The next CATT Truckee North Tahoe Local Government Affairs Committee meeting is Monday, December 21, at 4:00 PM.  Masks will be required, and social distancing implemented for attendees at the office.  For those who are not attending in person, participating by Zoom is an option.

Our guest speaker is Dan West, Town of Truckee Building Division Supervisor. Dan will cover staffing, permit numbers, turnaround times, and any changes to codes or requirements. 

Other agenda items for Monday’s meeting include:  LGAC priorities for 2021 (issues to be handled by the Government Affairs Manager or LGAC),  CalFire 30 ft defensible space setback rule, CalFire tree removal permit, and Truckee General Plan.

To participate in the LGAC meeting by Zoom, go to:

https://zoom.us/j/5776601960?pwd=SzdudnBnWGUxVU85eGQ1NFNqU0kvdz09

Meeting ID: 577 660 1960
Passcode: 10120
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Meeting ID: 577 660 1960
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Please contact CATT Truckee North Tahoe Government Affairs Manager Pat Davison at 530.550.9999 or pat@ca-tt.com for more information about LGAC activities or issues of concern to CATT.

PARTICIPATE IN THE NEW LAND USE PLAN FOR THE GATEWAY AREA

CATT members may want to attend the Innovate Gateway Virtual Public Workshop on Thursday, December 3.  Innovate Gateway is a new planning effort that the Town of Truckee is embarking on to study housing, economic development strategies, and sustainable mobility/transportation opportunities within the Gateway Area (i.e., Donner Pass Road from Coldstream Road to the McIver Crossing Roundabout).  The purpose of Innovate Gateway is to build from the recent Envision DPR work and to provide an opportunity for the community to discuss the look, feel, character, and types of uses that are most desired and appropriate for the Gateway Area.  For more information and updates about Innovate Gateway, visit the project website at www.townoftruckee.com/InnovateGateway.

What:  Virtual Community Workshop #1
When:  This Thursday, December 3rd at 5:30pm
Where:  The virtual workshop will take place as a Zoom video call at : www.bit.ly/InnovateGateway (link will be activated to Zoom video call prior to the workshop)
Purpose:  This is for all property owners, residents, business, and interested community members to learn about the purpose of Innovate Gateway, hear input from your community surveys, identify project opportunities, and share your opinions about the future of the Gateway Area!

Your Opinion Matters:  If you haven’t done so already, take the Community Survey about the Gateway Area by December 2nd!
Survey (in English): https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Truckee
Survey (en Español): https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Truckee2

Any questions, contact Town Senior Planner Jaime LaChance 530.536.8087 or jaime.lachance@townoftruckee.com.

TRUCKEE TOWN COUNCIL APPROVES SHARED ENTRYWAY & LOCKABLE DOORS FOR ADUS

Big thanks to the Truckee Town Council for unanimously approving CATT suggestions to allow a shared entryway and lockable door between an attached accessory dwelling unit and the main dwelling. CATT members supplemented the formal CATT position statement with both phone-in and written comments.  Thanks to Valerie Brinker (Dickson Realty) and Ali Fry (DLP Construction & Painting) for their excellent phone-in comments.  Written comments were submitted by: Jordan Knighton (JK Architecture Engineering); Eric Bacon (Bacon Collaborative Design Engineering); Casey Eberhardt, Robbie Jamison, David Ariza (all three with Mark Tanner Construction); Ryan Marsden, Keegan Byrnes, Jonathan Jansen, Matt Willcox, Kenzie Tillitt (all five with Marsden Architects); and Justin Curtis, Chuck Dominiak, Lindy Winter, Becky Thayer, George Mock (all five with MWA).  Thanks to all of you!

Messaging by CATT members reflected real world experiences, either from their own personal/family perspective or from the client’s point of view.  Since the homeowner is the one who will take out the loan to build the ADU and change their lifestyle, CATT emphasized the need for flexibility of design.  If a homeowner is not attracted to the idea of building an ADU, that unit won’t get built. 

After almost two hours of questioning, public comment, and deliberation on multiple aspects of ADU design and use, the Council said yes.  None of this would have happened without the time and hard work put into the issue by CATT’s Affordable/Workforce Housing Committee (Kristi Thompson, Valerie Brinker, Peter Greenberger, Heather Rankow).  They were diligent to the very end, finalizing the talking points, CATT alert, CATT letter, and overall strategy. Good job to all!  That team effort changed the future!

For more information about the ADU changes to the Truckee Development Code, please contact CATT Truckee North Tahoe Government Affairs Manger Pat Davison at 530.550.9999 or pat@ca-tt.com.

TRUCKEE FIRE INCREASES MITIGATION FEES

On November 17, The Truckee Fire Protection District (TFPD) Board of Directors voted to increase fire mitigation fees by 1.7% for 2021.  This increase is based on the September 2019 to September 2020 change to the “Construction Cost Index” published by the Engineering News-Record. 

Here are the current fees and the proposed fees with the 1.7% increase:

The TFPD covers all of the Town of Truckee plus portions of Eastern Nevada and Placer Counties. The fee increase must still be approved by the Board of Supervisors for Placer and Nevada Counties and the Truckee Town Council.  Fee increases become effective 60 days after the County or Town approves the amounts.

The fee report notes that aggregate collected fees (all three jurisdictions) for the last fiscal year (2019/2020) equal $690,904.  The fees were paid by:  10 commercial projects, six ADUs, and 168 single family residences.  TFPD is planning to conduct a new fee study in the latter half of 2021.

Contact CATT Truckee North Tahoe Government Affairs Manager Pat Davison (530.550.9999 or pat@ca-tt.com) if you have questions or need more information about TFPD’s fire mitigation fee program.
 

DID YOU KNOW??? 

Letters submitted by CATT LGAC Members or Government Affairs Manager Pat Davison on Fees-Codes-
Regulation-Policy are posted on the CATT website:   https://www.ca-tt.com/2020-lgac

RECENT WRITTEN COMMENTS:

• 11-10-20 from Pat Davison to Truckee Town Council re shared entryway and lockable door for ADUs
• 11-10-20 from Pat Davison to Truckee Town Council re GPAC appointments
• 11-17-20 from Pat Davison to Truckee Fire Protection District Board of Directors re mitigation fee increase

2021 FUTURE LGAC MEETINGS and SPEAKERS – usually the third Monday of the month unless noted, all meetings start at 4:00 PM

January 25 (date change due to federal holiday)
Truckee Fire Protection District Fire Prevention Specialist Bill Steward (tentative)

February 22 (date change due to federal holiday)
Placer County CBO Tim Wegner followed by TDPUD President Jeff Bender

March 15
April 19
May 17
June 21
July 19
August 16
September 20
October 18
November 15
December 20

CATT TRUCKEE NORTH TAHOE PRIORITIES FOR 2020

Priorities for Pat and the Truckee North Tahoe Local Government Affairs Committee were approved by LGAC at their regular meeting December 16, 2019:

2020 PRIORITY ISSUES TO BE HANDLED BY CATT TRUCKEE NORTH TAHOE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MANAGER PAT DAVISON

Mitigation Fees – coordinate with LGAC as a whole
a. Alpine Springs County Water District Fire Mitigation Fees – annual update
b. Squaw Valley Public Service District Fire Mitigation Fees – annual update
c. Northstar Community Service District Fire Mitigation Fees & Martis Valley West Annexation – expect new fee study
d. North Tahoe Fire Protection District Mitigation Fees – annual update
e. Truckee Fire Protection District Mitigation Fees – annual update
f. Truckee Traffic/Facilities Mitigation Fees – annual update
g. Placer County Traffic Mitigation Fees – expect new fee study
h. Placer County Traffic Mitigation Fees Conversion to SF basis – may be part of new fee study
i. Tahoe Truckee Unified School District Mitigation Fees – biannual update
j. Truckee Donner Recreation & Park District Mitigation Fees – expect new fee study

Truckee General Plan Update – coordinate with LGAC GPU Committee – Chairman Chip Huck
   o continual work all year

Housing – coordinate with LGAC Housing Committee – Chairwoman Kristi Thompson
   o Achievable/locals housing incentives (large and small projects) – all jurisdictions
   o ADU programs – Town and two counties
   o Placer affordable housing requirement - request small project exemption
   o TRPA ADU Housing Program

OTHER – Attend and provide monthly reports for the CATT Board, write articles for the CATT newsletter and CATT Weekly, prepare agendas and invite speakers for LGAC and committees, create LGAC email reminders and alerts, conduct leadership training and identify committee recruits, assist with fundraising for the Issues Action Fund, attend CATT member orientations and budget meetings, prepare content for WOW flyer, prepare Annual Report, read files for scanning, and perform other administrative duties as needed.  Continue to emphasize the importance of CATT members being involved in issues to affect the outcome.

2020 PRIORITY ISSUES TO BE HANDLED BY LGAC COMMITTEE (OR POINT PERSON):

a. Placer Plan Check – Committee Chairman Pat Souza
b. North Tahoe Hydrant Flow Needs Assessment – Committee Chairman Pat Souza
c. Multi-Jurisdictional Building Working Group/Code Implementation – Committee Chairman Ryan Marsden
d. Affordable/Workforce Housing Solutions – Committee Chairwoman Kristi Thompson
e.  Truckee Tax Oversight – Craig Weaver
f. CA Bldg/Energy Code solar panel exemption – Committee Chairman Mitch Clarin
g.  Truckee Oversight Committee – Committee Chairman Dennis Troy
h.  CalFire tree removal rule – Troy Ortiz
i.  Placer/CalFire 30 ft defensible space setback rule – Brad Altman
j.  Truckee Health Benefit – Joan Jones

USE COMPLAINT FORM FOR PLAN CHECK & INSPECTION PROBLEMS

CATT Government Affairs Manager Pat Davison created a complaint form that can be used to document a problem with plan check or building inspection. This form allows CATT to track the complaint and also gives the managing entity specific detail for remedy. The complaint outline is simple:

• Project address
• Building permit #
• Date problem occurred
• Brief description of what happened
• Your opinion – what should have happened instead
• Your name and contact info

Click here to download the form.  A fillable form is also posted on the CATT webpage at http://www.ca-tt.com/lgac-issues

For more information about the complaint form and CATT involvement once the form is filed, please contact CATT Government Affairs Manager Pat Davison at 530.550.9999 or pat@ca-tt.com

DONATE TO CATT "ISSUES ACTION FUND"

The Construction Industry is heavily regulated, with codes, fees, and policies changing on a regular basis at all levels of government. Many times, CATT dialogue with agency staff or elected officials can remove impediments or resolve problems.

But sometimes, CATT needs to take action to protect your industry in a different way. That's why you will hear the refrain: The World Is Run By Those Who Show Up with a call to action - comment now or attend a meeting.

That's also why you will hear about CATT hiring experts or consultants to provide supporting information as a way to change the outcome of some code, fee, or policy proposal.

Consultants and experts give CATT an added boost, reinforcing a point from an outside perspective. That could make the difference between a questionable proposal getting adopted as is and one getting modified to be more reasonable. 

CATT's Issues Action Fund is a dedicated fund set up to channel donations to those special issues where an expert or consultant can make a positive difference. LGAC oversees the Issues Action Fund. Please consider making a donation to the IAF today as a way to protect your tomorrow. Download the donation form here.

For more information about the CATT Issues Action Fund, please contact CATT Government Affairs Manager Pat Davison (530.550.9999 or pat@ca-tt.com).

WHAT IS LGAC?

CATT's Truckee North Tahoe Local Government Affairs Committee is a permanent committee composed of members who are interested in Fees - Codes - Regulation - Policy. This is the committee that analyzes issues affecting the building industry and determines CATT position and strategy. This committee works very closely with CATT Truckee North Tahoe Government Affairs Manager Pat Davison.

Bring your problems or concerns to LGAC. You may think you are alone when in reality others may be experiencing the same problems. LGAC could be the place to help you find a remedy. Experience the power of numbers with CATT as your ally.

Come to the LGAC meeting and learn what is happening with TRPA, the Town of Truckee, Special Districts, and Placer, Nevada, and Washoe Counties. Find out what CATT is doing to improve conditions for you and the building industry.

WHO IS LGAC?

CATT’s Truckee North Tahoe Local Government Affairs Committee (LGAC) has 18 members.  LGAC Chair is Craig Weaver (MOBO Law, LLP), Vice Chair is Cody Heller (Heller Construction, Inc.).      Committee members are: Steve Cooper (Aegis Insurance Markets), Jamie Brimer (Brimer Construction & Plumbing), Dennis Troy (BUILT), Chip Huck (CSJV), Heather Rankow (Developer’s Connection), Ali Fry (DLP Construction & Painting, Inc.), Jaime Legare (Elements Mountain Company), Michael Forshee (Forshee Construction), Pat Souza (Heslin Construction), John Pruyn (High West Landscape Architects), John Wood (Loverde Builders, Inc.), Robbie Jamison (Mark Tanner Construction, Inc.), Ryan Marsden (Marsden Architects), Mitch Clarin (Mitchell T. Clarin), Kristi Thompson (MWA, Inc.), and Justin Bertoli (NSM Corporation).

If fees, regulations, codes, and policy interest you, contact Truckee North Tahoe LGAC Chair Craig Weaver at 530.214.8700 or weaver@mobolaw.com.