SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — The city of South Lake Tahoe Planning Commission will be reviewing designs of the new South Lake Tahoe Recreation and Aquatics Center during its meeting at 3 p.m. Thursday, March 10.

The staff report describes the project as a, “93,254-square-feet recreation and aquatics center. The project has two floors and includes a competition pool, lap pool, lazy river, gymnasium, elevated running track, administrative offices, commercial-grade kitchen, and rooms programmed for various recreation activities.”

The plan follows the Bijou Area Plan, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and city codes and regulations. The only exception is a special-use permit to reduce the parking ratio.

According to city codes, recreation centers are required to provide one parking place for every 300 square feet of general floor area, which would mean this project should provide about 300 spaces.

The lot currently has 78 spots and they are proposing to add 36 more for a total of 114 which LSC Transportation Consultants showed would be sufficient parking for peak hours of the day.

Under staff findings, they listed reasons for approval of the reduced parking, including “reduction in parking spaces will lessen the environmental impact of the use,” and the project incorporates pedestrian pathways, allowing non-motor vehicle access to the center.

The commission will be asked to pass a resolution granting the special use permit and stating the project meets TRPA, Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan and the City of South Lake Tahoe General Plan, the City-Wide Design Standards, and the Bijou/Al Tahoe Community Plan codes.

The commission will also consider granting Tahoe Wellness Center a microbusiness cannabis use permit.

“The Tahoe Wellness Center is currently operating under City Code §6.55.840 – Existing permitted medical marijuana dispensaries, which gave a 3-year grace period for existing medical marijuana dispensaries to continue operation (beginning in March 2019 when the cannabis ordinance was adopted), after which the operations would be subject to all applicable city regulations, permits, and license requirements,” the staff report stated.

TWC, which is located at 3443 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, proposed an amendment to the Tourist Core Area Plan/Specific Plan to allow for industrial services, wholesale and distribution and small-scale manufacturing in the Tourist Core Gateway.

As part of their permit application, they’ve included “an educational component that emphasizes the sustainable benefits of local manufacturing and cultivation.”

The educational component will include regenerative soils practices, onsite greenhouse gas reductions that take place as a result of onsite cultivation, sustainable heating and lighting systems, multi-modal and bike transit benefits, onsite sustainability systems and future sustainability goals, TWC’s 1% pledge to environmental causes and environmental stewardship and how stewardship relates to local environmental goals and objectives.

Finally, the commission is asked to review a tentative subdivision map for a multi-family housing project at 3708 Lake Tahoe Boulevard and 3709 Osgood Avenue.

Commissioners approved the project at their Feb. 22 meeting but California law requires them to approve maps for any subdivision with five or more units. This project is slated to have three buildings split into 14 units.

If the tentative map is approved, the final subdivision map will be reviewed and approved by the city surveyor before approval by the City Council.

The meeting will can be viewed in person at 1901 Lisa Maloff Way or remotely via Channel 21, the city’s website at http://www.cityofslt.us, the city’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/CityofSLT/ or via ZOOM at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86371024080.