Tahoe Conservancy Continues to Pursue Acquisition of 31-acre Motel 6 Property

South Lake Tahoe, Calif.—Today, the California Tahoe Conservancy Board approved actions allowing the Conservancy to continue pursuing acquisition of 31.2 acres of environmentally sensitive land along the Upper Truckee River in South Lake Tahoe.

The Board updated its authorization for the Conservancy to pursue the potential acquisition, located at 2375 Lake Tahoe Boulevard and 940 Sunset Drive, upstream of the Conservancy’s Upper Truckee Marsh property. The Board authorized up to $18 million for the Conservancy to continue negotiating to acquire the land, as well as to demolish the existing Motel 6 and restaurant structures and to stabilize the site. The Conservancy will preserve the meadow and wetlands on the property.

The Board also accepted a $1.5 million grant from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and approved the Conservancy to accept additional potential grants to support the high priority property acquisition.

“We are grateful for the support from our state and Basin partners,” said El Dorado County Supervisor and Conservancy Board Chair Sue Novasel. “Bringing these properties under public ownership would nearly complete protection of the lower nine miles of river corridor for Lake Tahoe’s largest and most important tributary.”

Additional funding for the proposed acquisition comes from Conservancy Proposition 68 and General Funds and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Excess Coverage Mitigation funds.

At the same meeting, the Board heard an update on the Conservancy’s Forestry Program 2022 activities and 2023 priorities, including on-the-ground treatments on Conservancy and Basin partner lands. The update included a video that shows how the Conservancy manages its thousands of open space lots for multiple benefits, including wildlife habitat, water quality protection, and reducing wildfire risk.

Also at the meeting, the Board heard an update from Conservancy and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency staff on the Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Plan, and authorized actions to allow Caltrans and El Dorado County to use Conservancy lands for projects to improve public safety and the environment along U.S. Highway 50 in South Lake Tahoe and Meyers.

Media contact: Chris Carney, Communications Director, chris.carney@tahoe.ca.gov, 530-543-6057

Media Resources:

• Map showing the potential environmentally sensitive land acquisition along the Upper Truckee River.
• Video about the Conservancy’s work to manage its open space lots for wildlife habitat, water quality, and wildfire risk.

###

The California Tahoe Conservancy is a state agency, established in 1985, with a mission to lead California’s efforts to restore and enhance the extraordinary natural and recreational resources of the Lake Tahoe Basin. Learn more at tahoe.ca.gov.