MEYERS, Calif. – Meyers Advisory Council had their last meeting of the year on Tuesday, discussing the new aquatic invasive species (AIS) inspection station and rolling the Meyers Area Plan into the larger Tahoe El Dorado (TED) Area Plan. Both topics are deeply tied with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s (TRPA) changes in policies over the last few years.

New AIS Station

As the number of visitors to Tahoe grows every year, it’s clear that the current AIS station, located on the U.S. 50 roundabout, is undersized. Combatting the threat of invasive species entering the lake is a major priority for TRPA, among other lake concerned groups, especially with the advent of the New Zealand mud snail and the golden mussel—both mollusks that could proliferate almost as fast as the visitor growth, to a disastrous degree.

---

---

The TRPA received grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department to further investigate developing a facility in Meyers, which could double the capacity of vehicles inspected. The proposed site is a public land that is within a Meyers neighborhood.

According to the council, the public workshops regarding the new site had good attendance and they have continued to welcome comment on the site as the process moves forward.

---

---

Construction on the proposed site would likely not start until 2027 at the earliest, but there are talks of building affordable or workforce housing on the site. That housing could be extended to county snowplow drivers or other workers in Meyers if it was successful. During the environmental analysis phase, they are investigating the possibility of building up to six units on site.

During the public comment section, one attendee asked why they couldn’t buy the current lot with the grants received, especially as the current site has all the equipment. However, the TRPA cannot own land, and the grants would not be eligible to be used for purchasing land. Additionally, there is no underground infrastructure for tanks in the current space.

The council also clarified that the housing that could be built would be year-round, but the facility would only be operational for six months of the year. However, at least one attendee was opposed to building housing, despite the fact that TRPA is now pushing for more affordable housing in the area. “Stick to what you know best—inspecting boats. And then build a station to inspect boats,” said the attendee.

End of the Meyers Area Plan

The Meyers Advisory Council largely exists because of the Meyers Area Plan, and the council was told that its current form was no longer necessary due to the development of the TED Plan. The Meyers Area Plan was adopted in 2018 and aimed to improve transit, deliver on the Highway 89 corridor management plan, and provide affordable housing opportunities. With the TED area plan, which conducted public workshops earlier this year, they plan to roll those ideas into the TED.

District 5 Supervisor Brooke Laine has been especially involved with trying to get the Transit Occupancy Taxes funds back into the Basin—now, roughly 80% of those funds do come back to the area. One of the major ways it returns is through purchasing important fire and snow equipment in the area.

On the topic of affordable housing, TED representatives clarified that they are planning on how to hit the affordable housing goals set by the TRPA, which is a major reason why the TED exists.

But Meyers demanded representation in the TED, especially in maintaining the character of their area and their close-knit communities. TED representatives clarified that they would be trying to make decisions on how to delineate the unincorporated counties, especially after one attendee jokingly asked, “How far does Meyers go?”

Currently, parts of Meyers belong to CalTrans as it’s situated so close to the highway. Other parts belong to the county, and still others are more closely observed by TRPA. The TED is meant to clarify some of these borders as well, making it more simple to understand the jurisdictions in the area.

The topic of who was responsible for who came up in discussions on parking—illegal, unsafe, and off-street parking is a major concern for many in the area. This topic will likely have more address in future meetings, given the conversations that closed out this advisory council.

Finally, Angie Reagan of Access Tahoe highlighted the need for more accessibility throughout Meyers, within transit, parking, and other relevant issues. Reagan tuned in online and also suggested that there be more online accessibility for those meetings.

The next Meyers Advisory Council meeting will be next year on January 16.

Eli Ramos is a reporter for Tahoe Daily Tribune. They are part of the 2024–26 cohort of California Local News Fellows through UC Berkeley.