HomeMy Public PortalAboutChapter 1-Jan9-2015Chapter 1
Introduction
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C HAPTER 1 | INTRODUCTION J OERGER RANCH SPECIFIC PLAN
1 | Introduction
Th e Joerger Ranch Specifi c Plan Area has a long
history of development planning and buildout
conceptualization. As part of the 2025 General
Plan creation, guidance on future planning eff orts
was included in the Land Use Element for a range
of commercial, industrial and residential land uses.
Over the past ten years there have been numerous
zoning and land use plans proposed for Planned
Community-3 including New Urbanist and village
concepts. Ultimately these concepts were abandoned
in pursuit of a complementary but non-competitive
zoning and land use plan that supports Truckee’s
historic core. An economic analysis prepared by
Bay Area Economics in 2010 provided additional
guidance on business types that would help
diversify Truckee’s economy without creating a new
Downtown or passé strip shopping center. As part of
the 2012 Draft Joerger Ranch Specifi c Plan and Draft
Environmental Impact Report review, additional
community input was provided. Th e comments
received further shaped the specifi c plan into this
version which was adopted by the Town Council on
___________.
Key concepts covered in the Joerger Ranch Specifi c
Plan include economic diversifi cation, regional
business clustering and open space protection.
Buildout of the plan area is envisioned to bridge the
gap between the small specialty restaurant and retail
uses Downtown—Truckee’s heart and lifeblood—
and the large big-box-anchored supercenter that
would provide new sources of property tax and sales
tax but fundamentally confl icts with Truckee’s small
mountain town character.
2 | Plan Area
Th e Joerger Ranch Specifi c Plan area is situated along
one of only a few major travel corridors providing
access to Downtown Truckee and North Lake Tahoe.
Th e Truckee Tahoe Airport is located directly east of
the site and Interstate 80 is located approximately
1.5 miles to the north. Th is location provides a
FIGURE 1-1: JOERGER RANCH ZONING MAP
* ACREAGES EXCLUDE PROPOSED 60’ RIGHT-OF-WAY FOR MARTIS DRIVE. LOCATION OF FUTURE MARTIS DRIVE IS SHOWN
CONCEPTUALLY. ACTUAL LOCATION WILL BE DETERMINED DURING PROJECT-SPECIFIC SITE DESIGN FOR AREA WEST OF HWY 267.
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J OERGER RANCH SPECIFIC PLAN I NTRODUCTION | C HAPTER 1
unique opportunity to foster high quality economic
development that is both local- and regional-serving.
Th e property size of 66.7 acres can accommodate uses
that do not physically fi t elsewhere in Truckee and
would be best served in a regional location. Th e plan
area also creates opportunity to relocate uses from
Downtown including the Truckee River Corridor
that are no longer compatible. Although airport
operations and noise constraints from both the
airport and the existing roadways limit the possibility
of accommodating extensive residential uses in the
plan area, there is opportunity for workforce housing
in support of envisioned non-residential land uses.
Th e Specifi c Plan Area is highly visible from State
Route 267 and includes large sweeping views of the
surrounding Sierra Nevada Mountains providing the
opportunity to create a southern gateway entrance to
historic Downtown Truckee.
3 | Purpose
Th is Specifi c Plan establishes zoning, design
standards and guidelines for buildout of the plan
area. Th e purpose of the Joerger Ranch Specifi c
Plan is to provide the opportunity to strengthen and
diversify Truckee’s economy through fostering high
quality development that can fulfi ll key General Plan
economic development guiding principles including:
• Building upon the Town’s existing assets to
diversify and strengthen the local economy in
ways that are appropriate and responsive to
Truckee’s context and natural environment.
• Developing high-wage jobs in Truckee that
enable the local workforce to both live and
work in the Town.
• Focusing business attraction, retention, and
expansion eff orts on key economic sectors
that have the greatest likelihood of success in
Truckee.
• Maintaining and enhancing community
quality of life as a key competitive advantage.
• Promoting and enhancing the Town’s role
as a year-round tourist destination (Economic
Development Element Guiding Principle -
2025 General Plan).
4 | Authority
Th e Truckee General Plan designates the plan area
as Planned Community 3 (PC-3) which is similarly
designated as Planned Community (PC) on the
Truckee Zoning Map. Th e purpose of the PC zone
and General Plan land use designation is to require
the preparation of a Specifi c Plan. Th e Specifi c
Plan, called the Joerger Ranch Specifi c Plan aft er
the Joerger family (original land owner) includes
zoning, allowed land uses, development standards
and guidelines for buildout of the plan area. Th is
Specifi c Plan was prepared under the authority of the
Truckee Development Code (Zoning Ordinance)
with careful consideration to implement the goals
and polices of existing Town planning documents.
Th e Joerger Ranch Specifi c Plan was prepared under
the 2025 General Plan, the September 13, 2013
Development Code (Truckee Zoning Ordinance)
and the August 6, 2010 Bay Area Economics Report.
Th is Specifi c Plan serves as the zoning and land use
authority for all development within the Joerger
Ranch Specifi c Plan Area. Th e plan also serves as
a tool to guide development in a manner that is
consistent with Town planning and policy documents
including the General Plan, the Trails and Bikeways
Master Plan, and the River Revitalization Strategy.
Any land use, subdivision or development approved
in compliance with this Specifi c Plan is considered
consistent with all other adopted plans including the
General Plan.
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C HAPTER 1 | INTRODUCTION J OERGER RANCH SPECIFIC PLAN
5 | Specifi c Plan Overview
Th is Specifi c Plan is both a regulatory document and
a tool to guide development of the Joerger Ranch
Specifi c Plan Area in a manner that is consistent
with Town planning and policy documents
including the General Plan and Trails and Bikeways
Master Plan. Th e vision chapter (Chapter 1)
summarizes the general scale and character of
anticipated development within the Specifi c Plan
Area. Specifi c Plan standards and guidelines are
provided throughout the plan to help regulate and
guide the physical form of new development as well
as desired land uses. Development Standards are
mandatory and provide the minimum threshold for
development. Design Guidelines are intended as a
guide to assist property owners and project designers
in understanding the Town’s goals for attaining
high quality development. Design Guidelines
are preferred/recommend whereas Development
Standards are mandatory and non-discretionary.
Truckee is a special community that prides itself
on being a small, historic mountain Town and all
development within the Specifi c Plan shall refl ect
this character. Th is Specifi c Plan provides areas
of greater land use fl exibility in comparison to the
adopted Development Code, but also restricts some
land uses to ensure implementation of economic
clusters discussed further in the vision chapter
(Chapter 1). Th e Specifi c Plan is organized into the
following chapters:
• Chapter 1—Introduction: Discusses the
overall Specifi c Plan purpose; identifi es
the Specifi c Plan Area and explains the
organization of the Specifi c Plan.
• Chapter 2—Vision: Sets forth the vision
of the Specifi c Plan, and lists key goals and
policies to implement the vision.
• Chapter 3—Community and Regional
Context: Provides a description of the local
and regional setting—both as it physically
exists today and as it is planned for the future.
• Chapter 4—Land Use Standards and
Guidelines: Provides development standards
and guidelines for development within the
Specifi c Plan Area; includes the Zoning Map
and Economic Cluster Overlay Map.
• Chapter 5—Transportation: Describes
the transportation and circulation plan and
including vehicle, pedestrian, bicycle and
transit systems.
• Chapter 6—Public Services and
Infrastructure: Describes existing
infrastructure and details the needed
infrastructure improvements to serve
development within the Specifi c Plan Area.
• Chapter 7—Implementation and Phasing:
Provides implementation measures and
discusses project phasing within the Specifi c
Plan Area.
• Chapter 8—Glossary
• Appendicx A - 2025 General Plan
Consistency Matrix