Homewood Mountain Resort has been open to the public since 1962.
Let’s keep it that way.
What’s going on?
In 2022, developer JMA Ventures, supported by partners Mohari Hospitality and Discovery Land Company, announced their intention to convert Homewood into a members-only resort.
What does “members only” mean?
Instead of “maintaining the heritage of a ski resort that can be enjoyed equally by local residents and visitors,” as JMA promised in their 2011 Master Plan, JMA announced an exclusive residence club for the super-rich, similar to Discovery Land Company clubs in Yellowstone, Scotland, and Southampton.
Has Discovery agreed to public access?
Under pressure from regulators and the community, Discovery published a “Draft Public Access Plan” that contains unenforceable generalities like “season ski passes will be available for purchase by the public.”
The vagueness could help Discovery create the exclusivity members expect by discouraging public recreation in the future.
(c) Mike English. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
What are the impacts?
Homewood sells thousands of passes every year. If Discovery were to discourage public recreation by raising prices, reducing pass availability, letting lifts and lodges deteriorate, or reducing parking, those displaced residents and visitors would drive elsewhere to ski/board. This would worsen already-congested Resort Triangle traffic.
Current development on Fawn St
Master Plan architectural visualization (video)
What are those buildings on Fawn St?
The developers have begun building “mountain modern” houses on Fawn Street. These buildings contradict the “style of the classic old Tahoe lodges” specified in JMA’s Master Plan, which could set a precedent for the rest of the resort’s architecture.
Editorial cartoon (c) Mike English, published in Moonshine Ink, June 13, 2024. Used with permission.
What’s the latest?
TRPA required the developers to propose a revised Master Plan. Discovery submitted the proposal in May. It is woefully incomplete.
It lacks enforceable specifics on public access, such as pass quantity and pricing commitments, parking availability, and shuttle capacity/frequency.
We have told TRPA and Placer County that they must not approve this application without this information. We also sent them our preliminary findings.
The next steps are for TRPA staff to request more information from JMA/Discovery, rule the application complete, then analyze the application in depth.
What is our ask?
We want the vision promised in the Master Plan quantified, built, and enforced.
Public access - ski resort: anyone may recreate at Homewood year-round.
Public access - marina: anyone may recreate at High + Dry Marina year-round.
Persons-At-One-Time: dedicate all of Homewood’s regulated operating capacity to the public.
Pricing: public access for skiing, snowboarding, hiking, biking, and picnicking, including for day visitors, to be priced comparably with Mt. Rose or Diamond Peak rates.
Perpetuity: execute the recreational land use deed restriction required by the Master Plan.
Public safety: deliver on promises to North Tahoe Fire to upgrade West Shore firefighting capability.
Phasing: community benefits, such as ski amenity upgrades, environmental work, food & beverage facilities, and parking, to be front-loaded in the construction schedule and minimally disrupted during construction.
Penalties: predetermined penalties for changes to the project that reduce public access - now or in the future.
Solvency: JMA/Discovery to put up a bonded fund covering 110% of the community benefits’ construction cost before permits are granted.
Architecture: to evoke the “Old Tahoe” look of West Shore landmarks such as Vikingsholm and the Hellman-Ehrman Mansion.
Ski area facilities, including for day skiers, to be upgraded as promised.
Get it in writing: enforceable specifics to be documented in (a) a Ski Area Operating Plan, per TRPA Code of Ordinances; (b) permit conditions; (c) deed restrictions; (d) CC&Rs, and (e) public access easements; as well as (f) a negotiated settlement agreement among KHP, TRPA, Placer County, Discovery Land Company, JMA Ventures, and Mohari Hospitality.
How can I help?
Please email TRPA!
Please help reinforce our message to TRPA by sending them an email asking them to "get it in writing."
You can use our handy email template - feel free to add your own words.
Thank you!
