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TITLECORRIDOR STRATEGIES
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 65
Introduction
The Gateway Area has a rich history supporting the Truckee community
as the primary area of town for “locals” to access commercial, retail,
dining, employment, medical and academic uses. The community
and Town see tremendous potential in enhancing and transforming
this neighborhood so it can even better serve its important roles for
Truckee. This includes further improving streetscapes and mobility,
creating opportunities for new mixed-use projects, developing much-
needed workforce and senior housing, and truly becoming a unique,
sustainable and healthy neighborhood today and for generations to
come.
In order for this innovative vision to be fully achieved, there will need to
be persistent and coordinated efforts among many parties. A series of
new or refined strategies should be implemented to address land use
planning, zoning and development standards, economic development
approaches, and community partnerships. This chapter provides
details on the specific strategies that support the five Vision Elements
included in the Vision Framework.
In this chapter
Introduction
Vision Elements:
A. Unique
B. Welcoming
C. Supportive
D. Connected
E. Healthy
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
VISION
ELEMENTS
B.
Welcoming
A thriving destination
for residents,
students, workers,
and visitors
D.
Connected
A pedestrian and
bicycle friendly,
interlinked, and multi-
modal corridor
E.
Healthy
A place that fosters
community health
and interactions
A.
Unique
A place that
celebrates its historic
Truckee character
C.
Supportive
A place that contains
housing, businesses,
and services for the
Truckee community
CHARACTER
AREAS
B.1 Enhance Local
Shopping, Dining,
and Entertainment
B.2 Promote Education
and Recreation for
all Ages
B.3 Improve Signage
and Wayfinding
B.4 Install Art that
Highlights Truckee’s
History, Character, and
Local Artists
D.1 Create a Pedestrian and
Bicycle Friendly Corridor
D.2 Improve Connectivity
and Mobility for All Users
D.3 Manage Parking Areas
D.4 Enhance Transit Service
and Rider Amenities
D.5 Improve Corridor
Lighting and Nighttime
Safety
D.6 Promote “Smart”
Transportation
Technologies
E.1 Provide a Variety of
Active and Passive
Community Gathering
Spaces
E.2 Create a "Green
Gateway" Corridor
E.3 Enhance Medical and
Hospital Services and
Amenities
E.4 Promote Sustainable
Building and Site
Design
A.1 Maintain the Gateway
Area’s Unique Identity
while Supporting New
Uses
A.2 Create a Sense of Place
and Community
A.3 Ensure Buildings have
an Appropriate Size,
Articulation and
Placement
A.4 Protect Views to
Mountains and Nature
C.1 Create Workforce
and Senior Housing
Opportunities
C.2 Support Local and
Small Businesses
C.3 Include a Mix of
Resident-Serving
Businesses and Uses
C.4 Ensure Businesses Can
Operate Year Round
Western Gateway
STRATEGIES
Vision Framework
Central Gateway Eastern Gateway
The Vision Framework, presented
earlier in Chapter 3 and shown on the
diagram to the left, can be viewed
as an overarching tool for organizing
the community’s vision into specific
strategies that will guide the Gateway
Area’s transformation. The following
pages provide details on the various
strategies, including new projects and
proposed changes to standards and
processes in the Town Development
Codes, that are envisioned for the
Gateway Area. These strategies are
informed by community input and ideas,
feedback from property owners and
other stakeholders, and the technical
analysis conducted by the Project Team
during the planning process.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY66
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
VISION
ELEMENTS
B.
Welcoming
A thriving destination
for residents,
students, workers,
and visitors
D.
Connected
A pedestrian and
bicycle friendly,
interlinked, and multi-
modal corridor
E.
Healthy
A place that fosters
community health
and interactions
A.
Unique
A place that
celebrates its historic
Truckee character
C.
Supportive
A place that contains
housing, businesses,
and services for the
Truckee community
CHARACTER
AREAS
B.1 Enhance Local
Shopping, Dining,
and Entertainment
B.2 Promote Education
and Recreation for all Ages
B.3 Improve Signage and Wayfinding
B.4 Install Art that
Highlights Truckee’s
History, Character, and
Local Artists
D.1 Create a Pedestrian and Bicycle Friendly Corridor
D.2 Improve Connectivity and Mobility for All Users
D.3 Manage Parking Areas
D.4 Enhance Transit Service and Rider Amenities
D.5 Improve Corridor Lighting and Nighttime Safety
D.6 Promote “Smart” Transportation Technologies
E.1 Provide a Variety of
Active and Passive Community Gathering
Spaces
E.2 Create a "Green
Gateway" Corridor
E.3 Enhance Medical and Hospital Services and
Amenities
E.4 Promote Sustainable
Building and Site
Design
A.1 Maintain the Gateway
Area’s Unique Identity while Supporting New
Uses
A.2 Create a Sense of Place and Community
A.3 Ensure Buildings have an Appropriate Size,
Articulation and
Placement
A.4 Protect Views to
Mountains and Nature
C.1 Create Workforce
and Senior Housing Opportunities
C.2 Support Local and
Small Businesses
C.3 Include a Mix of
Resident-Serving Businesses and Uses
C.4 Ensure Businesses Can Operate Year Round
Western Gateway
STRATEGIES
Vision Framework
Central Gateway Eastern Gateway
VISION ELEMENT A
UNIQUE
To become a truly great corridor,
Truckee’s history, culture, and
community fabric must all shine
throughout the Gateway Area. People
need to be able to walk down the
street to buy convenient and fresh
groceries. Local residents need choices
for affordable, quality housing that have
access to a variety of transportation
options. And, the rich history and
unique mountain character that has
shaped Truckee should be highlighted
throughout. Combined, this wide
range of uses, ideas, and opportunities
creates a dynamic, inclusive corridor
that supports and strengthens the local
community.
With an emphasis on embracing the
local culture and history, providing
needed facilities and services, and
addressing the current and future
housing and shopping needs of a diverse
community, the following strategies are
needed to support creating a unique
Gateway Area:
»STRATEGY A.1: Maintain the
Gateway Area’s Unique Identity while
Supporting New Uses.
»STRATEGY A.2: Create a Sense of
Place and Community.
»STRATEGY A.3: Ensure Buildings have
an Appropriate Size, Articulation and
Placement.
»STRATEGY A.4: Protect Views to
Mountains and Nature.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 67
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY A.1
MAINTAIN THE GATEWAY AREA’S
UNIQUE IDENTITY WHILE
SUPPORTING NEW USES
GOAL
Support and enhance the unique and
eclectic character of the Gateway Area so
it remains a truly special place for locals
and visitors alike, while also encouraging
new mixed-use and multi-family projects
that support affordable, workforce and
senior housing needs.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
As the number of residents grow
every year and the town develops to
accommodate this growing population,
it is critical to maintain the character
of Truckee and ensure the community
does not lose the eclecticism that has
attracted residents and visitors for
decades. At the same time, it is also
important to allow new development
types and residential unit sizes that are
appropriate for the area, financeable for
developers, and affordable for the local
workforce. The following are potential
changes to the Town Development
Code that will allow new types of uses
to locate in the Gateway Area while
maintaining the unique character, charm
and functionality of the area for the
community.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Incorporate the Gateway Area
Vision Strategy Diagram into the
2040 General Plan. As part of the
current General Plan Update process,
incorporate the policy direction of
the Gateway Area Vision Strategy
Diagram (see Figure 6) into the new
2040 General Plan. This includes
establishing policy and land uses that
are consistent with the unique visions
described for the Western Gateway,
Central Gateway and Eastern Gateway
areas (see Chapter 3). This will ensure,
at a General Plan policy level, that the
right blend of land use intensities,
types of uses and activities, and
appropriate transitions between
corridor uses and surrounding
residential neighborhoods are
maintained.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY68
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
b. Create a new Gateway Area Overlay
District: Create a new “Gateway Area
Overlay District” that establishes
development expectations and
incentives specifically applied to
property within the Gateway Area.
These development standards and
incentives will be different than other
areas of town due to the unique
character and needs of this area. To
create this new overlay district, the
Town will need to:
»Add a new section to
Development Code Chapter 18.20
(Overlay Zoning Districts) that
incorporates the new “Gateway
Area Overlay District.” This section
of the code will identify the
specific development standard
deviations that apply only to
properties within this area. Since
this will become an overlay
district, if a specific development
standard is not included in the
Gateway Area Overlay District
section of Chapter 18.20, the
standard will default back to the
existing standard included in that
zoning district.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 69
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
»Replace Development Code
Zoning Map Sheet #28 (FAR
Incentive Infill Area) with a new
map depicting the “Gateway
Area (-GA) Overlay District.” The
boundary for this new overlay
area should match the Innovate
Gateway Study Area boundary.
c. Rezone General Commercial (CG)
parcels to Mixed-Use (MU) in the
Gateway Area Overlay District:
Consider rezoning parcels currently
zoned General Commercial (CG)
to a new Mixed-Use (MU) zoning
district (see Figure 11). This new
MU district will provide more
opportunities and greater flexibility
for creating affordable, workforce
and senior housing projects that
include a commercial component.
The MU zoning district will include
the following revised development
standards (which are also
summarized in Table 3):
»Floor Area Ratio (FAR): Individual
projects are allowed a total FAR
of 1.25, inclusive of all commercial
and residential uses.
»Commercial Component: At least
25 percent of the total FAR must
be dedicated to commercial
uses that are not associated
with any residential component.
Commercial uses will be required
on the ground floor for all
structures fronting Donner Pass
Road. Objective Design Standards
also require each commercial
tenant space adjacent to Donner
Pass Road to provide a substantial
pedestrian entrance and
commercial glazing.
»Residential Component:
Residential density will be 12-24
dwelling units per acre, included
in the total FAR for each mixed-
use site. Stand-alone multi-family
projects are not permitted in
the mixed-use zone. For any
residential units, the maximum
average living area shall not
exceed 1,000 square feet.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY70
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
d. Rezone the Truckee Donner Public
Utility District Office and Vehicle/
Storage Property: Consider rezoning
the property from Public Facilities
(PF) to Mixed-Use (MU) within the
Gateway Area Overlay District. As
later suggested in Strategy C.1.k,
relocation of these facilities should
be considered. Regardless of the
relocation status, rezoning the
property will allow the current use to
continue but also add value to the
property for potential redevelopment
in the future. The purpose of this
strategy is to provide opportunities for
additional mixed-use projects in the
Gateway Area while also supporting
TDPUD’s operations.
e. Rezone the Health Care Hub
Parcels: Consider re-zoning
properties within the Health Care
Hub Designation (see Figure 6) that
have been acquired by the Tahoe
Forest Hospital District into the
existing Public Facilities (PF) zoning
district or into a new Hospital Campus
zoning district. This would include
their properties currently within the
General Commercial, Neighborhood
Commercial and Residential zoning
districts as well as the Upper McIver
Dairy property adjacent to I-80. The
goal is to specify the properties that
will ultimately be incorporated in the
Hospital District’s Master Plan.
f. Remove Allowed Residential
Density on the Lower McIver
Dairy Site: Consider removing the
allowed residential density on the
Lower McIver Dairy site for the
purpose of clarifying the Town’s
intent to preserve open space on this
important community resource.
g. Create a Single-Family Residential
Zone Duplex Option: Consider
allowing parcels currently zoned RS-X
in the Gateway District Overlay Area
to increase density to help better
disperse housing and create duplexes
which is a needed workforce housing
type. This change is consistent with
California Senate Bill 9 (2021) which:
»Requires approval of two units or a
two-unit subdivision on any parcel
zoned for single-family residential
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 71
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
development that is within an
urbanized area and not located in a
hazard zone for fires, earthquakes
or floods, and not located in a
historical district.
»Prohibits demolition of existing
affordable units, units under
rent control, or development of a
property where tenants have been
evicted within the last three years.
»Prohibits zoning standards such as
setbacks or design requirements
that would prevent development of
two 800 square foot units.
»Prohibits any units created under
this proposed approach to be used
as short-term vacation rentals.
»Due to the Gateway’s proximity
to transit, services, education,
employment centers, etc., to
encourage implementation of
SB9 options in this area, consider
allowing single-family zoned
properties within the Gateway Area
Overlay District to be considered
for more leniency beyond the
standard allowances provided
within SB9. For example, the Town
may consider that property owners
would not have to live in one of the
units for a 3-year minimum if the
owner deed restricts one or both of
the units to 120% AMI or less.
h. Modify Planned Development
Requirements: The Town currently
allows deviations to development
standards for high quality projects
that achieve community goals
through a Planned Development
land use permit. To provide additional
flexibility and incentives for
redevelopment within the Gateway
Area, consider exempting projects
that are consistent with the goals of
this document from the “Mandatory
Project Features” portion of
Development Code Section 18.78.040.
All other findings for a Planned
Development approval would still be
required.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY72
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
Figure 11
Proposed Gateway Area
Overlay District Zoning
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 73
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
Table 3: Gateway Area Development Standards
Single Family Residential (RS-X)
Residential
Density
One single-family unit per lot, one accessory dwelling
unit, and one junior accessory dwelling unit in
compliance with 18.58.025 (Accessory Dwelling Units).
Gateway Area Overlay District Deviations
Allows approval of two units or a two-unit subdivision
on any parcel zoned for single-family residential
development that is within an urbanized area and
not located in a hazard zone for fires, earthquakes or
floods, and not located in a historical district.
Floor Area Ratio No maximum FAR.
Setbacks
Required
Front: 20 ft.; 20 ft. on parcels of 3 acres or larger.
Side: 10 ft.; 30 ft. on parcels of 3 acres or larger.
Street-side: 15 ft.; 30 ft. on parcels of 3 acres or larger.
Rear: 20 ft.; 30 ft. on parcels of 3 acres or larger.
Site Coverage 40% maximum; 50% maximum on lots of 10,000 sq. ft.
or smaller.
Open Space
For individual lots, none required other than provided
by setback areas and maximum site coverage
requirements.
Height Limit 35 ft. or 3½ stories, whichever is less.
Landscaping None required.
Parking and
Loading
As required by Chapter 18.48 (Parking and Loading
Standards).
Parcel
Subdivisions
Parcels shall not be further subdivided.
Gateway Area Overlay District Deviations
Parcels can be subdivided to create individual
ownership parcels for new duplex infill units.
Note: The table identifies current Development Standards. Deviations to these
standards based on the proposed Gateway Area Overlay District are shown in red.
PROPOSED ZONING CHANGES INCLUDED IN THE
NEW “GATEWAY AREA OVERLAY DISTRICT”
As noted above in Strategy A.1.b, the Town can create
a new “Gateway Area Overlay District” that would
apply only to property within the Gateway Area. This
new overlay district will provide flexibility for the Town
to alter development standards and provide specific
incentives that will help achieve workforce housing
through new mixed-use and multi-family projects.
Table 3 on this and the following pages identifies
the current development standards for each zoning
district in the Gateway Area (black text). Additional
red text is added to identify proposed deviations to
these development standards that would apply only
to property within the Gateway Area.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY74
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
Mixed-Use District (MU)*
Residential
Density
Varies based on the size of the project.
Gateway Area Overlay District Deviations
12-24 dwelling units per acre for mixed-use projects.
Stand-alone multi-family residential projects are not
permitted
Floor Area Ratio
(FAR)
0.20 FAR
Gateway Area Overlay District Deviations
1.25 FAR, inclusive of all commercial and residential
uses. 25 percent of the total FAR must be dedicated
to commercial uses and not associated with any
residential component.
Setbacks
Required
None, except as may be required through land use
permit conditions of approval to address screening,
landscaping, design guidelines and other land use
and visual compatibility issues.
Gateway Area Overlay District Deviations
Front: Enough distance from face-of-curb to allow for
a minimum 5‐foot sidewalk and 4-foot landscaping
area fronting Donner Pass Road. 20-foot maximum.
Side: 10 feet minimum.
Rear: 20 feet for commercial or mixed-use buildings
to create a neighborhood transition buffer when
adjacent to single-family residential.
Upper Floor Stepbacks: 10 feet minimum (when
facing Donner Pass Road) and 5 feet minimum
(on the rear) starting at the third story or 30 feet
(whichever is less), measured from the lower story
building walls.
Site Coverage 70% maximum.
Mixed-Use District (MU) continued
Open Space and
Landscaping
20% or in compliance with 18.46 (Open Space/Cluster
Requirements), whichever is greatest.
Gateway Area Overlay District Deviations
Mixed-use projects (only) will not be subject to
the open space standards of Table 2-9 (General
Development Standards). Landscaping standards and
stormwater mitigation will still be required.
Height Limit 50 feet or 3½ stories, whichever is less.
Mixed-Use
Component
Varies based on the size of the project.
Gateway Area Overlay District Deviations
25 percent of the total FAR must be dedicated to
commercial uses. Mixed-use can be either vertical
(same building) or horizontal (same site).
Outdoor Activities
All sales, displays and storage shall be conducted
within an enclosed building, unless outdoor activities
are approved in compliance with 18.58.190 (Outdoor
Display and Sales Standards) and 18.58.200 (Outdoor
Storage and Work Areas).
Parking and
Loading
As required by Chapter 18.48 (Parking and Loading
Standards).
Unit Size
Calculations
Density is determined by Dwelling Unit Equivalents
based on the number of bedrooms (studio= .5 units / 1
bdr = .67 units / 2 bdr = .8 units / 3 bdr+ = 1 unit)
Gateway Area Overlay District Deviations
The new FAR approach will remove the Dwelling Unit
Equivalent calculations. For any residential unit, the
maximum average living area shall not exceed 1,000
square feet.
Individual Tenant
Space Size
Maximum individual tenant space of 40,000 sq. ft.
Gateway Area Overlay District Deviations
A retail trade use or business shall not exceed 20,000
square feet of gross floor space. Planned Development
can be considered on a case-by-case basis for no more
than a maximum of 30,000 square feet.
Table 3: Gateway Area Development Standards (continued)
Note: The table identifies current Development Standards. Deviations to these standards
based on the proposed Gateway Area Overlay District are shown in red.
* The Mixed-Use District is proposed as a new district that will replace the current
General Commercial-CG district. Black text in the table above identifies current CG
district development standards.
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
Resource Conservation (RC)
Residential
Density
One single-family unit per lot, one accessory dwelling
unit, and one junior accessory dwelling unit in
compliance with 18.58.025 (Accessory Dwelling Units).
Gateway Area Overlay District Deviations
No residential density permitted on the Lower
McIver Dairy site.
Floor Area Ratio
(FAR)Not applicable.
Setbacks
Required
Front: 30 ft.
Side: 30 ft.; 10 ft. on parcels less than 3 acres.
Street-side: 30 ft.
Rear: 30 ft.; 20 ft. on parcels less than 3 acres.
Site Coverage 20% maximum; 40% maximum on parcels less
than 3 acres.
Open Space
Permanent open space shall be provided in
compliance with 18.46 (Open Space/Cluster
Requirements).
Height Limit 35 ft. or 3½ stories, whichever is less.
Landscaping As required by Chapter 18.40 (Landscape Standards).
Mixed-Use
Component Not applicable.
Parking and
Loading
As required by Chapter 18.48 (Parking and Loading
Standards).
Note: The table identifies current Development Standards. Deviations to these
standards based on the proposed Gateway Area Overlay District are shown in red.
Table 3: Gateway Area Development Standards
Public Facilities (PF) and Public Facilities/Hospital Campus (PF/HC)
Residential
Density Determined through land use permit process.
Floor Area Ratio
(FAR)Determined through land use permit process.
Setbacks
Required
Front: 20 ft.; 30 ft. on lots of 3 acres or larger.
Side: Determined through land use permit process.
Street-side: Determined through land use permit
process.
Rear: Determined through land use permit process.
Gateway Area Overlay District Deviations
Upper Floor Stepbacks: 10 feet minimum (when
facing Donner Pass Road) and 5 feet minimum
(on the rear) starting at the third story or 30 feet
(whichever is less), measured from the lower story
building walls.
Site Coverage 40%, maximum.
Open Space
Permanent open space shall be provided in
compliance with 18.46 (Open Space/
Cluster Requirements).
Height Limit 35 feet or 3.5 stories, whichever is less.
Landscaping As required by Chapter 18.40 (Landscaping).
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY76
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY A.2
CREATE A SENSE OF PLACE
AND COMMUNITY
GOAL
Transform the Gateway Area and Donner
Pass Road into a welcoming, unique and
inviting place for community members,
workers and visitors.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
While the Gateway Area includes
multiple commercial destinations for
residents and visitors to enjoy, many
people pass through the corridor
without truly engaging with the space.
Some areas are dark after working
hours, sidewalks are non-existent,
and large empty parking lots create
a less welcoming environment that
deters people from spending time and
experiencing the corridor. Improved
urban design and public space
activation, as well as new culturally
diverse small businesses, will bring more
vitality and enjoyment to the area.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Create a Culturally Connected
Corridor: Design and program
Donner Pass Road as a cultural
corridor that connects Truckee
neighborhoods and destinations
through art, design, wayfinding,
programming, and promotion. This
can be achieved by integrating
elements such as local artists’ work
into public areas (streetscape, plazas,
roundabout islands), historical
information on the Lincoln Highway
(interpretive signage, additional
markers), and educational areas that
support student programs.
b. Promote a Diversity of Businesses:
Ensure that local and culturally
diverse businesses are located and
supported in the Gateway Area.
These businesses should reflect the
Truckee lifestyle and community.
This can be done through business
attraction and retention policies that
call for the Town to play an active role
in recruiting local businesses to the
Gateway Area.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 77
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
c. Develop Flexible Gathering Spaces:
Create multi-purpose and flexible
gathering spaces within larger
parking lots where temporary
programming and events can be
held. Encourage businesses with
larger parking areas to create
design elements and features that
allow portions of the parking to be
converted to temporary flexible
gathering spaces. This strategy is
particularly important in the near
term prior to new development
projects being created (e.g., instant
activations).
d. Encourage Year-Round Activities:
Increase year-round activity and
programming on sidewalks and in
plazas and open spaces. This can
be achieved through regular snow
clearing and outdoor tents/shelters in
winter months.
Example of a parking area being used as a
temporary/flexible gathering and event space
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY78
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY A.3
ENSURE BUILDINGS HAVE
AN APPROPRIATE SIZE,
ARTICULATION AND PLACEMENT
GOAL
Ensure new buildings are designed with
an appropriate scale for the corridor, with
building articulation and/or upper story
stepbacks from public streets and from
adjoining single-family residential zones.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
As the corridor evolves to accommodate
new mixed-use and housing projects,
it is important that new development
is compatible with existing buildings
and does not encroach upon adjacent
businesses and residents. New
buildings should be designed in a way
that minimizes their impact on their
surrounding built environment, views of
the mountains and natural environment,
and shadowing of sidewalks during
winter months.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Maintain a Variety of Architectural
Styles: Ensure there is a variety of
architectural styles and that no single
style or character dominates the
Gateway Area. Encourage the use
of natural materials such as wood,
metal and stone in the design of new
buildings to create a consistency
of textures that responds to the
mountain environment.
b. Maintain Building Height Limits:
Maintain existing building height
limits for the Gateway Area
when creating the new Gateway
Area Overlay Zone. This includes
maintaining the 50 feet or 3.5 stories
maximum building height limit in
the new Mixed-Use zone (which is
the same height limit as the current
General Commercial zone).
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 79
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
c. Step-back Upper Floors: Step-back
the third floor of all commercial,
mixed-use and multi-family buildings
an additional 10 feet from the first
two floors along Donner Pass Road
and 5-foot setbacks for the rear of
buildings to break up building bulk
and maintain the eclectic character of
the corridor.
d. Update Building Setbacks: Ensure
variable building setbacks within the
Gateway Area that promote walkable,
human-scale buildings:
»Minimum Front Setback: Enough
distance from face-of-curb to allow
for a minimum 5‐foot sidewalk and
4-foot landscaping area fronting
Donner Pass Road. Encourage
larger sidewalks fronting Donner
Pass Road, between 6 to 8+
feet, when located in front of
restaurants, cafes or similar uses to
encourage outdoor dining.
»Maximum Front Setback: 20 feet
from the edge of the sidewalk to
any new building with ground
floor commercial, restaurant
or office uses fronting Donner
Pass Road, or 30 feet from the
edge of the sidewalk for any
new building with ground floor
residential uses fronting Donner
Pass Road or for outdoor cafes.
Allow outdoor seating/active patio
areas within setbacks in front of
commercial and restaurant uses.
These areas are not intended to
be used for long-term outdoor
sales and display use but may be
considered for temporary sales
events. Building setbacks within
the allowable range shall be
appropriate for specific conditions,
including building height, the
proposed use, and allowances for
landscaping.
e. Construct New and Innovative
Buildings: Embrace new building
formats and styles that support local
businesses and promote economic
development. This includes larger,
more open internal formats that can
easily be reprogrammed for different
users or tenants.
Example of an upper story “step-back” that
reduces the look/feel of bulk and provides
more natural light to the public realm.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY80
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
New Corner
Building
New Building
Fronting DPR
f. Create Neighborhood Transitional
Areas: Ensure that commercial,
mixed-use buildings provide a
minimum 30‐foot buffer between
the building and the rear property
line adjoining a residentially zoned
parcel. Encourage landscaping, mini‐
parks or parking in these buffer areas.
Ensure new residential buildings
along Donner Pass Road provide a
minimum 20‐foot buffer between
the back of the building and the
rear property line facing existing
residential parcels. An additional 5‐
foot setback from the property line
shall apply to the third story of any
mixed-use, commercial or multi-
family residential building adjoining a
single-family residential lot.
g. Articulate Building Facades: Ensure
that new buildings and projects
include articulated frontages with
alternating setbacks, building planes,
and varied colors and materials
to break up bulk and create more
pedestrian interest.
h. Active Street Frontages: Encourage
active street frontages and plaza
spaces between buildings along
the corridor that incorporate
features including outdoor seating,
landscaping, and functional art such
as decorative bike racks, fences, and
murals. These areas should enhance
the experience for pedestrians
and bicyclists while encouraging
people to spend time and visit local
businesses. They should also have
varied and articulated front facades
with extensive window glazing
at the ground floor, to support
an interesting and comfortable
pedestrian streetscape.
i. Activate Site Corners: Encourage
the re-purposing of street corners in
existing large parking lots for new
strategic infill development that
can help activate the Donner Pass
Road street frontage while providing
additional mixed-use opportunities.
These additional buildings would
fall under the same development
standards as any other building on
the parcel (including density, FAR,
and on-site parking requirements).
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 81
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY A.4
PROTECT VIEWS TO
MOUNTAINS AND NATURE
GOAL
Maintain the strong connection to the
outdoors and the Sierra Nevada from all
parts of the Gateway Area.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
Truckee’s location in the Sierra Nevada
and picturesque backdrop are key
reasons residents and visitors choose
the town as their home and destination.
While new development is needed
to support the existing and growing
population, visual connections to the
natural environment should not be
tarnished in the process.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Protect Mountain Views: Ensure
that new or substantially remodeled
projects on both sides of Donner Pass
Road continue to protect views of the
surrounding forest and mountains,
where feasible. Updated building
stepbacks (as noted above in Strategy
A.3.c) will help protect surrounding
scenic views from the public way and
gathering spaces while still ensuring
that the Donner Pass Road corridor
is an active, pedestrian and bicyclist
focused street.
b. Provide Views from Open Space
Areas: Build or enhance parks and
open spaces in the Gateway Area as
part of the Green Corridor concept
(see Strategy E.2) and ensure the
spaces have the right scale of tree
height to provide shade while also
not limiting views of the surrounding
mountains.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY82
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
c. Change Scenic Corridor Standards
in the Gateway Area Overlay
District: Consider reducing the
Scenic Corridor Standards of
Development Code Section 18.46.080,
for properties shown in the diagram
to the right, to prohibit structures or
parking areas within 50 feet of I-80
right-of-way, limit building heights to
25 feet for structures within 100 feet
of I-80 right-of-way, and apply normal
height and development standards to
portions of the property beyond 100
feet of the I-80 right-of-way.
The current standard does not permit
structures or parking areas within
100 feet of the I-80 right-of-way, and
limits building heights to 25-feet for
structures within 300 feet of the I-80
right-of-way. This new standard will
allow greater flexibility and more lot
area for development projects in the
Western Gateway area, which in turn
will increase the financial viability
of new multi-family and mixed-use
projects.
Proposed Scenic Corridor Standards
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 83
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
VISION ELEMENT B
WELCOMING
Donner Pass Road is generally
characterized as a wide auto-focused
roadway with long blocks flanked by a
diverse mix of retail, service, education,
and medical uses. Surrounding this
core is a network of smaller streets
that provide access to residential
neighborhoods, along with direct
connections to other parts of Truckee
and Interstate 80. This interlinked
setting, coupled with a broad mix
of building and lot sizes, creates the
ideal backbone physical structure for
strategically rehabilitating and/or adding
new buildings; improving sidewalks
and outdoor spaces; articulating the
unique Truckee image and lifestyle;
and enhancing a range of multimodal
connections. Combined, these strategic
changes will bolster the Gateway Area’s
identity, encourage economic and job
growth, support new workforce housing,
and result in a sustainable neighborhood
now and for generations to come.
With a focus on the interplay between
buildings, uses and streetscape
improvements, the following section
includes several strategies that will
enhance the quality of life for local
residents and workers and further
support a sustainable and active corridor.
The following strategies support creating
a welcoming Gateway Area:
»STRATEGY B.1: Enhance Local
Shopping, Dining, and Entertainment
»STRATEGY B.2: Promote Education
and Recreation for all Ages
»STRATEGY B.3: Create Unique
Gateways into the Neighborhood
»STRATEGY B.4: Improve Signage
and Wayfinding
VISION
ELEMENTS
B.
Welcoming
A thriving destination
for residents,
students, workers,
and visitors
D.
Connected
A pedestrian and
bicycle friendly,
interlinked, and multi-
modal corridor
E.
Healthy
A place that fosters
community health
and interactions
A.
Unique
A place that
celebrates its historic
Truckee character
C.
Supportive
A place that contains
housing, businesses,
and services for the
Truckee community
CHARACTER
AREAS
B.1 Enhance Local
Shopping, Dining,
and Entertainment
B.2 Promote Education
and Recreation for all Ages
B.3 Improve Signage and Wayfinding
B.4 Install Art that
Highlights Truckee’s
History, Character, and
Local Artists
D.1 Create a Pedestrian and Bicycle Friendly Corridor
D.2 Improve Connectivity and Mobility for All Users
D.3 Manage Parking Areas
D.4 Enhance Transit Service and Rider Amenities
D.5 Improve Corridor Lighting and Nighttime Safety
D.6 Promote “Smart” Transportation Technologies
E.1 Provide a Variety of
Active and Passive Community Gathering
Spaces
E.2 Create a "Green
Gateway" Corridor
E.3 Enhance Medical and Hospital Services and
Amenities
E.4 Promote Sustainable
Building and Site
Design
A.1 Maintain the Gateway
Area’s Unique Identity while Supporting New
Uses
A.2 Create a Sense of Place and Community
A.3 Ensure Buildings have an Appropriate Size,
Articulation and
Placement
A.4 Protect Views to
Mountains and Nature
C.1 Create Workforce
and Senior Housing Opportunities
C.2 Support Local and
Small Businesses
C.3 Include a Mix of
Resident-Serving Businesses and Uses
C.4 Ensure Businesses Can Operate Year Round
Western Gateway
STRATEGIES
Vision Framework
Central Gateway Eastern Gateway
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY84
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY B.1
ENHANCE LOCAL SHOPPING,
DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT
GOAL
Support local businesses by creating a
dynamic, interesting, active, and safe
pedestrian environment.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
Supporting local businesses—and
fostering the creation of new business
opportunities—will create a vibrant
shopping and dining destination along
Donner Pass Road. New developments
will offer a greater variety of retail,
employment, and entertainment options
that will enhance the quality of life
for residents and workers. Attracting
new businesses that cater to local and
regional retail needs will establish the
corridor as a destination for all Truckee
residents. Additionally, formulation and
implementation of a series of business-
friendly strategies will assist in the
creation of a stable and predictable
regulatory environment for new
businesses and real estate developers.
These strategies will ultimately help
strengthen local businesses and diversify
Truckee’s economy and tax base.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Incorporate Placemaking Elements:
Encourage outdoor seating,
landscaping, and decorative and
functional art such as decorative
bike racks, fences and murals. These
various placemaking elements
should initially be focused near
more intensive uses (e.g., stores,
restaurants, and new mixed-use
buildings) to draw attention and
interest to these uses. Placemaking
elements should also be functional
where appropriate and can be
incorporated into both the site design
and elements of building design.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 85
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
b. Repurpose Underutilized Site
Spaces: Encourage the re-purposing
of existing parking lots and outdoor
spaces for more active uses, such as
small stores, flower stands, micro-
cafes and public art. These new uses
can include micro-retail or dining
spaces that do not require significant
loss to existing parking spaces. The
goal is to encourage activations that
are close to Donner Pass Road to
create a more engaging and dynamic
pedestrian environment.
c. Create Engaging Spaces: Activate
the pedestrian and bicycle experience
to encourage lingering. This will
largely be accomplished through
the development/redevelopment of
more mixed-use buildings that front
on Donner Pass Road; however, this
strategy can also be achieved by
allowing permanent outdoor dining
and retail spaces as part of either
existing or new site design.
d. Promote Pop-Up Events: Encourage
temporary pop‐up events and the
joint use of private parking lots to
help activate them throughout the
year. Specific outdoor events can help
generate interest and excitement
that will draw locals and visitors to
the Gateway Area. This strategy can
be powerful in the near term to help
create more energy and events as
the corridor transitions (e.g., using
existing surface parking areas
fronting Donner Pass Road for pop-
up events before new infill buildings
are developed).
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY86
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY B.2
PROMOTE EDUCATION AND
RECREATION FOR ALL AGES
GOAL
Expand the community’s access to
education and recreation for all ages and
skill levels.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
Access to high-quality education is a key
factor in career and economic success. A
diverse and dynamic community should
provide opportunities to learn and study,
not only in the form of exceptional
primary and secondary schools, but
through museums, event spaces, and
public programming that offer additional
options to learn outside of the classroom.
Recreational spaces are also key to both
physical and mental development.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Promote Recreational
Opportunities: Foster community
connections between programming
and events at town parks, open space
areas and recreational amenities
surrounding the Gateway Area to
local business and corridor events.
This can include having local
businesses sponsor outdoor events.
b. Expand Educational and Civic
Opportunities: Support additional
educational opportunities on Tahoe
Truckee Unified School District
property, including expanding
facilities, community events spaces,
and similar uses. Encourage the
School District to also locate
community education/library spaces,
art spaces, and museum spaces that
are strategically located in areas that
are highly visible from Donner Pass
Road. When this is not possible, install
appropriate and adequate signage to
ensure people can easily navigate to
the public spaces located on School
District property.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 87
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
c. Support Local Art Programming:
Consider working with property
and business owners to identify
highly visible, low-cost, ground
floor locations along Donner Pass
Road for smaller, local art groups
and organizations to set up gallery
space. Help facilitate the co-
location of galleries and other arts-
based businesses to improve their
visibility and viability and to create a
destination.
d. Encourage Interactive Health
Spaces: Consider partnering with
the Tahoe Forest Hospital to create
interactive spaces or exhibits within
the hospital area that both educate
and support community health.
These can include health clinics,
wellness gardens, and spaces that
are reprogrammed to provide health
education. These spaces should be
located on or near Donner Pass Road
so they can be hybrid facilities that
are used by both hospital patients
and available to the general public.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY88
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY B.3
IMPROVE SIGNAGE
AND WAYFINDING
GOAL
Establish an overall signage and
wayfinding program that visually knits
the Gateway Area and supports the
Truckee mountain style.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
Truckee is revered as a world class
destination with a distinct character that
continues to attract visitors from around
the world. Part of a great destination is
having consistent signage that conveys
the identity of the place. Further
supporting the signage and wayfinding
“brand” of the town into the Gateway
Area will enhance, unify and beautify the
neighborhood through the thoughtful
implementation of signage, public art,
and wayfinding techniques.
Installing wayfinding signage along
Donner Pass Road will also provide
residents, workers, and visitors a visual
queue as they enter the corridor. Upon
entrance, people will be met with
wayfinding tools helping to guide
their experience to corridors and
parking hubs. This will improve mobility
efficiency and help reduce vehicle miles
traveled (VMT).
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Install Consistent, Recognizable
Wayfinding and Signage: Install
consistent wayfinding and signage
throughout the corridor, maximizing
visual recognition for pedestrians,
bicyclists and drivers. Signage within
the Gateway Area shall be consistent
with the overall Town signage and
wayfinding standards for style, sizing,
location and placement hierarchy for
new signage.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 89
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
b. Ensure Visibility of Wayfinding and
Signage: Locate directional signs
at a height visible for all users, but
primarily focused on pedestrians. This
will help to create a more comfortable
and walkable environment.
c. Select Optimal Wayfinding Routes:
Place prominent landscaping and
trees to improve wayfinding through
common spaces, identify building
entryways and frame mountain vistas.
These wayfinding routes will help
motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians
navigate through the public realm
(e.g., streets and sidewalks) and into
the private realm (e.g., parking areas
and building entrances).
d. Maximize Visual Recognition:
Maximize ease of visual recognition
of major destinations for vehicular,
bicyclists and pedestrian circulation
to provide an experience that is easy
to navigate.
e. Provide Clear Directions: Provide
clear directions to parking areas
and transit stops so people can
easily and efficiently access
retail, entertainment, civic, and
employment hubs. Consider
incorporating QR codes, or similar
technology, within wayfinding
signage to provide users with a digital
option for obtaining directions and
information.
f. Create a Central Gateway Feature:
Create new monument signage
and unique landscaping features
at major entrances on both ends of
Donner Pass Road and at the entry
from Highway 89 South. The features
should have a consistent look and
feel to create a light branding for the
Gateway Area. Monument signage,
public art, and other features should
be at a lower scale that is appropriate
for this area (e.g., maximum of 8
feet in height) and supportive in
colors and style to the mountain
environment (e.g., earth tones, natural
materials, etc.).
Example of interpretive signage designed
at a pedestrian scale that provide
locational or historical information.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY90
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY B.4
INSTALL ART THAT CELEBRATES
TRUCKEE’S HISTORY, CHARACTER,
AND LOCAL ARTISTS
GOAL
Promote creativity and support the
eclectic character of Truckee through
the placement of unique and functional
public art.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
Preserving and enhancing Truckee’s
unique identity can be done by
incorporating public art created by local
artists. Integrating artwork in the public
realm allows for storytelling, community
expression, and social cohesion that also
enhances the experience and aesthetics
of a place. Public art is an effective way to
improve the corridor and allow people to
actively engage with art for free.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Ensure Art has a Local Context:
Encourage public art that is relevant
to Truckee’s history, surroundings,
lifestyle, and culture, including
indigenous American Indian Nations.
b. Ensure Accessibility of Public Art:
Display public art pieces at entry
gateways along Donner Pass Road
and on wide sidewalk and plaza
spaces so they are highly visible
and become iconic features for the
Gateway Area. These features should
also be located near major entrances
to buildings as part of an overall
pedestrian wayfinding strategy.
c. Engage with Local Artists: Explore
opportunities for local artists,
including those from indigenous
American Indian Nations, to design
and fabricate public art within the
Gateway Area, either within buildings
or during outdoor art events.
d. Encourage Functional Art:
Encourage art pieces that serve both
an aesthetic and functional purpose,
such as sculptural bicycle racks, trash
receptacles, seating, and more.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 91
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
VISION
ELEMENTS
B.
Welcoming
A thriving destination
for residents,
students, workers,
and visitors
D.
Connected
A pedestrian and
bicycle friendly,
interlinked, and multi-
modal corridor
E.
Healthy
A place that fosters
community health
and interactions
A.
Unique
A place that
celebrates its historic
Truckee character
C.
Supportive
A place that contains
housing, businesses,
and services for the
Truckee community
CHARACTER AREAS
B.1 Enhance Local
Shopping, Dining, and Entertainment
B.2 Promote Education
and Recreation for
all Ages
B.3 Improve Signage and Wayfinding
B.4 Install Art that Highlights Truckee’s
History, Character, and
Local Artists
D.1 Create a Pedestrian and
Bicycle Friendly Corridor
D.2 Improve Connectivity and Mobility for All Users
D.3 Manage Parking Areas
D.4 Enhance Transit Service and Rider Amenities
D.5 Improve Corridor Lighting and Nighttime Safety
D.6 Promote “Smart”
Transportation
Technologies
E.1 Provide a Variety of Active and Passive
Community Gathering Spaces
E.2 Create a "Green
Gateway" Corridor
E.3 Enhance Medical and
Hospital Services and
Amenities
E.4 Promote Sustainable
Building and Site Design
A.1 Maintain the Gateway
Area’s Unique Identity
while Supporting New
Uses
A.2 Create a Sense of Place
and Community
A.3 Ensure Buildings have an Appropriate Size,
Articulation and Placement
A.4 Protect Views to
Mountains and Nature
C.1 Create Workforce
and Senior Housing
Opportunities
C.2 Support Local and Small Businesses
C.3 Include a Mix of
Resident-Serving Businesses and Uses
C.4 Ensure Businesses Can Operate Year Round
Western Gateway
STRATEGIES
Vision Framework
Central Gateway Eastern Gateway
VISION ELEMENT C
SUPPORTIVE
The Truckee lifestyle is desirable to
many people. The local workforce and
businesses are the backbone that
makes it all possible. Supporting local
businesses so they can thrive is a key
objective for the Town. And identifying
ways for them to safely and creatively
adjust to the ever-changing retail
market and challenges of the COVID-19
Pandemic is top priority.
Housing the workforce is one key
component to ensuring success
of businesses. The Town and the
community seek to develop strategies
that incentivize the creation of mixed-
use and multi-family projects that
include strong workforce housing
components. This section includes
a range of strategies focused on
supporting Truckee residents, workers
and businesses through development
and business operations incentives and
programs. The following strategies are
needed to create a supportive Gateway
Area:
»STRATEGY C.1: Create Workforce and
Senior Housing Opportunities
»STRATEGY C.2: Support Local and
Small Businesses
»STRATEGY C.3: Include a Mix of
Resident-Serving Businesses and
Uses
»STRATEGY C.4: Ensure Businesses
Can Operate Year Round
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY92
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY C.1
CREATE WORKFORCE
AND SENIOR HOUSING
OPPORTUNITIES
GOAL
Support increased housing opportunities
in the Gateway Area for the local
workforce and seniors.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
Truckee’s dynamic housing market and
consistently rising prices are creating
concerns about displacement and
housing access for the workforce and
senior residents. Creating opportunities
and a place for everyone in Truckee
requires building more housing of
all types and price points, providing
affordable and accessible public
transportation, and supporting local
small businesses, artists, and community
organizations. Residents and workers
from all income levels, ages and cultures
should be able to afford housing in
Truckee and enjoy the amenities and
infrastructure proposed within the
Gateway Area.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Encourage Smaller and More
Affordable Units: Encourage
new multi-family residential units
that consist of attached housing
developed at a density sufficient to
support smaller unit sizes, especially
studios and one-bedroom units,
that are more affordable to Truckee
residents and workers. This includes
a new assumed average unit size
of 1,000 square feet. Developing
smaller, lower-priced units that
are tailored to the local Truckee
workforce and senior community
through enforceable mechanisms is
critical for ensuring the right types of
units are created (which is a different
consideration than overall project size
or density).
b. Encourage Workforce Housing
on Public and Institutional Lands:
Encourage public landowners and
institutions (e.g., Tahoe Truckee
Unified School District, Tahoe Forest
Hospital, Truckee Donner Public
Utility District, and State of California)
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 93
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
to create workforce housing on excess
public property. The public agencies
can partner with private developers
to create more affordable workforce
and senior housing projects since the
associated land values are lower (e.g.,
the public agency can provide land as
a financial incentive). This approach
should be tied with supporting
the mission or role of the agency,
such as teacher housing on School
District property or senior housing
on Hospital property. The location of
new housing on public or institutional
property should:
»Front Donner Pass Road or be
directly accessible from an existing
public street;
»Be large enough to contain
all required development
components including on-site
parking, snow storage, public/
outdoor spaces; and
»Support the overall development
vision and goals for the Gateway
Area.
c. Conduct a Workforce Housing
Assessment: Create an inventory
of existing housing supply at
workforce housing levels (e.g., above
affordable housing levels included
in the Housing Element process
and below full market rate housing).
Based on that analysis, develop a
housing assessment to determine the
demand for workforce housing across
market segments: skilled workers,
laborers, young professionals,
household size, and non-traditional
households. While the focus of
the Innovate Gateway Strategy
is to increase workforce housing
throughout the Gateway Area, as the
area evolves over the coming years
it will be important for the Town to
provide updated demographic and
economic information to developers
to ensure the right housing types and
price points are achieved.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY94
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
d. Monitor State Housing Programs:
The State of California provides
a variety of resources prioritized
for supporting low- to moderate-
income households. State resources
are highly competitive, with a few
exceptions, such as the MPRROP
Program which is under-subscribed
due to specific challenges and
obstacles to the program. The
primary State resource used for
moderate (51 to 120 percent Area
Median Income - AMI) is CalHome.
Town staff should actively monitor
and become well-versed on these
programs to advise public and private
developers, property managers, and
advocate on the available options
to further support affordable and
workforce housing.
e. Limit Short-Term Rentals: Limit or
eliminate the ability for short-term
rentals in the Gateway Area as an
approach to better use both existing
and future rental stock for full-time
residents. At a minimum, short-term
rentals should be prohibited within all
new developments within the Mixed-
Use or Public Facilities zones.
f. Potential Financial Incentives
for Mixed-Use Projects: During
future Town budget discussions, the
Council may consider dedicating
a portion of the budget toward
mixed-use redevelopment projects
within the Gateway Area Overlay
District. Projects receiving funding
will need to meet the specific goals
identified in the Innovate Gateway
Strategy, including having a focus on
affordable, workforce and/or senior
housing. This strategy will allow the
Town to be more proactively involved
in the funding of needed housing
projects, and in particular, support
“gap” funding that typically exists
when developers create affordable,
workforce and/or senior housing.
g. Potential Financial Incentives for
Small Lot Homeownership: During
future Town budget discussions,
the Council should consider
prioritizing and/or investing in small-
lot homeownership alternatives
to mobile homes. This can be an
effective strategy for providing
housing options to current mobile
home residents in the Gateway Area
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 95
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
as/if those parcels redevelop into new
mixed-use projects. In addition to
providing a typically more affordable
housing option, small-lot projects
can also provide transitional units
when current affordable housing
sites (such as mobile home parks) are
redeveloped over several years into
new projects.
h. Remove Dwelling Unit Equivalents
Requirement from the Gateway
Area Overlay District: Remove
Development Code Section
18.08.050.B.2, Table 2-5 (Dwelling Unit
Equivalents Based on Number of
Bedrooms) for all projects within the
Gateway Area Overlay District. This
change would allow greater flexibility
in the design of new projects and
aligns with the proposed strategy
above for transitioning the Mixed-Use
district to focus on Floor Area Ratio
(FAR) rather than residential density.
i. Create a New Senior Housing
Definition in the Development
Code: Add a definition to the
Development Code for “Senior
Housing” that is not associated
specifically with congregate care
facilities. This new definition would
define Senior Housing as age-
restricted for persons 55 or 62 years
of age or older who are independent
and do not require assistance with
everyday living. Subsequently, modify
the Development Code land use
tables to incorporate Senior Housing
into appropriate zones within the
Gateway Area.
j. Workforce Housing Income
Category: Consider increasing the
income category for workforce
housing units to serve above-
moderate income households
earning a gross income of up to 160%
of the area median income (AMI), or
potentially up to 180% AMI.
k. Relocate the Truckee Donner Public
Utility District Office and Vehicle/
Storage Property: Collaborate
with the Truckee Donner Public
Utility District (TDPUD) to identify
opportunities to relocate their office
and vehicle/storage area to property
located outside of the Gateway Area
and commercial core.
l. Clarify Workforce Housing: To set
the community’s and developers’
expectations for what will be
provided when workforce housing
is required or offered, through the
2040 General Plan Update and other
Town processes, further clarify the
definition of workforce housing,
and integrate the terminology
consistently within Town documents
and communications.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY96
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY C.2
SUPPORT LOCAL AND
SMALL BUSINESSES
GOAL
Ensure the Gateway Area remains the
primary location for local and small
businesses to locate, grow and thrive.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
Along with rising housing costs, the
cost of commercial spaces is also
rising, making it difficult for small, local
businesses that have contributed to
Truckee’s unique identity to remain
along the corridor. To ensure the
preservation of Truckee’s long-standing
businesses and emergence of new “mom
& pop” businesses, affordable spaces that
are conducive to these operations need
to be built along the corridor.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. New Building Placement fronting
Donner Pass Road: The Town
currently encourages new or
remodeled buildings or sites to be
designed so that parking lots are
not the dominant feature of the
development when viewed from the
street. This includes encouraging
commercial, office, and mixed-
use buildings to front Donner Pass
Road—allowing ground floor uses
to be close to the sidewalk and
easily accessible for pedestrians and
bicyclists. The Town should amend
this policy and require on-site parking
for all new multi-family and mixed-
use projects to locate parking at the
rear of a parcel, so it is not fronting
Donner Pass Road. This approach
will help to activate the street with
more pedestrian activity while also
providing greater visibility and access
to ground floor uses.
Example of a building with
entrances fronting the major street
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 97
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
b. Reduce Commercial Square
Footage Requirements: The Town
currently requires that no individual
tenant space can be more than
40,000 square feet in size within
the Gateway Area. To further
discourage larger chain or “big box”
stores from locating in the area
that could compete with smaller,
local businesses and diminish the
pedestrian-friendly environment, a
retail trade use or business shall not
exceed 20,000 square feet of gross
floor space. This will help support
local businesses and ensure there is
a greater variety of uses and services
provided in the Gateway Area. It is
also important to allow flexibility for
some unique uses, if they arise, and
in turn the Town should also allow
an exception up to a maximum of
30,000 square feet if the project
provides defined community
benefits as determined through
discretionary review of a Planned
Development application.
c. Construct Smaller Commercial
Spaces: Encourage small or fine-
grain buildings that provide space
for small local “mom & pop” stores,
cafes and restaurants. Also encourage
new mixed-use buildings to include
a range of small to medium size
tenantable spaces fronting Donner
Pass Road that support a range of
local business uses and activities.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY98
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY C.3
INCLUDE A MIX OF RESIDENT-
SERVING BUSINESSES AND USES
GOAL
Promote new mixed-use projects that
will allow for a variety of cost-efficient
commercial and office formats while also
increasing housing in the Gateway Area.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
Although Donner Pass Road has a variety
of commercial uses near one another,
most people use a car to access each
business. Buildings placed far away
from the street, with a large surface
parking lot in front that is only partially
used, deter people from walking to and
from businesses despite their proximity.
The underutilization of these parcels
also prevents new housing from being
constructed. Developing new mixed-
use projects directly along the corridor
offers an opportunity for residents to live
and work in the same vicinity without
having to use their cars to travel. It also
maximizes land that is currently devoted
to less intensive uses such as parking and
can help address the housing shortage
in Truckee.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Develop Mixed-Use Projects:
Require a range of mixed-use projects
that have commercial/offices uses
fronting Donner Pass Road and
residential uses either above or
behind. The revised development
densities, intensities and standards
associated with this type of project
are shown earlier in Strategy A.1.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 99
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
b. Encourage Vertical Mixed-Use:
Projects: Encourage vertical mixed‐
use projects where the ground
floor includes commercial and/
or restaurant uses, and upper
floor(s) contain commercial, office
or residential uses. This type of
development is particularly desirable
in the Central Gateway and more
intensive parts of the Eastern
Gateway Area between Highway 89
South and the Tahoe Forest Hospital.
These areas are envisioned to become
a more walkable core of the Gateway
Area and more appropriate for vertical
mixed-use projects.
c. Encourage Horizontal Mixed-Use
Projects: Encourage horizontal
mixed‐use projects on larger parcels
where a variety of uses can be in
different buildings on the same site.
This type of project is particularly
desirable in the Western Gateway
and eastern portion of the Eastern
Gateway Areas, where there is a lower
scale of development desired by the
community. When creating horizontal
mixed‐use development on a site,
orient commercial, restaurant and
office uses closer to Donner Pass
Road. Set back residential uses from
Donner Pass Road or locate them
towards the side, middle, or rear of
the site.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY100
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
d. Encourage “Blended Uses” that
Complement the Gateway Area: As
retail and restaurant uses change and
evolve, it is critical that the permit
processes can quickly respond to
the need to re-imagine and change
existing interior tenant spaces.
These permit processes are handled
administratively by Town staff, guided
in part by ordinance requirements
and in part by past practice. To
this end, the Town can simplify
the development review process
for tenant improvements that are
focused on creating blended uses by:
»Adding a new definition in the
Development Code for “Blended
Uses” as follows: “A blend of two
or more uses where at least the
predominate use is allowed by
right in the underlying zoning
district within the Gateway Area
Overlay District.”
»Allowing the interior tenant
improvement to proceed directly
to Building Permits without
processing a Land Use Permit.
»Providing expedited Building
Permit review for simple interior
tenant improvements (i.e., over-
the-counter or by-appointment
review)
»Simplifying parking requirements
by using an “aggregate average”
for calculating parking demand
in the Gateway Area when two or
more uses are blended.
»Re-evaluating the list of permitted
and conditional uses in the General
Commercial (CG) or new Mixed-
Use (MU) zoning districts to reflect
evolving business models that are
consistent with the vision for the
Gateway Area.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 101
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY C.4
ENSURE BUSINESSES CAN
OPERATE YEAR ROUND
GOAL
Ensure that businesses have the space
and operational amenities to be able to
operate year round.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
One of the primary reasons people
visit Truckee is to experience the Sierra
Nevada during the wintertime and
recreate at one of the many resorts in
the mountains. While the climate works
in favor for these resorts, it presents a
challenge for Truckee businesses to
deal with snow removal and storage.
Additionally, the COVID-19 Pandemic
has presented new challenges for indoor
dining, creating concerns for businesses
who cannot operate outdoors during
the winter months. For businesses to
remain operational during these times,
infrastructure conducive for winter
operations needs must be developed.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Prioritize Snow Removal for Public
Spaces: Identify high priority plazas
and outdoor spaces for snow removal
or heated elements due to their
volume of pedestrian activity. And,
link this new program to the Town’s
current approach for sidewalk snow
storage (during large storm events)
and removal practices so plazas can
be maintained like sidewalks.
b. Widen Sidewalks: Create wide
sidewalks to improve pedestrian and
bicycle safety, allow more flexibility
with snow storage and removal, and
add more outdoor space available to
local businesses and restaurants.
c. Create Solutions for Outdoor Dining
and Retail: Continue to support
creative solutions for outdoor dining
and retail during the COVID-19
Pandemic and beyond. Consider
transitioning temporary outdoor
dining and gathering spaces into
more permanent facilities, including
allowing the creation of indoor or
covered spaces.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY102
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
VISION
ELEMENTS
B.
Welcoming
A thriving destination
for residents,
students, workers,
and visitors
D.
Connected
A pedestrian and
bicycle friendly,
interlinked, and multi-
modal corridor
E.
Healthy
A place that fosters
community health
and interactions
A.
Unique
A place that
celebrates its historic
Truckee character
C.
Supportive
A place that contains
housing, businesses,
and services for the
Truckee community
CHARACTER
AREAS
B.1 Enhance Local
Shopping, Dining,
and Entertainment
B.2 Promote Education
and Recreation for all Ages
B.3 Improve Signage and Wayfinding
B.4 Install Art that
Highlights Truckee’s
History, Character, and
Local Artists
D.1 Create a Pedestrian and Bicycle Friendly Corridor
D.2 Improve Connectivity and Mobility for All Users
D.3 Manage Parking Areas
D.4 Enhance Transit Service and Rider Amenities
D.5 Improve Corridor Lighting and Nighttime Safety
D.6 Promote “Smart” Transportation Technologies
E.1 Provide a Variety of
Active and Passive Community Gathering
Spaces
E.2 Create a "Green
Gateway" Corridor
E.3 Enhance Medical and Hospital Services and
Amenities
E.4 Promote Sustainable
Building and Site
Design
A.1 Maintain the Gateway
Area’s Unique Identity while Supporting New
Uses
A.2 Create a Sense of Place and Community
A.3 Ensure Buildings have an Appropriate Size,
Articulation and
Placement
A.4 Protect Views to
Mountains and Nature
C.1 Create Workforce
and Senior Housing Opportunities
C.2 Support Local and
Small Businesses
C.3 Include a Mix of
Resident-Serving Businesses and Uses
C.4 Ensure Businesses Can Operate Year Round
Western Gateway
STRATEGIES
Vision Framework
Central Gateway Eastern Gateway
VISION ELEMENT D
CONNECTED
The long-term prosperity, quality of life,
and community health of the Gateway
Area are directly linked to cultivating a
walkable, bikeable corridor with great
access to transit. Creating a truly multi-
modal corridor is a key goal of the Town
and community, and critical for ensuring
this area remains a safe, efficient (for all
modes of travel), sustainable, and healthy
part of Truckee.
Improved transit connections and
enhanced transit facilities will also help
residents and workers quickly reach
destinations along the corridor as well
as other parts of Truckee and the region.
Enhanced parking areas, both on-street
and on-site, will meet current and future
parking needs while also fostering better
neighborhood design. Donner Pass Road
will be transformed into a safe, efficient
and multi-modal “Complete Street”
that weaves together the urban fabric,
provides places for art and culture, and
embraces all modes of transportation.
Donner Pass Road will become a
pedestrian, bicycle, and transit-oriented
corridor that connects residents and
workers to a variety of destinations. With
a focus on safety and the desire to link
people efficiently and conveniently to
places by a variety of means, several
strategies are required to support
a connected corridor. The following
strategies support creating a connected
Gateway Area:
»STRATEGY D.1: Create a Pedestrian
and Bicycle Friendly Corridor
»STRATEGY D.2: Improve Connectivity
and Mobility for All Users
»STRATEGY D.3: Manage Parking
Areas
»STRATEGY D.4: Enhance Transit
Service and Rider Amenities
»STRATEGY D.5: Improve Corridor
Lighting and Nighttime Safety
»STRATEGY D.6: Promote “Smart”
Transportation Technologies
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 103
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY D.1
Create a Pedestrian and
Bicycle Friendly Corridor
GOAL
Improve the pedestrian and bicyclists
experience through wider and more
protected sidewalks, better marked
crosswalks, improved bicycle pathways
and lanes, increased visibility of cars
when crossing the street, and improved
site design.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
The Gateway Area was originally
designed for drivers, with Donner Pass
Road being built to move cars in and
out of the area as quickly as possible.
As a result, the road is wide with fast-
moving traffic and inadequate bike and
pedestrian facilities, with the exception
of improvements delivered through
Envision DPR project. Despite the
proximity of destinations, residents and
visitors typically use their vehicles to
go to each business instead of walking
or cycling. Creating a more pedestrian
and bicycle friendly environment will
enhance the vitality of the Gateway Area,
help reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT)
and congestion, and allow people to
more fully engage with the corridor.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Construct Wide, Flexible Sidewalks:
Allow for wide, flexible sidewalks
that can be used for pedestrian
travel, outdoor seating, dining and
sustainability enhancements. Based
on the street sections in Chapter
3, this includes a minimum 5-foot
sidewalk throughout the Donner Pass
Road corridor. The desirable width
of a sidewalk is 6- to 8-feet wide.
The reason for the variation is that
the final streetscape improvements
along Donner Pass Road will need
to be flexible to address changes
in topography, variations in the
access configurations to individual
properties and side streets, utilities,
pedestrian and transit rider amenities,
and other features.
Example of a larger mid-block pedestrian
crossing with unique paver/color materials
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY104
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
f. Pursue Opportunities to Relocate
Utilities Underground: Identify
and consider opportunities to
underground existing utilities along
the corridor as part of streetscape
and roadway capital improvement
projects. Relocating overhead
utilities underground will improve
the pedestrian experience and
provide opportunities to expand the
pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure.
This approach has been implemented
in the Western Gateway area and
should be considered as part of
future project implementation within
the Central and Eastern Gateway
character areas.
b. Install Mid-Block Crosswalks: Create
additional mid-block pedestrian
crossings near intensive commercial,
medical and office areas that will
generate large amounts of pedestrian
traffic. This includes two potential
new mid-block crossings in the
Eastern Gateway area, as shown on
Figure 6. In addition, work with the
Tahoe Forest Hospital to create a
larger mid-block pedestrian crossing
to accommodate larger volumes of
people crossing Donner Pass Road
near new hospital buildings.
c. Create Wider, Safer Bicycle Lanes:
Construct Class II Bicycle Lanes
throughout the corridor, targeting a
safer 6-foot width. To improve year-
round visibility of the bike lane area,
future streetscape and frontage
improvements along the corridor
should consider recessed striping/
markings, colored concrete/asphalt,
etc., specifically for bike lanes in or
near key intersections.
d. Shorten Pedestrian Crossing
Distance: Design pedestrian
crossings with bulbouts that can help
shorten the crossing distance and
enhance the visibility of pedestrians
for drivers. This approach has been
done successfully in the Western
Gateway area and should be
continued through the Central and
Eastern Gateway areas.
e. Expand the Landscape and Lighting
Assessment District: Extend the
existing Landscape and Lighting
Assessment District, or establish a
new one, to encompass the entire
Central Gateway and Eastern Gateway
segments of Donner Pass Road.
The current assessment district
covers only the Western Gateway
area and portions of the Central
Gateway area that were part of the
Envision DPR project. The new/
expanded assessment district would
require property owners adjacent to
improvements to pay fees annually
toward Town maintenance of any
streetscape improvements and
common areas/plazas.Example of a bulbout used to shorten
pedestrian crossing distances and
improve visibility and safety
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 105
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY D.2
IMPROVE CONNECTIVITY AND
MOBILITY FOR ALL USERS
GOAL
Further enhance the Donner Pass Road
right‐of‐way to calm traffic, increase on‐
street parking, and improve circulation,
safety and amenities for pedestrians,
bicyclists, transit riders, motorists and all
other users.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
As improvements are made to enhance
bike and pedestrian safety, it is also
important to balance the needs of other
modes of transportation. A truly multi-
modal corridor ensures the needs of all
users are met while not compromising
the efficiency of one particular mode.
Vehicular circulation should also be
enhanced as bike, pedestrian and transit
improvements are delivered.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Create New Roundabouts:
Create new roundabouts at the
intersections of Donner Pass Road/
Northwoods Boulevard and Donner
Pass Road/State Route 89 South to
improve multi-modal traffic flow,
as shown in Chapter 3. The design
of these roundabouts should take
into consideration the efficiency
and safety of all users, and overall
maintenance.
b. Promote Bike and Pedestrian
Safety at Roundabouts: Promote
the safe movement of bicyclists
and pedestrians through good
roundabout design. This should
include a combination of clearly
marked pedestrian crosswalks,
including methods to address the
safety of pedestrians with visual
impairments. The incorporation of
best practices to allow safe bicycle
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY106
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
travel going into and through each
roundabout, including appropriate
signage, pavement markings, and
lane widths should be considered.
While smaller scale landscaping and
signage is encouraged, these features
need to be under 6 feet in height
to ensure safe visibility through the
intersection for all users.
c. Complete Additional Streetscape
Improvements through the Central
Gateway and Eastern Gateway
Areas. Continue the streetscape
improvement throughout the
remainder of the Gateway Area based
on the street sections 2 and 3 shown
in Chapter 3. This includes 5-to 8-foot-
wide sidewalks, Class II Bicycle Lanes
targeted to be six feet wide, parallel
or back-in angled parking on both
sides of the road, transit facilities,
landscaping and other pedestrian
amenities.
Example of a Class II Bicycle
Lane that seperates cyclists
from the travel lane
This design allows buses to access
transit stops without having to cross
or stop on top of a bicycle facility
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 107
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY D.3
MANAGE PARKING AREAS
GOAL
Reconfigure and better manage on- and
off-street parking, especially within the
Central and Eastern Gateway areas on
Donner Pass Road.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
An efficient and well-managed parking
supply is critical to the Gateway Area’s
economic vitality and quality of life.
While it is important to encourage
multi-modal transportation such as
walking, biking and transit, many visitors
are coming from places that require
a vehicle to travel. Parking should be
configured in a manner that limit the
affects on other modes of transportation,
but still supports businesses.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Design Efficient Parking Layouts:
Encourage the efficient layout of
on‐site parking to reduce the overall
amount of parking coverage and
limit the number of unique ingress
and egress points from Donner Pass
Road. To this end, encourage joint-
use parking between properties as
a method for making parking more
efficient on private property.
b. Construct Safe, Accessible
Driveways: Design driveways to
improve site access, enhance safety,
and reduce vehicle conflicts with
all modes of travel. Where possible,
reduce and/or combine vehicle
driveways onto Donner Pass Road to
limit vehicle turning movements and
potential conflicts with bicycles and
pedestrians
c. Locate Parking at the Rear of a
Site: Require new developments to
locate on‐site parking towards the
rear of the site, whenever feasible,
to maximize the ability to place
buildings fronting Donner Pass Road
and/or other streets.
Safe and accessible driveways
Parking located in the
center/rear of the site
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY108
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
d. Strategically Increase On-Street
Parking: Improve and/or increase on‐
street parking in the Central Gateway
and Eastern Gateway areas, where
appropriate, to ensure motorists have
adequate access to destinations.
e. Consider Back-In Angle Parking:
Consider incorporating back-in angle
parking in strategic locations as a
way to accommodate additional
parking near busier commercial and
office/medical areas. This parking
configuration improves safety by
allowing the drivers of parked cars
to clearly see oncoming vehicles and
bicyclists. This includes utilizing back-
in angle parking to replace existing
perpendicular parking areas along
the Donner Pass Road corridor.
f. Change Parking Standards in the
Gateway Area Overlay District:
Implement the following vehicle
and bicycle parking standard
modifications for all properties
within the Gateway Area Overlay
District to support a more walkable
neighborhood, help reduce vehicle
miles traveled (VMT) and provide
incentives for mixed-used projects:
»Allow new on-street parking,
constructed by the project
developer within the street right-
of-way adjacent to the parcel
containing the use, to count
toward meeting the vehicular
parking requirements for the
project.
»Allow a reduction in on-site vehicle
parking requirements by up to
15 percent with the provision of
excess on-site bicycle parking
spaces. This would include a
replacement ratio of 1 standard
vehicle space (non-ADA required)
for 2 long-term bicycle spaces
or 4 short-term bicycle spaces.
If the reduction is applied to the
residential component of the
project, the associated bicycle
spaces would need to be provided
within the residential building.
»Allow parking reductions for
development projects that
pay an annual fee toward the
Town’s transit programs via an
established assessment district.
Example of back-in angled parking
g. Parking Garage Incentives: To
encourage parking solutions other
than surface lots, consider providing
incentives for new construction that
incorporates tuck-under parking
and/or multilevel parking garages,
potentially including a site coverage
reduction or other deviations to
development standards.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 109
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY D.4
ENHANCE TRANSIT SERVICE
AND RIDER AMENITIES
GOAL
Improve transit efficiency, access,
safety, and rider amenities and increase
ridership along Donner Pass Road.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
Transit is an essential element to any
successful corridor, and connecting
people and places is pivotal for the social
and financial health of every town and
city. The Gateway Area’s location and
scale provide the perfect setting for a
robust transit system that creates safe,
comfortable, accessible and convenient
mobility options for the full range of uses.New building with an
integrated transit shelter
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Improve Existing Transit Stops:
Ensure existing transit stops have
a shade structure, seating, lighting,
bike racks, and trash receptacles,
and are fully ADA‐compliant. This
should include a combination of free-
standing structures or features and
that are incorporated into the design
of new projects.
b. Require New Transit Stops at Major
Destinations: Require major new
development to install new transit
stops or upgrade existing stops
consistent with Tahoe Truckee Area
Regional Transit (TART) and Town
standards. Major new destinations
include mixed-use and multi-family
projects over 20,000 square feet in
size and/or with more than 20 units.
These new buildings should either
incorporate shelters into their design
or provide adequate space for a TART
designed free-standing shelter.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY110
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
c. Create Micro-Transit Connections:
Consider creating new on-demand
micro-transit services that connects
the Gateway Area with major
neighborhoods in Truckee. The on-
demand services will allow greater
flexibility for expanding transit service
to resident outside of the main
transit corridor. A key strategy is to
efficiently link this new system to the
existing Tahoe Truckee Area Regional
Transit (TART) bus system. This can be
achieved through a pick-up/drop-off
area that is integrated into the design
of a few key intersections within each
neighborhood. This will allow the
on-demand system to have a direct
connection to TART bus service along
the corridor.
d. Relocate Existing Transit Stops:
Work with Tahoe Truckee Area
Regional Transit (TART) to relocate
existing bus stops so they are on
the near side of crosswalks at major
intersections and mid-block crossings
(especially near current or future
major mixed-use and multi-family
projects). This will help improve safety
and reduce walking distances for
transit riders. It will also allow the
“co-location” of bus stops and mid-
block crossings, further enhancing
pedestrian access, comfort, and safety
through the corridor.
e. Expand Local and Regional
Transportation: Continue Town
efforts to further expand local and
regional transportation services.
This includes opportunities regularly
reviewing opportunities to reduce
transit headways and increase/
expand transit routes, as possible.
Additionally, continue exploring
options to collaborate with other
transportation services beyond
Truckee’s town limits based on
existing and anticipated future transit
needs, including potential transit
connections into the Reno area for
employees, residents and visitors.
Example of a near side bus stop
co-located with a mid-block
pedestrian crossing
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 111
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY D.5
IMPROVE CORRIDOR LIGHTING
AND NIGHTTIME SAFETY
GOAL
Improve pedestrian safety, comfort,
visibility, and activity along the Donner
Pass Road corridor through additional
street lighting.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
Providing street lighting helps define
a positive urban character, supports
nighttime activities, and improves safety.
Street lighting includes roadway and
pedestrian lighting in the public right-
of-way and provides essential nighttime
illumination to support pedestrian
activity and safety.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Light Fixture Selection: Select light
fixtures that efficiently direct light
to the desired area of the roadway
and sidewalk and are consistent
with fixtures already added in the
Eastern Gateway area. Light fixtures
should enable a variety of light
distributions to adapt to different
street and sidewalk configurations
while maintaining the same fixture
appearance.
b. Mitigate Street Lighting Impacts:
Mitigate light trespass by specifying
the correct light distribution
throughout the Donner Pass Road
corridor. Lighting fixtures should not
be located close to windows to avoid
disturbing the adjacent building’s
occupants. If necessary, shields may
be used on fixtures to minimize light
trespass into residences or other
sensitive areas.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY112
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
Pedestrian focused lighting
at a mid-block crossing
Pedestrian flashing lights at
a mid-block crossing
Integrated
solar cell
c. Expand Pedestrian Lighting.
Provide a mix of pedestrian-oriented
and automobile-oriented street
lighting in medians, parking lanes,
and along bicycle lanes. Require
pedestrian-scaled street lights to
be at a lower height (approximately
12-feet high), spaced at 40-feet on
center or at intervals determined
by a photometric analysis. Prioritize
pedestrian-oriented lighting along
all pathways and open spaces to
meet established lighting standards
and provide a safe and comfortable
pedestrian environment.
d. Increase Street Lighting. Coordinate
street light design with those of other
streetscape elements and recognize
the history and distinction of the
neighborhoods where light poles
are located. Install LED streetlights
and guidance signs powered by
solar energy to light walkways at
nighttime, where feasible.
e. Reduce Light Pollution. Select Dark
Sky-compliant lighting to minimize
light pollution cast into the sky
while maximizing light cast onto the
ground. Incorporate light pollution
reducing strategies when selecting
and/or designing lighting elements.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 113
4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY D.6
PROMOTE “SMART”
TRANSPORTATION
TECHNOLOGIES
GOAL
Connecting people to real-time travel
information, transportation options,
and future advancements in mass and
personal mobility.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
Technology will be critical in reducing
environmental impacts and maximizing
capacity and efficiency within existing
transportation corridors like Donner
Pass Road. These increases in capacity
and environmental benefits can be
realized without relying solely on
orchestrating solutions by planning for
and utilizing technology. Broadband
and technological transportation
improvements, commonly referred to
as Intelligent Transportation Systems
(ITS), are critical to facilitating the
deployment and utilization of alternative
forms of transportation including
emerging technologies. Specifically,
broadband and fiber optics supports
real-time transit, travel time, and parking
availability as well as general wayfinding
so people can make informed decisions
before and during travel.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Plan for ITS Infrastructure: Plan for
the anticipated growth of shared and
on-demand ride mobility services (i.e.,
transit, micro transit, ride-, car-, and
bike-sharing, e-hailing, etc.) through
“future-proofing” for future ITS
infrastructure.
b. Install Real-Time Travel
Technologies: Consider installing
“next bus” technologies for transit
riders and real travel time and road
conditions information for the general
public by including the installation of
conduit to support broadband and
fiber optic infrastructure.
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4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
VISION
ELEMENTS
B.
Welcoming
A thriving destination
for residents,
students, workers,
and visitors
D.
Connected
A pedestrian and
bicycle friendly,
interlinked, and multi-
modal corridor
E.
Healthy
A place that fosters
community health
and interactions
A.
Unique
A place that
celebrates its historic
Truckee character
C.
Supportive
A place that contains
housing, businesses,
and services for the
Truckee community
CHARACTER
AREAS
B.1 Enhance Local
Shopping, Dining,
and Entertainment
B.2 Promote Education
and Recreation for all Ages
B.3 Improve Signage and Wayfinding
B.4 Install Art that
Highlights Truckee’s
History, Character, and
Local Artists
D.1 Create a Pedestrian and Bicycle Friendly Corridor
D.2 Improve Connectivity and Mobility for All Users
D.3 Manage Parking Areas
D.4 Enhance Transit Service and Rider Amenities
D.5 Improve Corridor Lighting and Nighttime Safety
D.6 Promote “Smart” Transportation Technologies
E.1 Provide a Variety of
Active and Passive Community Gathering
Spaces
E.2 Create a "Green
Gateway" Corridor
E.3 Enhance Medical and Hospital Services and
Amenities
E.4 Promote Sustainable
Building and Site
Design
A.1 Maintain the Gateway
Area’s Unique Identity while Supporting New
Uses
A.2 Create a Sense of Place and Community
A.3 Ensure Buildings have an Appropriate Size,
Articulation and
Placement
A.4 Protect Views to
Mountains and Nature
C.1 Create Workforce
and Senior Housing Opportunities
C.2 Support Local and
Small Businesses
C.3 Include a Mix of
Resident-Serving Businesses and Uses
C.4 Ensure Businesses Can Operate Year Round
Western Gateway
STRATEGIES
Vision Framework
Central Gateway Eastern Gateway
VISION ELEMENT E
HEALTHY
Creating and maintaining a healthy
community is a central goal for every
successful town. The addition of park
spaces, maintaining a public realm that
is both safe and clean, and integrating
social programs to further develop the
community will work as catalysts to push
the Gateway Area towards a bright and
healthy future.
Transforming parking spaces and
underutilized lots into thriving plazas,
parks, and places for informal social
gathering will encourage Truckee
residents and visitors to engage
outdoors. Public youth and community
programs will activate park spaces
through events and festivals, forming
social connections throughout the
Gateway Area.
A physically and socially healthy and
sustainable community will be achieved
through the interaction of these
strategies. Through the interaction of
these improvements to the social and
physical health of the Gateway Area, a
healthy and sustainable community and
environment will be achieved.
Building upon the patchwork of
existing public spaces and the need to
promote an active, safe and sustainable
community, several strategies are
required to advance this healthy corridor.
The following strategies support creating
a healthy Gateway Area:
»STRATEGY E.1: Provide a Variety of
Community Gathering Spaces
»STRATEGY E.2: Create a “Green
Gateway” Corridor
»STRATEGY E.3: Enhance Medical and
Hospital Services and Amenities
»STRATEGY E.4: Promote Sustainable
Building and Site Design
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4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY E.1
PROVIDE A RANGE OF ACTIVE
AND PASSIVE COMMUNITY
GATHERING SPACES
GOAL
Create publicly accessible plazas and
landscaping that are incorporated into
the site design of new development
projects to improve aesthetics, create
shade, and increase pedestrian activities.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
Public amenities, retail, and employment
uses all add to the rich fabric of the
Gateway Area. While the neighborhood is
central to the larger Truckee community,
there are currently no large spaces for
community gathering. The addition of
public plazas and gathering spaces will
help to form a more vibrant, cohesive,
and healthy neighborhood.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Outdoor Plaza and Gathering Space
Incentive: Create a new incentive
program within the Gateway Area
Overlay District to encourage the
creation of outdoor gathering spaces
as part of the approval of new land
use or development entitlements
Consider creating a new incentive
such as, “For every 100 square feet of
permanent, public outdoor plaza and/
or gathering space provided as part
of the approval of a new land use or
development entitlement (i.e., not a
space designated for private use), the
Town will provide a reduction in one
on-site parking space, for a maximum
of five parking spaces.” This incentive
applies only to the reduction in
required on-site parking spaces
and shall not apply to other site
requirements (e.g., on-site drainage,
stormwater retention and pre-
treatment, snow storage, setbacks).
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4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
b. Focus on Immediate Activations:
Focus near-term efforts on working
with property owners and community
leaders to create functional and
iconic plazas and gathering spaces
near major retail, dining or cultural
facilities, such as a new plaza near
Wild Cherries, Gateway Shopping
Center, and/or Mountain Hardware.
c. Create a Flexible Approach:
Promote a range of private plazas and
gathering spaces with different sizes,
features and functions conducive
to social gathering and community
events. Encourage new plazas along
the corridor that have a blend of
hardscape and natural landscaping to
create areas of social gathering and
interest.
d. Locate Plazas and Gathering Spaces
between the Public and Private
Realm: Locate new plazas and
gathering spaces near or adjacent
to the street to create a seamless
transition from the public realm
to the private realm. Focus efforts
on creating the “Green Gateway”
concept articulated in the Vision
Framework (see the next strategy) to
ultimately create an interconnected
set of public/quasi-public/private
spaces that link to the multi-modal
streetscape network.
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4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
Outdoor plaza space oriented to a multi-modal street,
connecting the public and private realms
STRATEGY E.2
CREATE A “GREEN GATEWAY”
CORRIDOR
GOAL
Create a network of parks, sports
fields, plazas, and green areas that are
interconnected through a pedestrian
and bicycle network along Donner Pass
Road.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
Creating and maintaining a sustainable
community and environment is essential
for the success of the Gateway Area.
Connected and accessible green spaces
provide opportunities for recreation,
social cohesion, and environmental
stewardship for all users and contribute
to a sense of community.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Connect Plazas and Gathering
Spaces to Stand-Alone Transit
Stops/Shelters. Encourage plazas
and gathering spaces to be
connected to existing and planned
stand-alone transit stops. This will
serve a dual purpose of providing
access and safety for transit riders
and linking transit stops directly to
major outdoor public spaces and, in
turn, retail and commercial building
entrances.
a. Convert Parking Areas: Utilize large
parking areas near transit and bike/
pedestrian facilities for flexible market
and festival space.
b. Create Pocket Parks: Create a series
of smaller-scale, cozy “pocket parks”
with a focus on social gathering and
relaxation.
c. Install Parklets: Create temporary
or permanent parklets to provide
needed gathering spaces while also
creating energy for neighboring
businesses, where adjacent land uses
would create activity.
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4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY E.3
ENHANCE MEDICAL AND
HOSPITAL SERVICES AND
AMENITIES
GOAL
Support the Tahoe Forest Hospital’s
community healthcare mission while
ensuring their Master Plan Area is
developed at the right scale and helps
activate Donner Pass Road.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
Rather than a singular, stand-alone
medical complex, the new expanded site
should be integrated into the Gateway
Area in a way that minimizes its impact
on adjacent uses and adds to the
experience along the corridor. The site
can be designed to enhance the well-
being of the community not only from
a medical perspective, but through the
amenities it can offer for visitors.
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Incorporate Transitions: Ensure
there are appropriate transitions
between larger medical facilities
and surrounding residential
neighborhoods (e.g., reduced bulk/
mass for larger buildings, landscaping
buffers).
b. Improve Pedestrian Amenities:
Enhance Donner Pass Road with
improved pedestrian amenities,
including larger sidewalks and
prominent mid-block crossings. This
includes potentially widening the
existing mid-block crossing adjacent
to the hospital as new medical
facilities are created on the north side
of Donner Pass Road.
c. Integrate Active Uses: Ensure
hospital facilities fronting Donner
Pass Road have active uses facing
the street to help support a lively
pedestrian environment.
d. Coordinate the Innovate Gateway
Strategy with the Tahoe Forest
Master Plan. Continue to coordinate
with the Tahoe Forest Hospital
District on ways the master plan can
best integrate with the community’s
vision and proposed strategies
included in this document. To this
end, ensure that new building
sizes, designs, articulations, and site
locations are consistent with the
themes and concepts included for the
Central and Eastern Gateway areas.
Also ensure that the streetscape
concepts, including a potential new
roundabout in the center part of the
master plan area and the expanded
mid-block pedestrian crossing, are
included in the final design.
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4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
STRATEGY E.4
PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE
BUILDING AND SITE DESIGN
GOAL
Incorporate sustainable concepts into
the design of new buildings and create
an integrated green street system that
allows for stormwater runoff capture and
filtration.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
Donner Pass Road’s central location,
which acts as the “spine” of the
Gateway Area, offers the potential
to create a multi-modal street that
provides easy walking and biking for
everyone. Through enhancements of the
streetscape—including gracious trees,
sustainable sidewalk infrastructure, and
forward-thinking sustainable design—
Donner Pass Road can become an
even more integral, livable part of the
community.
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4: CORRIDOR STRATEGIES
DETAILED STRATEGIES
a. Maximize Natural Lighting and
Heating: Orient and design buildings
and windows so they can capture
winter sunlight to maximize natural
lighting and heating.
b. Encourage Stormwater Pre-
Treatment: Create outdoor spaces
for the pre-treatment of runoff water
through bioswales and Low Impact
Development (LID) techniques.
c. Reduce Energy Usage: Require low
energy lighting and small-scale solar
systems to reduce energy costs on
all new mixed-use and multi-family
projects within the Gateway Area
Overlay District.
d. Require Stormwater Planters:
Install naturally drained, landscaped
stormwater planters where possible
that incorporate low‐maintenance
native or drought‐tolerant plant
species.
e. Integrate Drainage: Work with
property and business owners to find
creative ways to integrate private
drainage/outflows with stormwater
management systems located within
the public realm.
f. Encourage Permeable Paving
Materials: Encourage the use of
permeable paving materials or
porous asphalt within the public
realm along walkways and within
pedestrian plaza. Permeable pavers
are not allowed within drive lanes.
Consider whether the Town should
deduct permeable paving from the
maximum site coverage allowance.
g. Integrate Landscaping and Green
Infrastructure: Integrate landscaping
and green infrastructure into
streetscape improvements, where
appropriate. This can include creating
bioswales in the center median to
pre-treat stormwater runoff. These
features need to be coordinated with
parking and site ingress/egress points
to ensure they do not pose conflicts
for site access.
TOWN OF TRUCKEE / INNOVATE GATEWAY STRATEGY 121
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