A map provided to OSAC showing different projects, including in a portion of Carson City, to improve amenities on the East Shore of Lake Tahoe.
Courtesy
The Carson City Open Space Advisory Committee meets 5:30 p.m. Monday in the community center boardroom and is, in part, picking up where the Carson City Parks and Recreation Commission left off earlier this month.
One of the items OSAC will take up Monday is to make a potential recommendation to the Board of Supervisors regarding a memorandum of understanding on the Lake Tahoe Path System, an agreement between the Tahoe Transportation District, Carson City and Douglas and Washoe counties.
“This item, if approved, would recommend that the Board of Supervisors consider a memorandum of understanding regarding planning, design and construction of the Lake Tahoe Path System and the use of grant funds allocated in 2019 through Assembly Bill 84 and administered through the State of Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources,” reads the agenda.
The Parks and Recreation Commission on Dec. 3 unanimously recommended the Board of Supervisors enter the memorandum of understanding to support what’s known as the East Shore Trail and related improvements.
A similar agreement was reached in 2012 leading to Douglas County’s path from Laura Drive to Nevada Beach and Round Hill Pines and the popular path from Incline Village to Sand Harbor.
Plagued by traffic congestion and safety concerns, the State Route 28 corridor will be transformed with a unified pedestrian and cyclist path and more public transit and parking, planners and participating agencies hope. A section of the corridor lies in Carson City.
“The three entities (counties) are now designating the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) to be project lead for the design and construction of certain segments and direct recipient of the Conserve Nevada Funds with the following funding allocations for Douglas County Phase 1A – $1,000,000; Carson City and Washoe County Thunderbird Cove to Secret Harbor – $2,000,000; and Washoe County Sand Harbor to Thunderbird Cove – $2,000,000,” reads a staff report.
The new memorandum of understanding states: “Carson City and Washoe County authorize TTD to actively pursue grants and other funding to match the approximately $2,000,000 of Conserve Nevada funding for the design and construction of the Thunderbird Cove to Secret Harbor segment.”
At the parks commission hearing, Tara Styer, capital program manager for TTD, said the path connecting Incline Village and Sand Harbor that was completed in 2019 sees over 200,000 users a year.
“It has really become the destination rather than a means to get to the destination,” Styer said at the time.
In other action, OSAC members will review survey results from the Carson River Master Plan update focusing on the river corridor in the capital city.
“Staff have been working with the National Park Service-Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (NPS – RTCA) Program since 2022 to update the Carson River Master Plan which was completed in 1996,” reads the agenda. “Currently, staff are in the community engagement phase and released both a public survey and stakeholder survey to gather feedback on visitor use information, suggested improvements, and opportunities.”
According to a staff report, the city released a public survey from Aug. 13 to Sept. 23 and received 296 responses.
“Following the public survey, staff also prepared a survey for project stakeholders to gather input and feedback on strengths, threats and opportunities in the Carson River corridor. A total of 19 stakeholders provided response to the survey as of 11/15 and the results are summarized in the attached exhibits,” reads the report.
Trail hiking/running, dog walking, and “relaxing on the banks” were the top three activities people chose when asked what river recreation they enjoy, according to results of the public survey.
Friends of Silver Saddle Ranch, the Carson Water Subconservancy District and local nonprofit Muscle Powered were among several stakeholders responding on the second survey. Asked about the area’s greatest strengths and assets, these respondents listed public access, ecological function (such as serving as habitat for flora and fauna), undeveloped floodplain, recreation and beauty.
Pollution, drought and developed floodplain were listed among the biggest threats facing the river.
More information: https://d2kbkoa27fdvtw.cloudfront.net/carsoncity/881709b62b3764cc1a7c664a99df2fd40.pdf.