Advisory board disagrees with TRPA

Thursday, Jan. 13, 2000 | 11:27 a.m.

TRPA staffers want the governing board to find that Nevada's Douglas and Washoe counties haven't done their "fair share" to provide low-income housing in the Tahoe Basin. Such a finding would mean a moratorium on subdivisions in certain parts of the counties.

However, the TRPA Advisory Planning Commission, which makes recommendations to the decision-making board, disagreed with staff Wednesday.

On a split vote, the planning commission said Douglas Washoe counties and California's Placer and El Dorado counties, along with South Lake Tahoe, Calif., have made adequate strides to provide affordable housing.

The disagreement stems from the fact that the TRPA doesn't clearly define the pass-fail line on affordable housing.

"We're being challenged to succeed and being judged when we don't know what the rules are," said Bob Sellman, a TRPA planning commission board member.

Sellman, also community development director of Washoe County, argued that Washoe County hasn't been as successful as possible with affordable housing because of impediments created by the TRPA's rules. That's a claim Douglas County leaders have often made.

Gabby Barrett, TRPA chief of long-range planning, disagreed, citing affordable housing projects the bistate agency approved but didn't move forward because of Washoe County inaction.

"I think it's completely unfair to say in Washoe County it's because of us," Barrett said.

TRPA's decision-making board is scheduled to hear the issue Jan. 26 in Kings Beach.