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First meeting of BMPTalks highlights policy challenges

March 25, 2008

meeting1_319.jpgParticipants in the first meeting of BMP Talks, a forum organized by the Reynolds School of Journalism to discuss ways to improve BMPs, identified concerns about effectiveness as one reason compliance with the landscaping regulations is so low throughout the Tahoe basin.

Click here to watch the highlights from the meeting.

“People disagree with policy requirements and they don’t believe BMPs are effective,” said Tim Hagan, Principal Planner and the Erosion Control Program Manager for the Environmental Improvement Program, TRPA.

“Homeowners don’t understand BMPs and don’t think they can help the lake,” added Paul Reardon, a South Lake Tahoe resident.

The meeting, held March 19 in Stateline, included 10 participants - five homeowners from South Lake Tahoe and Tahoe City, and five officials from the Nevada Tahoe Conservation District, Tahoe Resource Conservation District, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and BMP Construction INC. The purpose of the forum is to encourage a conversation between citizens and policymakers to find ways to improve the BMP regulations that affect all homeowners in the Tahoe basin.

The meeting started with the group identifying positive responses to BMPs. However, as the conversation went along participants realized that many have negative reactions to BMPs.“Although BMPs have been in place for 21 years, there are still people who are very apathetic and there’s also fear of the unknown,” said Rich Breuner, a West Shore property owner.

The group discussed the reasons they thought many homeowners had not implemented BMPs. The most signficant reason, according to participants, is “a lack of effective outreach and BMP education.”Participants felt a lack of understanding about BMPs, and the lack of a single, easily accessible source providing cohesive and easy to read information, were the biggest barriers to compliance.Four meetings will be held to discuss and develop recommendations to TRPA on improvements to BMP policies.

In addition to the meetings, an online discussion forum for additional work between participants and for comments by other interested members of the community, is being facilitated on OurTahoe.org.The next challenge for the participants and Lake Tahoe homeowners who would like to join this discussion, is to identify the major problem regarding BMPs and focus on finding solutions for it. In the next face-to-face meeting, April 2, the group will discuss benefits, trade-offs and alternatives to current BMP policies.Input from the online discussion will be crucial.

Anyone interested in this issue can join the conversation here.

Related posts: [ Second BMP Talks meeting adds to solutions ] [ Second BMP Talks meeting adds to solutions ] [ BMP community conversation to begin soon ] [ Forum points actions to resolve BMP problems ] [ Community meeting to discuss solutions for BMPs - Live streaming video available ] 

Written by Kamila Pawlik · Filed Under Feature #1, Landscaping, Most viewed 

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