Martis Valley

In the summer of 2005 the League, SierraWatch,  and a number of other conservation groups won a landmark decision in a lawsuit filed against Placer County over approval of the Martis Valley Community Plan.  The plan, approved by the Pacer County Board of Supervisors, would have allowed sprawling development in beautiful Martis Valley located between Truckee and Kings Beach.  The plan included 8,500 total residential units (enough for an urban population of over 20,000 people) as well as commercial buildings and numerous golf courses.

Judge James D. Garbolino concluded that the County’s recent development approvals violate state law and ordered Placer County to suspend all approvals and activities under the plan.  The court’s decision states that the County's Environmental Impact Report for the Martis Valley Community Plan (MVCP) failed to properly analyze its environmental impacts, including potential impacts on Lake Tahoe, biological resources, air quality, traffic, water resources, and affordable housing.

Placer County has appealed the decision, but according to Rachel Hooper of Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP, lead counsel for the conservation groups, “we are confident that the decision would withstand any appeal by the County." 

While the Community Plan is being debated in the courts, individual development projects continue to come forward to the County for approval.  The League and our allies are working with the landowners and project proponents to come to a compromise on land use in the area and we are committed to ensuring a better future for Martis Valley and Lake Tahoe.

For more information, contact the League office at 530-541-5388 or visit www.sierrawatch.org.