Truckee 2040 General Plan and Downtown Truckee Plan Update

Ascent led a comprehensive update of the Truckee General Plan and the Downtown Truckee Plan, which were last updated in 2006 and 1997, respectively. The 2040 General Plan includes a new Climate Action Plan Element, the first in Truckee’s history. It also includes new mixed-use land use designations as part of a comprehensive approach to increasing housing development opportunities, reducing GHG emissions, supporting transit, and reducing vehicle miles traveled. The land use designations were developed in consideration of current state housing laws and projections of future housing needs. The 2040 General Plan also includes a robust Safety Element that addresses fuels reduction, fire prevention, and evacuation planning, as well as a new Mobility Element that emphasizes a broader range of solutions which consider safety, convenience, and accessibility for all users.

The General Plan update involved extensive community engagement. The update effort included an interactive project website (Truckee2040.com) that encouraged broad community engagement. Ascent and the Town kicked off the General Plan with a “House Truckee First” community workshop to identify appropriate opportunities to accommodate housing that meets the needs of Truckee residents. The Town Council created the General Plan Advisory Committee, a 19-member stakeholder group, as the primary public engagement platform. In total, the General Plan update included 36 agendized meetings and over 60 additional workshops, advisory community meetings, and other public engagement opportunities.

The 2040 General Plan was originally scheduled to be completed within 3 years. However, less than 2 years into the project, the COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed daily life in Truckee as remote work led to an influx of visitors staying longer, impacting local resources, and driving up already high housing prices. The community responded with concerns about increased housing densities further impacting quality of life. The project timeline was extended and the scope of work expanded to allow additional time and effort to respond to community concerns.

The 2040 General Plan also included a comprehensive, integrated approach to climate change that mitigates GHG emissions and provides for CEQA streamlining benefits while complying with the requirements of SB 379 to address climate vulnerability and adaptation.