Built Environment (Community Design)
The Built Environment (Community Design) indicator calls for the height, bulk, texture, form, materials, colors, lighting, signing, and other design elements of new, remodeled, and redeveloped buildings to be compatible with the natural, scenic, and recreational values of the Tahoe Region. Steady and incremental improvements in the built environment from redevelopment projects contribute to both the attainment of scenic travel route ratings and the man-made features component of the scenic score. The primary drivers affecting the quality of the built environment in the Tahoe Region are the rate and type of development and redevelopment, and the effectiveness of design standards and guidelines. The TRPA Code of Ordinances includes minimum design standards for elements such as height and signs. More specific design standards and guidelines are often adopted by local government in community plans or area plans tailored to the needs and desires of individual communities. Every four years, a team of professionals evaluates several new development and redevelopment projects that have been constructed since the last evaluation to see if they are consistent with the required design standards and whether the design standards and guidelines are achieving the desired community character and supporting the implementation of the policy statement.
Evaluation Map
General TRPA design standards for the built environment apply throughout the region unless they are replaced by TRPA approved community specific substitute standards. The map shows the location of adopted Community Plans and Area Plans where community-specific substitute design standards apply to new development and redevelopment projects.
2019 Evaluation
- Status
- Implemented
Applicable Standard
SR10) It shall be the policy of the TRPA Governing Body in development of the Regional Plan, in cooperation with local jurisdictions, to insure the height, bulk, texture, form, materials, colors, lighting, signing and other design elements of new, remodeled and redeveloped buildings be compatible with the natural, scenic, and recreational values of the region.
Key Points
- Recent 2019 scenic evaluation data shows a moderate improvement during the last four years in roadway travel unit scores due largely to redeveloped buildings that meet updated community design requirements.
- An evaluation of recent development and redevelopment projects found that the projects were consistent with applicable design standards and guidelines, and the application of those standards and guidelines was consistent with the policy statement.
Delivering and Measuring Success
Example EIP Projects
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Edgewood Lodge and Golf Course Improvement
This Douglas County, Nevada project included the construction of a large hotel. The building design implements recently updated design standards in Douglas County's South Shore Area Plan.
Local and Regional Plans
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Area Plan - Tourist Core
The City of South Lake Tahoe's Tourist Core Area Plan, like all adopted area and community plans, includes design standards tailored to the more heavily developed community character of this area.
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Scenic Quality Improvement Program
The program is a comprehensive threshold attainment strategy to improve overall visual quality of the built environment.