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The shoreline travel unit rating reflects scenic conditions looking toward the shore from the surface of Lake Tahoe. The Lake’s 72-mile shoreline is separated into 33 individual units, each representing a varying length of the shoreline that exhibits similar visual character. Tracking these changes is important because it provides a measure of how changes in land use and development affect scenic conditions over time. The primary drivers affecting scenic quality in the shoreline areas of Lake Tahoe are land use, and the visual exposure and visual/aesthetic characteristics of development visible from Lake Tahoe. The TRPA Code of Ordinances specifies design standards and guidelines for new development and redevelopment projects along the shoreline through the Scenic Shoreland Ordinances adopted in 2002 and is intended to attain the threshold standards as older development is gradually replaced with newer development that has reduced visual impacts. Also, the 2018 Shoreline Plan provides design standards to mitigate the scenic impacts of new shoreline structures authorized under the plan. Every four years, a team of professionals examines and evaluates the quality of scenic units and resources along Tahoe's shoreline.
- Status
- At or Somewhat Better Than Target
- Trend
- Little or No Change
- Confidence
- High
- Of the 33 shoreline units, 22 shoreline units are in attainment and 11 are not. Units not in attainment generally have large lakefront residences with little or no visual screening and clutter from piers and boatlifts and would benefit from the redevelopment of structures along the shoreline.
- From 1982 to 2001, scenic conditions along Lake Tahoe’s shoreline deteriorated. In response to this deterioration, in 2002, TRPA adopted new development regulations for shoreline projects. By 2006, scenic conditions began to improve and have continued to gradually improve through 2019.
- During this most recent four-year evaluation period, the scenic quality of shoreline unit 29 improved due to the redevelopment of Roundhill Pines Beach Resort. Because this unit was already in attainment, the total number of shoreline units in attainment did not change.
- The proliferation of kayak rental concessions and kayak storage racks on the beach threatens to degrade certain shoreland units due to the impacts of visual clutter. Potential problem areas include Baldwin Beach, Emerald Bay, in the Rubicon area, and Commons Beach. The Shoreline Plan adopted in 2018 sets out standards to mitigate the scenic effects of kayak rental and concession operations.
- The newly constructed bike path from Incline Village to Sand Harbor adds a visible linear feature to the hillside. Screening vegetation has been planted and the visual effect will be reassessed during the next evaluation once the vegetation has matured.
Scenic Shoreline Units 2019 attainment status.
- This indicator tracks long-term, cumulative changes in scenic conditions along the shoreline of Lake Tahoe. It accounts for developed and natural-appearing shoreline areas. Tracking these changes is important because it provides a measure of how changes in land use and development affect scenic conditions over time. From 1982 to 2001, scenic conditions along Lake Tahoe’s shoreline deteriorated. In response to this deterioration, TRPA adopted new development regulations for shoreline projects in 2002. By 2006, scenic conditions began to improve and have continued to gradually improve through 2015.
- The primary drivers affecting scenic quality in the shoreline areas of Lake Tahoe are land use, and the visual exposure and visual/aesthetic characteristics of development visible from Lake Tahoe. In areas where the view is primarily forested, fire and tree disease can affect scenic quality.
Example EIP Projects
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Round Hill Pines Resort Retrofit
This project rebuilt and consolidated structures at Round Hill Pines resort which improved the scenic quality.
- 22 of the 33 shoreline travel units (67 percent) met the threshold standard in 2019.
- The percentage of shoreline travel units in attainment has decreased overall from 88 percent in attainment in 1982 to 67 percent in attainment in 2019. However, there are two separate trends evident. From 1982 to 2001, attainment dropped sharply by 27 percent due to the increased visibility of residential structures along the shoreline of Lake Tahoe. After the 2002 Scenic Shoreland Ordinance was adopted, there has been a steadily improving trend. Since 2001, the number of shoreline units in attainment has increased. However, when calculating the trend over the entire period since 1982, the percentage of shoreline units in attainment has grown at a rate of approximately 0.4 percent per year which would be considered little to no change. This improving trend will need to continue in order to reach the 1982 levels.
- High. A documented, reviewed, and accepted monitoring protocol was used to guide the collection, analysis, and reporting of the scenic monitoring data. Monitoring data was collected according to procedures outlined in the 1982 Study Report for the Establishment of Environmental Threshold Carrying Capacities, and the Status and Trend Monitoring Report for Scenic Resources in the Lake Tahoe Basin, which set forth a methodology for measuring change in scenic quality over time. The methods are consistent with those employed by the USDA Forest Service and are considered standard practice. This equates to a high level of confidence in the status determination.
- High.
- High
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- Uploaded On
- 12/17/2021
- File Type
- Description