South Lake Tahoe

STAR Ballfields
El Dorado County Parks is the lead agency for the development of the new athletic fields to be built on Al Tahoe Boulevard, next to the Lake Tahoe Community College. The design, planning and permit process are moving ahead with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency board approving the project at its February 26th meeting. The new fields will include two large multi-purpose grass areas and one small warm-up area. One of the new fields will have night lights. There will be a small restroom/concession building and a paved parking lot. The project should begin this summer, pending permits, and conclude in 2003. The fields may be ready to play in late 2003 and for full play in 2004. When the project is finished, the City of South Lake Tahoe will take ownership and maintenance responsibility for the new facility.

Project Background
The proposed play fields were identified in the South Lake Tahoe Alliance for Recreation Facilities Master Plan that was prepared in September 1998. The Master Plan was prepared in response to the need for a comprehensive look at the recreation situation facing South Lake Tahoe. The Master Plan inventoried existing facilities and identified the demand or need for additional facilities. The plan recognized that there is a need for additional public recreation facilities, especially given the fact that most athletic fields are located on school grounds and not within park settings. The Master Plan identified five principal sites for recreational facilities and the appropriate funding mechanisms to accomplish those goals. The five areas identified for recreational development were located near the following landmarks: Sierra Boulevard, Meyers Landfill, Zephyr Cove, Lake Tahoe Community College and Tahoe Paradise Resort.

Since adoption of the Facilities Master Plan, the South Shore's recreational agencies have been working with a Joint Powers Authority toward implementing recreational facilities that were in the initial planning stages when the plan was adopted. These projects include:

• South Lake Tahoe's ice rink;
• Several California Tahoe Conservancy bike trail projects;
• Tahoe Paradise Resort Improvement District's facility improvements; and
• El Dorado County's college play fields project with assistance from the LTCC, City of South Lake Tahoe, California Tahoe Conservancy, and South Tahoe Public Utility District.

The proposed park plan has been developed to respond to site constraints and to meet the facility program developed by the County and City Parks Departments. The type and layout of the play fields included in the project have been dictated by existing community needs. Existing softball/baseball fields are being overused due to their use for other sports. The development of a lighted multipurpose play field and an additional multipurpose play field that can be used for either softball/baseball or soccer will reduce the over demand that is currently placed on the City's facilities. In addition, the play fields will provide facilities for use by the Lake Tahoe Community College athletic programs.