There is one thing that is clear — those who live and work on the West Shore love Homewood Mountain Resort (HMR) and their community. Most agree that development and updating is needed at the aging resort and an improved view along SR89, and many turned out for Wednesday’s Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) meeting on the Homewood’s Master Plan.
There were hours of passionate, public comment, showing not only their passion but also how the discussion of master plan amendments has divided the community.
A sense of community is important to thrive, and keeping public access to the mountain is key for those who call the West Shore home, either part-time or full-time.
The main agenda item for the TRPA Governing Board meeting was the proposed amendments to the HMR master plan and a proposed new gondola location. HMR has been owned by JMA Ventures out of the San Francisco Bay Area since 2006.
A master plan was approved by TRPA in 2011, but that decision was litigated for almost five years leading to some modifications, and then the economy and pandemic pushed JMA’s work on the plan out further than planned. They teamed with Discovery Land Company (DLC) in 2022 to develop the popular small resort and the master plan needed to be changed for those new development plans to fit into what is allowed.
JMA wants to modify the plan originally approved: relocate the gondola barn and path, the addition of a cart barn, reduce the density of planned housing, enlarge the view from the highway to the mountain, and redefine building architecture. The 2011 plan called for a 75-room hotel and up to 237 residential units.
Public comment was respectful and orderly, with the TRPA Board Chair Hayley Williamson taking one hour of comments from those in attendance in the TRPA board room in Stateline, and then taking one hour of comments from those on Zoom. This process went on until all comments were completed which was just after 4 p.m.
The overwhelming concerns from the public were about clarity of the single day and season pass ticket sales, the understanding of exactly what Discovery’s exclusivity plans were as most of their resorts are exclusive to members only, and to express concern about what they see as loopholes in the description of ticket sales.
The West Shore economy has faced a tough winter with JMA deciding to not open for the 2024/25 season, due to financial reasons. Their closure announcement came three weeks after TRPA did not approve the community action plan changes.
Ryan Porter, director of construction and development for JMA, told the TRPA board that they want to secure public access to the resort and they will put it in writing so TRPA can enforce it. He said the plans will bring elevated real estate to the resort.
Porter said locals are vital to the West Shore and “should not be left behind.”
When Discovery came on board the community started to band together so the resort wouldn’t become private to just those who become members and residents of the new homesites.
Many are asking Homewood to define what they mean between the lines on the plan amendments and to define the intention of verbiage, and the TRPA board agreed. They approved the proposed amendments to the Homewood Mountain Resort Master Plan that allows reinvestment in the historic Lake Tahoe ski resort while ensuring Homewood will continue to be open to the public.
“There is a high cost of doing nothing — decaying built-in environments, eating away at social fabric and economy,” said Samir Tuma during public comment. “Too many vacant and boarded-up buildings. Come to viable solutions without lawsuits, this leads to decay.”
The Governing Board also approved a permit for Homewood to begin construction of a new gondola to replace the main chairlift at the resort’s North Base to improve skier access. The ski area will also work with fire officials to expand services and assist with wildfire evacuation. The gondola construction should begin as soon as the building season opens for 2025. The rest of what the Board approved was the Master Plan, and no other permits were issued. Those will come from Placer County at a later date.
The gondola plan change includes it starting at street level and not further up the hill.
“The Homewood Master Plan approval today includes enforceable standards that will ensure the beloved West Shore resort can be revitalized while remaining open to the public,” TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan said. “Reinvestment in Lake Tahoe’s communities brings critical environmental improvements and community benefits, and this underscores that it can also support sustainable and accessible public recreation.”
The Board said permits will require monthly reporting of ticket and pass sales, three reports during winter, and one in summer; it will incorporate the latest community access plans — all with the intent to demonstrate to the public that they will still have access and Homewood won’t be converted to member’s only resort without TRPA approval. TRPA is also requiring signage used at the resort and sales pitches to future owners that the public has access to the resort. The agency can implement all enforcement actions if needed. The permits will also ensure public access to the Forest Service lands adjacent to Homewood.
In addition to public meetings in September and December of last year, the agency and Governing Board received more than 1,500 individual comments about the Homewood project overall.
Homewood will also continue its 250-acre forest fuel reduction project this year and is finalizing an agreement with the North Tahoe Fire Protection District to expand fire services and assist with emergency response and wildfire evacuation. More information on the Homewood Master Plan is available at trpa.gov/major-projects/homewood-mountain-resort-master-plan/.
