Amid wildfire smoke, workforce staffing, and cyber-attacks, we continue to face challenges outside our control. For the past month our region was dealing with crisis on multiple fronts, but our advocacy efforts continue to address the critical needs of our community and our Government Affairs team has prioritized being a conduit of timely information. We have also continued to make progress on several high priority issue areas.
In Placer County, the CDRA Building Division Tahoe Office went to remote work due to the hazardous air quality. This extreme smoke event impacted public counter hours and building inspection schedules. The Building Division was innovative in response moving to a work from home and virtual appointment model. Inspections were limited to the most urgent need. The worst of the smoke event now appears behind us; however, the Building Division is also facing a workforce staffing issue which will continue to limit in-person public counter hours.
The Tahoe City office will have the following hours until further notice:
The Town of Truckee continues to be impacted by the cyber attack which has impacted their systems. They are slowly and steadily rebuilding capacities each weak. Esuite, inspections, and town email are up and running. New permits are being accepted at cdd@townoftruckee.com. Any email you sent the town between July 5 and July 22 needs to be resent. The town suggests including the original email as an attachment.
While early in summer we were making progress on permit turnaround times, you can imagine this cyber-attack has set the town back by several weeks. We understand the immense frustration we all feel with not knowing what the status of our permits are, or when we might expect to receive them. Town staff invites you to call or email to check on your permit status but know that repeated check-ins take staff away from working on permits.
To help staff make efficient headway on the permit backlog, they have the following suggestions:
• Staff encourages you to check-ins but please limit to once per week.
• Calling, emailing, and dropping into the public counter multiple times takes staff away from working on permits.
• Have a single point of contact checking in for each project whether that be the homeowner, or the contractor so that staff time is not dedicated to sending the same information to different persons on the same project.
This is a small bit of assistance that builders can offer that will help town staff to make progress on the permits we all are waiting for. CATT also encourages you to inquire if bringing in hard copies of documents would be helpful to staff. Let’s all do what we can to help each other pull through these difficult challenges.
Mountain Housing Council
Lunch and Learn Series
Alternative Building Materials: Hempcrete
September 14 @ 12:00 PM on Zoom
Hempcrete or hempline is a lightweight biocomposite material used as a breathable material for construction and insulation for energy efficient homes. Greg Flavall, co-founder of Hemp Technologies Global, not only supports ADU construction to create more affordable housing opportunities with pre-approved site plans and green materials, but he has built the first fully permitted hemp homes in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico. Come find out more about housing opportunities provided by Hempcrete at this free Lunch-n-Learn webinar.
TNT LGAC Recap
Our August LGAC featured an update from the Mountain Housing Council. Program Director Tara Zuardo presented the results of the Housing Needs Assessment that was just completed, and our committee discussed advocacy goals which we see overlap with the Mountain Housing Council.
Some of those ideas include:
• Clear expectations for entitlement timing, costs, and conditions of approval.
• Fee forgiveness and backfill sources for housing the servers “the missing middle.”
• Pitch sheets for developable land to advertise opportunities.
• State/federal tax credits for workforce housing.
• Development Code amendments to encourage or improve housing unit construction and housing unit affordability.
LGAC also discussed Placer County’s moratorium on new short-term rental permits in east county and what CATT’s position and role should be on this issue. Placer County will work with stakeholders over the next 7 months to develop a policy which could include regulating the number or location of new short-term rental permits that are allowed in east county.
Our next LGAC meeting will be on Monday, September 20th. Our guest speaker will be the recently hired Truckee Chief Building Official, Jim Green. Please come with your questions and constructive suggestions for Jim.
If you have any policy ideas to share or questions on these topics or others, please contact CATT Truckee North Tahoe Government Affairs Manager Peter Fenolio at 530.550.9999 or pete@ca-tt.com.
Truckee General Plan Update
Our Local Government Affairs Committee – General Plan Update Committee has worked hard over the past several months to advocate for the interest of our builders, but also those interests of our community. To date, the loudest voices in this process have been the “no-growth” advocates who do not want to see additional housing or development of any kind built in our community. It is extremely important for CATT members to make our voices heard. No-growth is not realistic or sustainable. No-growth means our local workforce will continue to be displaced part time residents and remote workers who earn a higher wage. There is no immediate solution to this problem other than to build the supply to match the demand. CATT members must show up to the planning commission meeting on the General Plan Land Use Element to vocalize that NO GROWTH IS NOT SUSTAINABLE for our community.
CATT Government Affairs sent this public comment to the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) when they met on August 26. The no-growth advocates are a vocal and loud threat to the construction industry. CATT Government Affairs will be a vocal advocate for your interests, but your voice still needs to be heard. Please send public comments or make a verbal public comment to Planning Commission on September 21st which echo the letter CATT sent to GPAC.
Local Government Affairs Committee (LGAC) Meeting Date and Speaker
4:00 PM Monday, September 20 via Zoom
The next CATT Truckee North Tahoe Local Government Affairs Committee meeting is Monday, September 20 at 4:00 PM. No physical attendance at the office is feasible at this time – all participation is by Zoom.
To participate in the LGAC meeting, go to:
Topic: CATT - Local Government Affairs Committee
Time: July 19, 2021 4:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Guest Speaker: Jim Green, Truckee Chief Building Official
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/99391415020Please contact CATT Truckee North Tahoe Government Affairs Manager Peter Fenolio at 530.550.9999 or pete@ca-tt.com for more information about LGAC activities or issues of concern to CATT.
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 Peter Fenolio at 530.550.9999 or pete@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 Truckee North Tahoe Government Affairs Manager Peter Fenolio (530.550.9999 or pete@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.