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The Truckee Meadows Regional Plan is a cooperative effort of the local and regional units of government, affected entities, major service providers, and the citizens of the Truckee Meadows. It is intended to represent a regional consensus regarding land use planning, which is reached through a process of public dialog and decision-making to provide a unifying framework for local and regional policies and services.
The Regional Plan describes the type, location, and pattern of growth and development that local governments and agencies in the region believe will best deliver the multiple aspects of quality of life desired by current and future residents of our area.
TMRPA is committed to managing growth in a way that promotes collaboration and a shared vision for our region. This Plan is the outcome of over two years of research, evaluation, meetings, and debate. It is the result of what multiple groups, through their representatives, can agree about regarding what the future of the region should look like, and what needs to be done to move toward that vision.
In 2019 the latest update to the Truckee Meadows Regional Plan was adopted. As part of the 2019 Truckee Meadows Regional Plan, a policy was adopted stating that “TMRPA will facilitate a cooperative approach to developing a plan that addresses natural resources regionally, by working in conjunction with regional partners and the wider region. As part of this natural resources plan a map will be created identifying various natural resource areas that should be protected.” In addition, Nevada Revised Statutes 278.0274 subsection 2, requires that the Regional Plan include goals, policies, maps and other documents relating to, “Conservation, including policies relating to the use and protection of air, land, water and other natural resources, ambient air quality, natural recharge areas, floodplains and wetlands, and a map showing the areas that are best suited for development based on those policies.”
Given the abundance of natural resources, as well as the variety of agencies that are involved with the management and protection of these resources in the Truckee Meadows, the need for a centralized document to coordinate natural resource planning efforts is imperative. Additionally, as part of this document, an inventory of known natural resources will need to be taken, including a map identifying areas that should be protected, along with a centralized regional database of pertinent information regarding natural resources. It is expected that a combination of local, state, federal, and non-profit data sources will need to be utilized in the creation of this document. Most of the acquired data is expected to describe specific geographies and be easily represented spatially, however some data, such as that relating to climate change, may be broader and less specific in its representation.
For more information, supporting materials, and to stay up-to-date on the Plan’s progress click the button below.
Updated Every Two Years
In December 2007, the Regional Planning Governing Board (RPGB) approved a Regional Plan amendment which requires the master plans, facilities plans, and similar planning documents of local governments and affected entities to utilize the Consensus Forecast for determining future regional population. The adopted RPGB Regulations on Procedure, as referenced in the Regional Plan, require TMRPA to prepare the Consensus Forecast every even numbered year. The forecast uses the most recent published data from the State Demographer, Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA), and other applicable outside sources (e.g. Woods and Poole). The Consensus Forecast includes both county-wide population data, and data disaggregated to the three local government jurisdictions. Section XII of the RPGB Regulations on Procedure outlines the Consensus Forecast preparation and adoption process, which beginning in 2010 includes a process for comparing the draft Consensus Forecast population with the estimated population that can be supported by the sustainable water resources identified in the Regional Water Management Plan. The Regional Planning Commission (RPC) is responsible for adopting the final Consensus Forecast.
Updated Annually
The Truckee Meadows Annual Report provides TMRPA, our partners, and residents with information to gauge the ongoing effects of growth and to assess cumulative impacts. In addition to bundling up submitted annual reports from the jurisdictions and affected entities, we’ve compiled a host of regional statistics as contemplated in policy RC 8 of the 2019 Regional Plan.
The 2020 Integrated Source Water and 319(h) Watershed Protection Plan for Public Water Systems and the Truckee River in the Truckee Meadows is a tool developed by our community to help preserve and improve the quality of groundwater, lakes, rivers, springs, and streams that supply drinking water to the general public. This voluntary multi-jurisdictional planning effort is organized on a watershed basis for the Truckee River through the Truckee Meadows. Because the river and local aquifers comprise the drinking water sources for most of the population of Washoe County, watershed management goes hand in hand in with protecting source water quality. TMRPA staff was part of the Planning Development Team in this effort.
Follow the link provided below to view the Program Overview as well as the Source Water and Watershed Protection Web Map Tool.
The Truckee Meadows Trails Initiative (TMT) is a community-led initiative designed to improve the range of opportunities for residents and visitors by identifying and establishing non-motorized routes for greater trail connectivity in the Truckee Meadows region. The initiative started in 2017 with a coalition of land managers, government agencies, non-profits, and private businesses that all came together to create the TMT Plan and Report. The plan outlines a vision of a healthy Truckee Meadows community connected by trails and provides a framework for completing future projects. The Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation now oversees this effort with the support of other organizations.
TMRPA contributed to the Truckee Meadows Trails Plan effort by providing data through GIS by creating an inventory of existing trails, providing community survey support, plan development and outreach. TMRPA plans to continue this research in measuring the access and quality of our natural environment by examining factors such as accessible open space, distance to public lands, and connectivity with trails and bike paths. Additionally, TMRPA is utilizing this data in the upcoming Natural Resources Plan Initiative.
To check out the Truckee Meadows Trails Plan and supporting materials click the button below.
With the need for affordable housing growing in the Truckee Meadows region, three agencies teamed up to develop a regional comprehensive housing strategy. Truckee Meadows Healthy Communities (TMHC) and the Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Agency (TMRPA) collaborated with Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. (Enterprise) to create the two-part strategy. The two components consist of a Community Profile and a Strategy Roadmap. The Housing our Future Community Profile introduces and defines the use, need, and impact that affordable housing has and can have on the region. It is supported by robust analysis and evaluation of the current housing stock, market conditions, regional housing tools, and national best practice. The Housing our Future Strategy Roadmap provides the concrete steps the region can take over the next ten years to capitalize on the opportunities and address the needs that were identified in the Community Profile.
It was identified in the Strategy that reliable and readily available information about residential land and other housing assets in the region will support more efficient and impactful use of resources. To implement this, TMRPA created an the Affordable Housing Tracker, which is an inventory of affordable housing, specifically subsidized housing projects and contract details. To do this, TMRPA compiled this information by using local and state resources. Staff has created an interactive map which will updated on an annual basis, in which affordable housing can be spatially analyzed and assessed.
Prior to the creation of the Strategy, TMRPA also conducted a Housing Study which was completed in 2016. The Truckee Meadows Housing Study represents the collaborative effort of many partners in understanding current housing conditions and future housing needs in our community. This study provides a clear picture of the current housing stock, and where housing is planned for the future. The data also shows that where development is located can greatly impact the cost to provide regional services and infrastructure.
To view our housing materials and tracker visit the link below.
The ILNA is a collaborative effort of the Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Agency (TMRPA), Regional Transportation Commission (RTC), Western Regional Water Commission (WRWC) and Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN), supporting regional economic development efforts aimed at identifying target industries that will bring job growth to Northern Nevada. The vision for economic development in Northern Nevada, including the Truckee Meadows Region, calls for the creation of a vibrant, innovative, and sustainable economy, in part by achieving growth in target industries (e.g., advanced logistics, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy) that need industrial land. This study proactively connects economic development efforts with long-range planning by identifying the characteristics of land (e.g., site size or access to infrastructure) needed by these growth industries, the current supply of industrial land and demand for industrial land over the next 20 years.
Through the US EPA’s EPA’s Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program, TMRPA and Smart Growth America (SGA) co-hosted a technical assistance workshop on the topic of Planning for Fiscal and Economic Health in October 2013. The workshop involved presentations to various stakeholder groups and a facilitated “brainstorming” session including an evaluation of alternatives for moving forward. Through the workshop, TMRPA was able to engage community stakeholders around the ways in which smart growth approaches can make the region more competitive and reduce taxpayer burdens.
The “Planning for Fiscal and Economic Health” presentation provided an overview of the fiscal and economic development impacts of different development patterns, focusing on the differences between sprawling patterns and more compact “smart growth” patterns.
During the update of the Regional Plan in 2007, a desire emerged on the part of the update participants to more fully understand the potential impacts of planning activities beyond the Truckee Meadows. Goal 4.6, Policy 4.6.3 and Map 8 were added to the Regional Plan to encourage more interaction with likely stakeholders in the wider region. The Wider Region Stakeholders Profile Report identifies two-dozen stakeholder entities, including counties, cities, economic development groups, and Native American Tribes that collectively comprise the wider region. The report provides a range of geographic, economic, and planning-related information relative to each stakeholder and discusses the key themes that link each stakeholder to the Truckee Meadows.
This document contains a collection of links intended to help guide local planners, developers, property owners and the general public in accessing Natural Resource Regulations. Given the multitude and variability in development scenarios, the documents in this inventory are by no means the final authority on directing or permitting any type of development. This document should only serve as a general educational platform on Natural Resource Regulations within Washoe County, NV.
Building on the introductory framework in Part I and summary of current conditions in Part II, the bulk of the paper is found in Part III where policy, planning, and implementation approaches are considered that may better support TOD in the Truckee Meadows. Part III describes the current challenges facing transit-oriented development in the Truckee Meadows and presents a series of innovative approaches being employed in various metropolitan areas around the country. Part IV concludes this paper with a series of approaches for moving forward.
The purpose of this study was to conduct research into examples of cumulative impact evaluation as conducted by several such agencies in other regions, in order to compare methods, procedures, and principles with those of the TMRPA. This report describes several approaches for obtaining data on cumulative impacts and provides an assessment of these processes, identifying elements that contribute to or hinder the success of the process in other jurisdictions. This report includes discussion of ways cumulative development impacts may be categorized, which impacts are most readily evaluated, how impacts are being measured and quantified in other communities, and how this information is used to inform planning and development decisions and policies.
This report was prepared to explore the many types of solutions and collaborations of local governments to address regional growth issues. This effort was undertaken to fulfill the Regional Planning Governing Board’s desire to research different regional planning entity governance models.
This study responds to Assembly Bill 231 (AB 231), passed during the 73rd Session of the Nevada Legislature, approved by the Governor May 24, 2005, and effective July 1, 2005. In Washoe County, it is the Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Commission (RPC) that was required to coordinate and submit this study to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmittal to the 74th Session of the Nevada Legislature. Specifically, the study includes: a) A review and evaluation of the existing walking paths and sidewalks within a 1-mile radius of each public school located in the county; b) Recommendations for improvements to the conditions of those walking paths and sidewalks; and c) A review and evaluation of the programs currently implemented in the county to ensure safe walking routes for pupils to schools.
If you would like to purchase any of these documents in hard copy form, please contact TMRPA at 775-321-8385 or input@tmrpa.org.
Please note that hard copies of publications are subject to the fee schedule.
