarded for the following categories:

  • Best Float Entry
  • Best Walking Entry
  • Best Youth Entry
  • Best Decorated Vehicle(s)
  • History & Heritage Award

To learn more about event location, parade line-up, and other event details, go to the following link: https://cityofslt.us/875/4th-of-July-Parade

City Continues to Prioritize Funding for Wildfire Preparedness, Public Safety, and Road Repair

The City Council adopted mid-year budget adjustments of $3.1 million on March 15. The purpose of the budget adjustment is to address unanticipated changes and new opportunities to fund Strategic Plan priorities since the 2021-2022 budget was originally adopted in August 2021 including additional revenue from locally controlled funds, and one-time Federal ARPA funding. Some of the urgent priorities funded include helmets and equipment for police officers, a $55,000 funding shortfall for the public safety communication radio system, critical repairs of City facilities including those used by the general public, such as the Police Department roof and Ice Arena, and measures to mitigate localized flooding conditions that became apparent during the December 2021 winter storm.

The Measure S sales tax approved by voters in November 2020 continues to generate locally controlled revenue to fund the City’s highest priorities. This year, Measure S funds are being used to set aside funding for the forthcoming Fire Station 2 rehabilitation project, the public safety radio system replacement, and $2.5 million in road repairs. The projected uses for Measure S funds in 2023 include $2.7 million for wildfire safety and preparedness. Measure S funds will also be used for the continuation of the Fire Station 2 rehabilitation project and staffing for a new Fire Marshal position to oversee the City’s defensible space program. Lastly, funds will be applied to $3.7 million for road repair, road maintenance, snow removal equipment, and water quality improvement projects.

In recent years, the City has faced many of the same challenges as those at the state and national level while dealing with its own challenges caused by fires, evacuation, and snowstorms. Specifically, the COVID-19 crisis had a significant impact on City operations in 2020 and 2021. As a result, a significant amount of staff time and effort was shifted away from the implementation of City Council Strategic Priorities. Nevertheless, staff put in extensive effort to continue working. The City continues to streamline government processes to help keep the city fiscally sound, while meeting the basic service needs of residents and local businesses, now and into the future.

Department heads are currently preparing their budget requests for Fiscal Year 2022-2023, which will be considered by City Council on August 23. The fiscal year begins October 1.

The City of SOuth Lake Tahoe is hiring!

To learn more about these positions or to apply, visit:  governmentjobs.com/careers/slaketahoe

CITY SUPPORTS SCUBA DIVERS to REMOVE TRASH FROM LAKE TAHOE

As the Clean Up the Lake nonprofit complete their final mile of trash removal from the 72-mile shoreline of Lake Tahoe, the City has been a proud gold membership sponsor and supporter of their efforts. In November 2021, City Council received a presentation from Public Works staff and Clean Up the Lake representatives to provide support for leading an extensive nearshore, subsurface trash removal effort. The nonprofit utilizes SCUBA divers and surface support volunteers who dive to a depth of 25ft, where observed accumulation trends are the highest.

COVID, fire evacuations, and record-breaking snow have not stopped Clean Up the Lake from their year around efforts to circumnavigate the 72 miles of Lake Tahoe’s shoreline. Since they began in 2019, over 24,797 pieces of trash and a total of 25,281 pounds have been removed. Trash items included tennis balls, aluminum cans, and construction debris.

Providing support for the efforts of Clean Up the Lake aligns with the City’s established Strategic Plan and the Mission and Vison statement.

Did you know?

You can stay current on the latest construction projects in the City of South Lake Tahoe by utilizing the interactive construction map. This map not only includes City projects, but all non-city projects happening throughout the City.

To learn more about upcoming City projects, visit the City’s Public Works webpage. To stay up-to-date on construction projects, view the City wide Construction Project Map.

Improving Greenhouse Gas Emissions through use of Electrical Vehicles

On-road transportation (which does not include off-roading and boating) accounts for 26% of community-wide greenhouse gas emissions in our 2015 baseline greenhouse gas inventory. By 2018, we decreased by 11%. Way to go, South Lake Tahoe! But still have a way to go to achieve 50% by 2030. Transitioning as many vehicles to electric is a key strategy and providing the charging infrastructure will pave the way.

The City of South Lake Tahoe’s Climate Action Plan describes our goals for increasing the number of charging stations and our intention to transition our own city fleet to electric. A new Electric Vehicle Charger Siting Plan was just adopted by the City Council on May 17. The intention of the Plan is to provide a programmatic vision of what the City hopes to see in terms of EV charging installations in the coming years. The Plan is meant to inform project development and grant opportunities, as well as to spur interest from potential private sector partners. Don’t worry, electric bike charging at some of those EV charging sites is part of the vision, too!

To put this in perspective, it’s important to realize that 35% of our state’s greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation sector. To curb that, the State of California wants to see five million zero-emission vehicles on roads by 2030 and 250,000 charging stations by 2025 (Executive Order B-48-18). In fact, all new cars and passenger trucks sold in California must be zero-emission by 2035 (Executive Order N-79-20).

Climate change is a daunting problem that can only be addressed by all municipalities doing their part. However, it doesn’t have to be a chore. What fun and creative ideas do you have? Let’s talk! Reach out to Sara Letton, Sustainability Coordinator at 530-542-6175 or sletton@cityofslt.us.

Construction Underway for New Class 1 Bike Trail South of the Y intersection

Have you driven past the ‘Y’ lately and noticed road construction near the high school?

The City of South Lake Tahoe Public Works Department has begun construction on the future Class 1 bike trial to extend the previously completed Class 1 bike path from Sawmill Road to Viking Road. Once completed, this important section of trail will close a network gap that will allow users to ride from Meyers to the ‘Y’ Intersection on dedicated bike trails. The new pathway will span six tenths of a mile along Lake Tahoe Boulevard from the intersection of Viking Road to US Highway 50.

In addition to the Class 1 bike trail, construction will include Americans with Disabilities (ADA) compliant ramps, pathway lighting, and drainage upgrades. This project is funded by a combination of federal grant funds, State Gas Tax funds, and City General Funds. The project is anticipated to be available for public use this fall.

To learn more about upcoming City projects, visit the City’s Public Works site: https://cityofslt.us/726/Public-Works

Holiday Closures for the City of South Lake Tahoe

The City of South Lake Tahoe’s Administrative Offices will be closed on Monday, June 20 in observance of Juneteenth.

This will include the following municipal offices and services:

  • The City Manager’s Office, City Attorney’s Office, Human Resources, Airport Administrative Services, and the Finance Front Counter, all located at City Hall, 1901 Lisa Maloff Way.
  • Development Services, 1052 Tata Ln.
  • Public Works Administrative Offices, 1740 D St.
  • Front counter/records of the Police Department

The following offices will operate with no schedule changes:

  • South Lake Fire Rescue, South Lake Tahoe Police Department, and dispatch will continue regular operations. Contact 911 for emergencies.
  • The airport runway will be open with services provided by the FBO (fixed-base operator).
  • The Parks and Recreation Complex including the pool will be open from 7:30am-6pm.