A Guide to the Papers of NZIE
(Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Records)
Collection NC1060

Walter E. MacKenzie/Tahoe Regional Planning Agency

Walter E. MacKenzie was a charter member from Nevada of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) from 1970-1974.

The TRPA, created in 1969, is the legal governing body for the Lake Tahoe Basin in California and Nevada. Its origins date from the mid-1950s, when the Tahoe region began to experience rapid growth due to the establishment of year round casinos and the growth of the region's skiing industry. Local residents realized that there was a need for a regional plan; one of their first efforts toward that goal was the Tahoe Improvement and Conservation Association (TICA), established in 1956 by west shore homeowners. From TICA came the Lake Tahoe Area Council in 1958, which was instrumental instigating basin-wide air and water pollution studies, stronger coordination between government entities, and concerns for special planning features.

Other similar, sometimes overlapping groups included the Nevada-California Lake Tahoe Association, initiated in 1957 by the Max C. Fleischmann Foundation; and the Lake Tahoe Area Council in 1958, sponsored by the Nevada-California Lake Tahoe Association. The latter instituted many studies on lake boating uses, public parks, a hotel-motel economy survey, and the phenomenal growth of the lake area; and produced a Tahoe area base map. All of these groups were unofficial with no governing authority.

The first official planning group originated in early 1958 when the Bi-County Planning Commission of California and the Tri-County Planning Commission of Nevada were formed. Their primary purpose was to seek solutions to common planning problems of the region; each county selected a delegate who in turn coordinated specific planning problems of the individual county with the regional aspects. Almost immediately, the Bi-Tri Commissions recommended formation of a new agency, the Tahoe Regional Planning Commission and its working arm, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.

Membership in the TRPC is composed of two appointees from each of the three Nevada counties and three from each of the two California counties. One of each counties' representatives is a county commissioner or supervisor whose district is located in the lake basin; the other appointee is a member of the planning commission of their respective county and also a resident of the Tahoe Basin. The Commission is assisted by the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), composed of the professional planning directors of each county and the City of South Lake Tahoe.

The TRPC since its inception has dealt with a variety of problems: parkways, roads, sewage, water, zoning rules and procedures, fills, breakwaters, subdivisions, and gaming. In its early years the TRPC sponsored extensive studies and analysis on critical subjects such as a population projection for the area.

At a joint session of the TRPC and the Lake Tahoe Area Council in December, 1964, the two bodies adopted a suggestion to form a Joint Study Committee regarding the feasibility of some form of regional approach to meet the basin-wide needs of Lake Tahoe. Their final recommendations were adopted by the California legislature in 1967 and by Nevada in 1968. This compact authorizes the Nevada Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the California Tahoe Regional Planning Agency to make all planning decisions for the Tahoe Basin.

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

This collection contains the papers of Walter E. MacKenzie reflecting his participation as a member of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency from 1970-1974. The material in the collection dates from 1958-1980 and includes records of TRPA as well as its predecessor organizations. The records are contained in 20 cubic feet; only the personnel records stored in box 20 are restricted.

The records include agendas, correspondence, minutes, reports and studies, ordinances, plans, personal notes, printed material concerning Lake Tahoe and subjects pertinent to Lake Tahoe, and newspaper clippings. Both the quantity and quality of these records make it possible to trace the history of coordinated planning/conservation efforts on behalf of the Lake Tahoe Basin, both informal and official in nature. Topics such as utility supplies, housing, subdivisions, casinos, recreation, sewage disposal, transportation, and water and air quality are extensively represented in subject files and official records such as minutes and ordinances. Other issues affecting the quality of life in the region are also well documented, as are economic resources such as the logging and tourist industries.

The collection includes a number of useful maps with information difficult to obtain from other sources. Examples include maps showing land capabilities, shore zones, land use planning, sub-regional traffic plans, watersheds, population capacities, and more.

Two other series provide an interesting contrast for the perplexing problems faced by planners: recreation and sewage (subgroup II, series 16 and 17). The recreation series provides much information on plans and policies for increasing the recreational use of the Tahoe Basin, while the sewage series attempts to deal with the practical problems resulting from that increased population of users. Other series such as those on public utilities and transportation offer still more information about the problems faced by planners in the Lake Tahoe.

Processed by: Susan Searcy, December 8, 1987

 

This collection is divided into the following subgroups and series:

Subgroup I Administration

Series 1 Advisory Planning Commission
Series 2 Agendas
Series 3 Budget and Finance
Series 4 Correspondence
Series 5 Goals and Policies
Series 6 Legal
Series 7 Legislation
Series 8 Minutes and Related Materials
Series 9 Memorandums
Series 10 Minutes, TRPA
Series 11 Ordinances
Series 12 Personnel (closed)

Subgroup II Reports, Publications, Subject Files

Series 1 Plans/Programs
Series 2 Public Hearings
Series 3 Publications
Series 4 Regulations
Series 5 Reports
Series 6 History
Series 7 Citizen's Committee
Series 8 Electrical Supply
Series 9 Environment
Series 10 Housing - Subdivisions - Incline Village
Series 11 Casinos
Series 12 Lake Tahoe Area Council
Series 13 League to Save Lake Tahoe
Series 14 Maps
Series 15 News Clippings and Printed Materials
Series 16 Recreation
Series 17 Sewage
Series 18 Tahoe Public Utility District
Series 19 Transportation
Series 20 Water
Series 21 Miscellaneous (primarily material added after initial donation of the collection).

 

Subgroup I: Administration, 1958-1978.

This subgroup documents the daily operations, finances, ordinances, recommendations, and legal workings of the TRPA, the Bi- and Tri-County Planning Commissions, and the Advisory Planning Commission (APC). Included are agendas and minutes of these governing and advisory entities, ordinances, correspondence, budgets, financial plans, goals and policy statements, legal opinions, legislation (from both California and Nevada), and personnel records of the Bi-County Commission (which are sealed).


Box 1

I/1 - Advisory Planning Commission, 1969-1974. Minutes, regulations, resolutions.
I/2 - Agendas, May 21, 1969 to Feb. 6, 1974.
I/3 - Budget and Finance, 1968-1973. TRPA - Federal aid program, 1968. Budget & finance, 1968-1969. Proposed work programs and budget, 1970. Budget and finance, 1970. Economic analysis of projected growth for the Lake Tahoe Basin, Oct. 1971. Special Committee on Economics of TRPA Plan, 1971. Budget and finance, 1971. Budget and finance, 1972-1973: procedures manual, advertisement. Application for federal assistance, July 17, 1973.


Box 2

I/4 - Correspondence, Aug. 30, 1962 - Jan. 11, 1978.
I/5 - Goals and Policies, 1969-1970. TRPA-Nevada goals and policies, 1969. Bi-State goals and policies, 1970.
I/6 - Legal, 1958-1973. Legal opinions, 1970. Lake Tahoe Water Problems Committee of the California-Nevada Inter-State Compact Commission. Reporter's transcript of hearing, Sept. 18, 1958. Court concerned papers, 1970-1971; 1973.


Box 3

I/7 - Legislation, 1964-1975. Nevada legislation, 1964. Legislation, 1967-1969; 1970-1975. California legislature, 1972.
I/8 - Minutes and Related Materials, 1968 - May 26, 1971. Nevada pending, 1968, 1969. California pending, 1968-1969. Meeting minutes, membership (Agency & TAC), 1969; membership, 1972. Minutes (TRPA), July 22, 1970 - May 26, 1971.


Box 4

I/8 - Minutes, con't. Minutes, June 23, 1971 - April 25, 1973.


Box 5

I/8 - Minutes, con't. Minutes, May 14, 1973 - 1976; and no date.
I/9 - Memorandums, 1968-1974; 1976.
I/10 - Minutes of Bi-County/Tri-County Planning Commission, 1959 - Sept. 1970.


Box 6

I/10 - Minutes, con't. Oct. 1970 - 1974.


Box 7

I/11 - Ordinances, 1968-1973. Ordinances, 1968. Timber ordinances draft. Ordinances, 1969. Ordinances adopted by CTRPA and NTRPA prior to March 19, 1970. Ordinances, 1970. TRPA - Nevada ordinances, 1970. Ordinances, 1971-1973; no date. Model land development ordinance. Land use and capability ordinance. NTRPA ordinances 2-9. Grading ordinance, 1972. Land development ordinance and land development manual for Lake Tahoe Basin Region. Shoreline ordinance - 1972. Subdivision ordinance - 1972. Land use ordinance - 1972. Timber harvesting ordinance - 1973. Tree conservation ordinance - 1973.
I/12 - Personnel (restricted). JTRPA executive officers, 1969. Bi-State personnel, 1970-1972.

 


Subgroup II: Reports, Publications and Subject Files, 1960-1980.

This subgroup includes many of the plans and reports issued by TRPA and similar advisory bodies, amendments to those plans, records of public hearings, regulations, a history of TRPA, Citizen's Committee materials, maps, newspaper clippings and other printed materials, and subject files. The subject files cover a full range of issues affecting the Tahoe Basin: electrical and other utilities supplies, the environment, housing, casinos, recreation, transportation, and water.


Box 8

II/1 - Plans/Programs, 1967-1980. General Plan, 1967-1972; no date.Nevada Tahoe General Plan, Jan. 1970. "The Plan for Lake Tahoe." Planning & Development, Washoe County, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, Oct. 1970. General Plan Amendments, 1974. Overall Work Program TRPA, Fiscal Years 1975-1979. TRPA 1974 Comprehensive Planning Program. Lake Tahoe General Plan, Placer County, 1966. Regional Plans. A Strategy and Program for Implementation of the Lake Tahoe 1980 Regional Plan. Preliminary, Oct. 1965. Technical Supplement, Preliminary Plan, Lake Tahoe 1980 Regional Plan Program.


Box 9

II/1 - Plans/Programs, con't. Proposed Regional Plan, Lake Tahoe Region California-Nevada. May 17, 1971. A Comprehensive Regional Planning Program for the Lake Tahoe Region: TRPA Overall Program Design, 1973-1975 (final and draft). Regional Capital Programming Plans (first draft), 1973-1977. Shoreline Plan for Lake Tahoe (preliminary draft), May, 1973. Capital Programming Plans, Lake Tahoe Region, June, 1973. Regional Plan, Lake Tahoe 1980 Regional Plan Program (preliminary). Lake Tahoe 1980 Regional Plan. Interim Plan, 1970-1971. Staff Plan, 1971-1972. Re-vegetation Plan, 1969-1971. Suggested Land Use and Development Controls, Jan. 20, 1970. Land Use, Washoe County, 1971-1972. Geology for Land Use Planning in the Tahoe Basin, 1971.bResolutions, 1971.


Box 10

II/2 - Public Hearings, 1968-1972.
II/3 - Publications, 1968-1977. Lake Tahoe, Vols. 12-16. North Tahoe Chamber Digest, 1968; 1972-1977. TRPA News, 1972-1974.
II/4 - Regulations, 1962-1973. Shoreline regulations, 1962-1971. Rules and Regulations of Practice and Procedure of TRPA, 1970; 1971; 1973.
II/5 - Reports, 1967-1973. Shore-zone, Environment, Statistical Data, Regional Plan Report, Housing. Fire, Suitability, Reconnaissance, Industrial Survey, Population, Transportation, Fisheries, Climate & Air Quality. Reports and analyses, 1972-1973. TAC reports, Jan., 1969 - 1972; no date. Local government reports, 1970-1972. Report to President, 1970-1973. Reports to Commissioners, 1969; 1971-1972. Public Works reports, 1969; 1971. LTAC report to the TRPA and its APC on the future of Lake Tahoe. Report of the Lake Tahoe Joint Study Committee, March, 1967. Pyramid Lake Task Force, final report, Dec., 1971. The Bullwheel, Dec., 1972. Lake Tahoe Open Space Element, Nov. 6, 1972. TRPA 1973 Annual Progress Report.
II/6 - History, 1960-1970.
II/7 - Citizen's Committee, 1970-1971; 1974-1975.


Box 11

II/8 - Electrical Supply, 1968-1976. Environmental Impact Analysis, Alternative Transmission Corridors, Carson Range-Lake Tahoe, Nevada for Sierra Pacific Power Co., Reno, NV. An Introduction to P.I.P., Jan., 1968. The Electric Utility Industry and the Public in the Early 1970s, Nov. - Dec., 1969. Lake Tahoe Basin Electrical Supply Master Plan, Engineering Report, Preliminary, Feb. 9, 1971. Lake Tahoe Region Electrical Supply, 1971. North Lake Tahoe Electrical Supply Study, Preliminary, Mar. 29, 1972. South Lake Tahoe Electrical Supply Study and Analysis of Alternate Transmission Line Routes, May 19, 1972. Transmission Alignment Study, Aug. 1972. Nev. P.S.C. and rate cases, Oct. 1976.
II/9 - Environment, 1968-1972. Environmental Statement of TRPA, 1968-1972. Environmental plans, 1969-1970. Environmental Planning Conference, 1970. Bi-State - Forest Service Tahoe Plan, 1969-1971. Forest, 1969-1972. Air pollution, 1972. Tahoe Vegetation-Soil Protection Symposium, Oct. 24, 1968. Forest and Watershed Management Program, Lake Tahoe Basin, April 15, 1969. Embrio [sic]. Recommendations of the Logging Standards Committee. Industry Concern for the Environmental Heritage, Nov. 1970. Placer County's Symposium on Lake Tahoe Environment, June, 1970. Preserving Nevada's Environmental Heritage, Nov. 1970. A Scenic Analysis of the Lake Tahoe Region, Mar. 12, 1971. Wildlife of the Lake Tahoe Region, May, 1971. Fisheries of Lake Tahoe and its Tributary Waters, May, 1971. Scenic Analyses of the Lake Tahoe Region, June, 1971. Vegetation of the Lake Tahoe Region, June, 1971. Response to B.O.R. Draft Environmental Statement -news clippings, Aug., 1971. Climate and Air Quality of the Lake Tahoe Region, Sept., 1971. Lake Tahoe: An Environmental Impact Statement, Jan., 1972. The Quality of the Environment, Aug. 3, 1972.


Box 12

II/10 - Housing - Subdivision - Incline Village, 1963-1973.nBi-State - Sierra Pacific Power Co. Tahoe City Property, 1971-1972. TRPA - Whittell Properties, 1970. Bi-State -Underground, Vacant Lots, Whispering Pines, 1970-1971. Bi-State - Dwelling Units, 1970. Housing Element Update, Lake Tahoe Region, June, 1973. Housing Study of the Lake Tahoe Basin, April, 197l. Regional Housing Element Update, Dec., 1972. EDAW - Tahoe City Urban Design Study. Bi-State - Pine Hill Subdivision, 1971-1972. Mountain Shadows. Saint Isadore Ranch/Bolster Ranch, 1963-1964. Subdivision controls, 1967-1970. Subdivision Planning and Zoning, Bulletin No. 106, Dec., 1972. Carnelian Woods, 1970. Lake Country Estates, June, 1972. Incline Panorama. Incline Village, 1969; 1971-1972. Incline Village General Improvement District.


Box 13

II/11 - Casinos, 1970-1971. Harrah's Highrise Hotel, 1970-1971. Harvey's Resort Hotel: environmental information report. Harvey's Resort Hotel: project summary.
II/12 - Lake Tahoe Area Council Minutes, Dec. 1969 - Sept. 1973.
II/13 - League to Save Lake Tahoe, 1968-1974.
II/14 - Maps. Final NTRPA maps. General Soil Map with Soil Interpretations for Land Use Planning. Tahoe Basin, California-Nevada, Sept., 1971. Lake Tahoe Basin, Land Capabilities. Shore Zone Map. Sierra Pacific Power Company Map. Stateline Study, Sub-regional Traffic Plan. Lake Tahoe TRPA Map, Watershed, Population Capacity. Incline Village Vicinity Map. Stateline Sub-area Traffic Plan, Douglas County, NV. Proposed Highway. Incline Village Unit No. 3 Maps. Lake Tahoe Area, El Dorado, Tahoe and Toiyabe National Forests. Street Map, Lake Tahoe Communities.


Box 14

II/15 - News Clippings, Printed Materials, 1968-1977. Miscellaneous clippings. TRPA press clippings, 1968-1971. Bi-State clippings, 1971. Bi-State sewage news clippings, 1971. TRPA sewage news clippings, 1972.


Box 15

II/15 - News Clippings, con't. TRPA news clippings, 1972. TRPA and CTRPA news clippings, 1975 - Dec., 1977. Tahoe news clippings, Aug. - Oct. 1977.

 

Box 16

II/15 - News Clippings, con't.Miscellaneous newspaper clippings and other printed materials.
II/16 - Recreation, 1963-1974. TRPA, Sand Harbor, UNSILT, 1969. Bi-State, Ski Lane, 1970. Bi-State, Tahoe State Park, 1970. Bi-State, Slope Policy Considerations, 1971. Incline Village Recreation Com., 1972-1973. Proposed Tahoe Park, 1963. Water Based Recreation in Nevada: Western Desert and Northern Lakes, 1967. Water Based Recreation in Nevada: Statistical Appendix, 1968. North Lake Tahoe Regional Recreation Center, Interim Report, 1968. Douglas County, Nevada Recreation Plan, 1969. An Analysis of the Recreation Resources of the Lake Tahoe Region, 1971. Recreation Resources of the Lake Tahoe Region, Aug. 1971. Conservation, Recreation and Open Space Elements, Lake Tahoe Region, June, 1973. California Dept. of Parks and Recreation, 1974.


Box 17

II/17 - Sewage, 1958-1975. Sewage reports, 1968-1974. Cinder Cone, Lake Tahoe, 1975. South Tahoe Sewerage Survey, 1958-1959. Comprehensive Study on Protection of Water Resources of Lake Tahoe Basin Through Controlled Waste Disposal, June, 1963. Sewerage Master Plan, Lake Tahoe Basin, Douglas County, Nev., March, 1968. Study of Solid Waste Management in the Lake Tahoe Area, Feb., 1969. Sewage Collection, Treatment and Disposal, 1970-1971. The Cinder Cone, Mar. 16, 1973. Water and Sewer Planning and Programming, June, 1973.
II/18 - Tahoe Public Utility District, 1970-1975. Tahoe City Public Utility District, Water, Sewerage, 1970-1975. South Tahoe Public Utility District, Information, 1972.
II/19 - Transportation, 1967-1974. Transportation Planning Alternatives in the Tahoe Basin, 1970. Control of Highway-Produced Situation, July, 1971.


Box 18

II/19 - Transportation, con't. Highways, 1967, 1969, 1971. Bi-State-tramways, transportation policies, 1970-1972. Tahoe Area Regional Transportation Study Work Program, Sept., 1972. Design Guidelines, Jan., 1973. Addendum to Transportation and Circulation Portion, Environmental Information Report, Harvey's Resort Hotel, July 16, 1973. Tahoe Regional Transportation Study, Jan. 1, 1974. Tahoe Regional Transportation Study, Dec., 1974.
II/20 - Water, 1958-1973. Water, 1966-1972. Breakwaters, 1969-1970. Hydraulic investigations, 1969-1971. Lake Tahoe National Seashore, the Lake Tahoe Story, 1971. Lake Tahoe Water Problems Committee meeting, July, 1958. Third and fourth meetings of the Lake Tahoe Water Problems Committee, July, 1958. Comprehensive Study on Protection of Water Resources of Lake Tahoe Basin Through Controlled Waste Disposal, June, 1963. Report of Field Investigation of Water Filings and Diversions in the Lake Tahoe Basin, Nev., Dec., 1966. Location of Hydraulic Gages in Nevada and the Adjacent Sierra Nevada, March, 1967. Lake Tahoe Water Quality Control Policy, Addendum Regarding Implementation, May, 1967. A Regional Program for the Protection of Water Resources in the Lake Tahoe-Truckee Basin, July, 1967. Local Moisture and Precipitation, Aug., 1967. Eutrophication of Surface Water, Lake Tahoe, Bioassay of Nutrient Sources, May, 1968. Sedimentation and Erosion in the Upper Truckee River and Trout Creek Watershed, July, 1969. Water Resources, Information Series Report 8. A Reconnaissance of Streamflow and Fluvial Sediment Transport, 1971. Report on Water Resources n the Lake Tahoe Basin, Mar. 3, 1971. Report on Water Supply and Distribution in the Lake Tahoe Basin, Mar. 30, 1971. Report on Lake Tahoe Basin Storm Drainage, April 1, 1971. Preliminary Interim Water Quality Management Plan, April, 1971. The Shore-Zone System for Lake Tahoe, May, 1971. Limnology and Water Quality of the Lake Tahoe Region, May, 1971. Eutrophicaiton of Surface Waters, Lake Tahoe, May, 1971. Hydrology and Water Resources of the Lake Tahoe Region, June, 1971. Limnology and Water Quality of the Lake Tahoe Region, July, 1971. Eutrophication of Surface Waters, Lake Tahoe Indian Creek Reservoir, July, 1971. Lake Tahoe Water, Wastewater, and Drainage, Feb., 1973.


Box 19

II/21 - Miscellaneous. Draft Proposal for Implementation of the Tahoe Regional Plan, June 8, 1971. Checklist, Building Adjustment, 1969. Governor's messages, investigator, 1969. Bi-State: Washoe Board of Adjustment, Washoe County voucher, 1970-1972. Bi-State: appointment and disclosure statements of MacKenzie. Nevada Operating Procedures, 1960. Excerpts of Remarks of Gov. Ronald Reagan, Long Beach, Joint Service Clubs, April 7, 1972. Misc. information. Placer County Scenic Road Design Guide. General prospectus, Livingston and Blayney. Tahoe Population Estimates and Projections, June, 1972. Lake Tahoe Area Research Coordination Board, forum proceedings, 1974. North and South Lake Tahoe (Tahoe City Urban Design Study). Bi-State, Tahoe City, 1972; Bi-State Tahoe, A Second Look, 1970. TRPA ordinance regarding cutting of trees. Bi-State Compact: Nev. Revised Statutes, 1972. Bi-State: Voice of Incline, Crystal Bay, 1971. Bi-State: Tunney Bill, 1971-1972. Fourteen Thousand Planners: A Planning Program for the City of South Lake Tahoe, July, 1967. Design guides, 1970-1971.