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"At last the lake burst upon us - a noble sheet of blue water lifted 6,300 feet above the level of the sea, and walled in by a rim of snow-clad mountain peaks that towered aloft 3,000 feet higher still! It was a vast oval . . . As it lay there with the shadows of the mountains brilliantly photographed upon its still surface, I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole earth affords." -- Mark Twain
2001 Threshold Evaluation Shows a Decline in Scenic Quality
in the Tahoe Basin
Scenic quality is perhaps the most often identified natural resource of the Lake Tahoe Basin. The Basin affords views of a magnificent lake setting within a forested mountainous environment. The unique combination of visual elements provides for exceptionally high aesthetic values. The maintenance of the Basin's scenic quality largely depends on careful regulation of the type, location and intensity of land uses.
The two major goals of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency in regards to scenic quality include: maintaining and restoring the scenic qualities of the natural appearing landscape; and improving the accessibility of Lake Tahoe for public viewing.
To achieve those goals the TRPA has established a set of policies relating to scenic quality which require property owners to blend man-made structures with the natural environment.
The TRPA is currently taking steps to implement changes to the way staff reviews scenic impacts of projects along the shoreline. In each of the 1991, 1996 and 2001 threshold evaluations, the Tahoe Basin showed a consistent decline in the number of areas meeting the scenic standard. Some factors include the dramatic increase in the scale and mass of residential structures, increased visibility of these structures and the removal of trees and vegetation that allow the structures to be seen from the lake.
It remains TRPA's goal to protect scenic quality in Lake Tahoe by maintaining the natural environment as the dominant feature. Please see the following documents to learn more about recent facts, actions and public workshops on the issue:
BMPs
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