Kings Beach Core Improvement Project

A collaborative effort with the community of Kings Beach

“The value that we were attempting to support in the Kings Beach process was not outcome, but it was to promote healthy debate and dialogue in the community about the most critical issues. We need forums in our community to be able to talk about issues and have meaningful dialogue.” – Steve Frisch, Sierra Sun Interview

The intent of the Kings Beach Commercial Core Improvement Project (KBCCIP) was to address bicycle and pedestrian circulation, preserve scenery, and improve water quality within the Kings Beach Commercial Core area in a manner consistent with the Kings Beach Community Plan. The proposed action will meet needs identified in the Lake Tahoe Basin Environmental Improvement Program as well.

The Sierra Business Council was hired by the Placer County Department of Public Works in conjunction with the North Tahoe Resort Association to perform a variety of public outreach related tasks. The tasks centered around the Kings Beach Commercial Core Improvement Project, a multi-million dollar infrastructure project, focusing primarily on a roadway realignment design, water quality measures and pedestrian safety. Due to the fact that there were four roadway alternatives on the table, SBC’s job was to work with the community in and around Kings Beach to establish a community-wide consensus regarding one roadway alternative. SBC developed a scope of work and a time line in order to establish the steps necessary to achieve the intended goals.

Four alternatives were evaluated as SBC collaborated with the community of Kings Beach, representatives from Placer County, Caltrans, North Tahoe Public Utility District, and North Tahoe Business Association, as well as engineers, and contractors and experts on subjects ranging from water quality to sidewalks.

Objective
To run the public decision making process for a roadway redesign in the Kings Beach Commercial Core. There were four alternatives and the community needed to reach consensus on the most desirable of the alternatives.

Process
The purpose of the contracted work was to perform a series of public workshops to help educate the community about the roadway alternatives being presented, identify major issues and priorities in the community relative to the choice of a roadway alternative, and assist with identifying an alternative that a majority of the community could support.

SBC proceeded on a phased plan to accomplish these goals. The first phase involved project document review and stakeholder outreach, the second phase consisted of a series of four public workshops, and the final phase involved recommendation of a preferred roadway alternative as determined by the Kings Beach public workshops.

An intensive public outreach process included mailers, newspaper articles, flyers and public radio announcements. All materials were provided in English and Spanish. The first workshop was designed to provide information to the public about the decision making process and the specifics surrounding the four roadway alternatives. The second workshop was conducted in Spanish and featured the same information as the first workshop. The third workshop walked the community through a variety of outdoor exercises intended to give the user a better idea of what each of the roadway alternatives would look and feel like in real-time. In addition to the exercises, an education room featured information and Project Staff to answer questions and provide assistance. The third workshop ended with an investment exercise designed to narrow the roadway alternative choices from four to two. The fourth workshop took the two roadway alternatives with the highest amount of investment and was designed to take the best attributes of both alternatives and create one roadway alternative that best fit the desires and concerns of the community. Sierra Business Council was additionally tasked with the development of a report outlining the public process and the outcome of the workshops.

Results
During this process Sierra Business Council strove to assist the County by ensuring that the most reasonable and practicable alternative could be implemented. We believed that the “hybrid” alternative was the best possible outcome, encompassed the best elements of the four alternatives and was the most practicable alternative to implement. Selection of this alternative will meet the needs of the vast majority of the community, despite a vocal minority of the community that will be disappointed.

Lessons Learned
Some of the challenges facing our organization lay in the passion with which community members feel with regard to the future of their town. The downtown area was a major community issue that scoped a wide-breadth of residents, business, and visitors.

For more information email Program Director Nikki Riley or call 530.582.4800 ext.19.