Project Overview

The Town of Truckee has initiated a two and a half-year process to simultaneously update two key documents that will guide decision-making about the future of Truckee: the General Plan and the Downtown Specific Plan.

General Plan Update

Every city and county in California must have a general plan, which is the local government’s long-term blueprint or “constitution” for future development. The General Plan represents the community’s vision for the future as it relates to a variety of issues and expresses the community’s development goals. The General Plan also contains the goals and policies upon which the Town Council, Planning Commission, and Town staff will base their land use decisions. California State law requires that each city and county adopt a general plan “for the physical development of the town and any land outside its boundaries that bears relation to its planning.” Typically, a general plan is designed to address the issues facing the community in the next 15-25 years.

The Town of Truckee General Plan was last adopted in 2006 and planned for growth and change through the year 2025. The existing General Plan has served the Town well, but much has changed in the last 12 years. The General Plan Update will address changes in State law that affect general plans, contemporary planning, and updates to general plan guidelines. These changes will require a reevaluation of the existing General Plan and community vision. The General Plan will look ahead to the year 2040, so the update will not only bring policies and actions up to date, but also position Truckee for the next 22 years. This update offers many possibilities for Truckee, including:

• Setting the community’s vision for Truckee’s future;
• Encouraging economic development;
• Streamlining opportunities for affordable housing;
• Identifying climate change resiliency and adaptation policies; and
• Addressing changes in State law including General Plan requirements.

These are the elements of the General Plan required by State law:

Downtown Specific Plan Update

The Downtown Specific Plan is a comprehensive land use development plan that sets forth policies, projects, implementation plans, and regulation intended to guide growth and development within Downtown Truckee. The existing Downtown Specific Plan was prepared in 1997. Truckee is changing rapidly, and the Downtown is a vital part of that transformation process. The Town of Truckee has chosen to re-examine the 20-year old document concurrently with envisioning the future of the Town as part of the General Plan Update to ensure that projected growth within Downtown is consistent with the community’s vision.