Workshops give public chance to shape Lake Tahoe's future

STATELINE - A series of workshops designed to give the public a chance to shape a 20-year protection plan for Lake Tahoe will be held this month in Nevada and California.

Pathway 2007, a multi-agency effort to chart the scenic Sierra lake's future between 2007 and 2027, will feature three-hour, facilitated workshops in Incline Village, South Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Preliminary efforts have identified traffic congestion as the public's top concern about Tahoe.

"We're embarking on an unprecedented program of public outreach," said Julie Regan, spokeswoman for Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. "We're asking for public participation at workshops from Lake Tahoe community members and visitors who want to play a role in the future of Lake Tahoe."

Pathway 2007 will approach issues in a collaborative way, officials said.

Even if many different interests are represented, there's one thing that all have in common, said Bill Horn, general manager of the Incline Village General Improvement District. "Everyone wants to protect Lake Tahoe," said Horn.

The multi-agency effort includes TRPA, the U.S. Forest Service, the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Board and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection.

Workshops are scheduled for Saturday at Incline Village, Jan. 12 at South Lake Tahoe, Jan. 15 at Los Angeles, Jan. 24 at Las Vegas and Jan. 29 at San Francisco.

For information, go to www.pathway2007.org