SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIFORNIA

LAKEVIEW COMMONS

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The Waterfront Commons...with new ADA access to the beach, lake-viewing terraces, public barbecue/picnic areas, and a lake overlook

Lakeview CommonsA Model for Sustainability

South Lake Tahoe, CA

Project Location

Lake Tahoe

Located where Highway 50 meets Lake Tahoe, the Lakeview Commons will provide visitors and residents alike with a world-class open space and gathering place. The project will be the centerpiece of the community’s efforts to develop a sustainable and vibrant environment and economy. Key elements include a public library and senior center, campground, boat launch, lake front open space and beach, and other civic and recreation facilities.

An internationally known team of landscape architects and planners, the winners of a highly competitive design contest, are working with the local community in developing alternatives for the site and a final conceptual plan. The plan will emphasize green building design, energy and water conservation, public transit, and state-of-the-art water quality improvements to protect Lake Tahoe’s famed water clarity.

This project is a cooperative effort between the City of South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County, who own the land and are leading the process, and the California Tahoe Conservancy, a state agency that is funding the design phase.

The Concept Plan was completed in December of 2007. The process included an in-depth analysis of the site, substantial community participation through a series of public meetings and workshops, and a study of numerous design alternatives to reach a final conceptual plan.

Throughout the design process the ideals of sustainability, public accessibility, and cultural activity will be emphasized in both the landscape and the buildings in order to create a gathering place for the local community as well as visitors.

For more information:

www.cityofslt.us/56AcreProject/index.html

South Lake Tahoe

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The Project

Lakeview Commons

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The Forest Commons...with an all seasons multi-purpose recreational trail winding its way through the forest

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“Living together is an art.”

~ William Pickens

Com

munity

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ALakeview Commons will be a hub for the South Lake Tahoe community. This project includes numerous features that will provide valuable local amenities for day-to-day life, as a place to gather and to explore, to learn and to teach, to work and to play. The local community has played an important role throughout the design process for the project through a series of well attended public workshops and meetings, and a steering committee made up of community representatives. > New senior center building and campus

> Expanded and improved public library

> New community center

> New destination playground

> Renovated recreation center

> A place to hold a local farmers market and other community events

> Community meetings and workshops will continue as the project moves forward

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Community recreation center to be renovated and improved

The Forest Commons...with a place to hold a local farmers market and other community events

One of many outreach meetings with the South Lake Tahoe community during the Concept Plan design process

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“Leave all the afternoon for exercise and recreation,

which are as necessary as reading. I will rather say more

necessary because health is worth more than learning.”

~ Thomas Jefferson

Recreation

The Forest Commons - ...with a new space for community events set in the forest amongst the great Jeffrey Pines with a backdrop of Lake Tahoe

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Recreation

The Forest Commons...with a destination playground along the main pedestrian path

The Lake Tahoe area is a favorite destination in Northern California for vacationing and recreation. The Lakeview Commons project includes a variety of facilities and spaces to provide a wide range of activities for both the local community and visiting tourists. The design and the management of the site will reflect the active sustainable mountain lifestyle with a careful respect for the area’s natural setting.

> An informal amphitheater for events and performances

> An improved waterfront providing ADA access to the beach, with lake viewing terraces and picnic / barbecue areas

> A destination playground

> An open lawn space for informal recreation

> New biking, jogging, walking and cross-country ski trails

> Gathering places with improved facilities

A space for performances and community events

Group picnic/barbecue areas with bocce ball courts

Lawn area for informal play

Beach activities for all ages

CampingA boat ramp for launching all types of watercraft and a concession for renting small non-motorized boats

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AThe Waterfront Commons ...with a boat launch, kayak rental kiosk, a potential new walking pier, lake viewing terraces and barbecue / picnic areas

“A true conservationist is a man who knows

that the world is not given by his fathers, but

borrowed from his children.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Conserving R

esources

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ANew development and growing populations are putting heavy demands on the limited resources that nature can sustainably provide. It is of the utmost importance for new projects to strive to minimize the use of new resources and to reuse and recycle the materials at hand wherever possible.

> Tires and asphalt can be ground up and reused in new paving applications

> Existing trees that must be removed will

be reused for site features, architectural features, or fencing

> Use of materials from the site as much as possible for architectural and landscape features

> Reuse of existing buildings which where feasible

Conserving R

esources

Reuse of materials for new construction

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“When we heal the earth, we heal ourselves.”

~ David Orr

Restoration

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Establishing native understory plant species and riparian species in stormwater catchment basins

Tall Jeffrey Pines growing throughout the park creates a scenic setting for the recreational and civic facilities within the more urban context of the City of South Lake Tahoe. While quite beautiful, the forest is in need of a long-term plan in order to preserve its beauty and restore it to optimal health. The Lakeview Commons project will include a study of the forest to develop a plan to improve the health of the forest and establish a thriving native plant community.

> Restoration of a healthy understory in the Jeffrey Pine forest throughout the park

> Use of native species for landscape plantings and within stormwater catchment basins

> Preserve and restore the forest canopy to optimal health

Restoration

Restoring a healthy understory plant community in the forest throughout the site

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“A lake is the landscape’s most beautiful and

expressive feature. It is earth’s eye; looking

into which the beholder measures the depth

of his own nature.”

~Henry David Thoreau

Water

The Forest Commons...with understory plant restoration throughout the site and a network of trails for biking, walking, jogging, and cross-country skiing during the winter

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Permeable Paving Systems

Stormwater infiltration garden

Infiltration basins will clean stormwater and allow it to return to the ground water

Lake Tahoe is renowned for its spectacular water clarity, which is perhaps the most important environmental concern in the Tahoe Basin. Lakeview Commons will utilize various strategies to clean and filter stormwater run-off before allowing it to return to the natural water system.

> Stormwater detention/infiltration basins to collect run-off from impervious surfaces and structures

> Stormwater infiltration gardens for capturing run-off from buildings

> Permeable paving to allow water to percolate into the ground

Water

Bioswale

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The Forest Commons...with a network of interpretive and recreational pathways and detention basins to filter stormwater run-off

“A creative economy is the fuel of magnificence.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Energy

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AInnovative energy systems are fundamental to a any sustainable project. The Lakeview Commons will utilize various strategies to minimize its energy consumption and maximize energy creation. Efficient building and site design will reduce heating, cooling, and lighting requirements, and generative tactics will create energy on-site from renewable sources.

> Photovoltaic panels on south facing building roofs and potentially as canopies for pedestrian and parking areas

> Energy efficient heating, cooling, and lighting strategies

> Solar-powered bus stop

> Potential for geothermal energy use

> Potential for wind power use

Energy

Project Location over 50% chance of

usable geothermal energy

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Geothermal energy potential in the Tahoe basin.

Photovoltaic panels over pedestrian and parking areas

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The Community Commons ...with a sustainable complex including a new senior center building, library, art center, visitor center and historic museum building, and open lawn and plaza space for community events

“We shape our buildings: thereafter they

shape us.”

~ Winston Churchill

Green B

uildings

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ABuildings constitute about 30% of total greenhouse gas emissions. Lakeview Commons will strive toward a zero carbon footprint with all of its new buildings, creating a fully sustainable complex. This project will be a model for sustainable design throughout the Lake Tahoe region and beyond.

> Sustainable buildings certified by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System

> A fully sustainable community complex

> Natural ventilation systems to reduce the need for artificial heating and cooling

> Energy efficient radiant heating and cooling

> Natural daylighting to reduce the need for artificial lighting

> Optimal building form and orientation

Green B

uildings

Energy-efficient radiant heating and cooling

Optimal ventilation, building envelope, and daylighting to reduce energy use

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“Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no

longer despair for the future of the human

race.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Transportation

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Transportation

South Tahoe Middle School

South Tahoe Middle School recreational facilities

Bijou Community Park

Lakeview Commons

Bijou Residential Neighborhood

Al Tahoe Residential

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Lakeview Commons will be an important pedestrian connection between its various surrounding land uses

With its central location in South Lake Tahoe the Lakeview

Commons would be an important hub for the public transportations

system

Investing in transportation infrastructure is essential to quality of life and community development. With its central location and multiple on-site bus stops, Lakeview Commons will be fully integrated into the south shore of Lake Tahoe’s public transportation system. In addition it will create new and improve existing connections for pedestrian and bicycle circulation systems.

> A zero-emissions shuttle for transporting people throughout the site and to-and-from parking lots during large events

> Bike parking and Class I bicycle paths set back from the highway to encourage biking as a form of transportation

> Dedicated pedestrian paths for circulation throughout the site and safe pedestrian street crossings

> Accessible, improved bus stops for the local public transportation system

> Potential stop for the future water taxi

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“Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The

arrogance of success is to think that what you did

yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.”

~ William Pollard

LearningThe Waterfront CommonsClass I bike paths along the waterfront and a cantilevered promenade with lake vistas

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The existing history museum on the site is due for an upgrade

Educational signage and interpretive features Outdoor classrooms

for students in nearby schools.

Architectural features to inform people about local ecology and sustainability issues

Lakeview Commons is designed to be a landscape for learning. In addition to expanding and improving the existing public library and historic museum, the landscape will include features that demonstrate innovative strategies for sustainability. An educational interpretive trail will wind its way through the park with signage describing how green design features are utilized to conserve resources and protect the regional ecology.

> Interpretive trail with educational signage to inform visitors about the local ecology and history

> Expanded and improved public library

> Expanded and improved history museum and visitors center

> Outdoor classrooms for nearby schools

Learning

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Acknowledgements

Thanks for all the effort you have committed to help make this a great community project:

The Steering CommitteeEl Dorado County Board of SupervisorsSouth Lake Tahoe City CouncilCalifornia Tahoe Conservancy South Shore Community

The Community Commons with a new library and community center situated in the forest near the lake

Printed on recycled paper.