A small beach testing a better way.
A month ago we met at Secline Beach—and there’s still time to add your voice to help place what goes where.
👉 NTPUD Secline Beach Community Survey (5–7 min)
More info: NTPUD’s Secline Beach Enhancement Project
The Secline Beach Enhancement Project is a listen-first refresh of the basics, so quick local visits stay easy and low-key. We’re in the Share Ideas & Draft a Concept Phase of the project, which means your input can still help place what goes where.
Where we are (right now)
- Phase 1 – Listen & Discover (Apr 2024–Mar 2025): heard from 250+ residents, visitors, and stakeholders
- Phase 2 – Share Ideas & Draft a Concept (Apr–Dec 2025): We’re here (outreach began Aug 5, 2025)
- Phase 3 – Confirm & Refine (Jan 2026–Sept 2026)
Why this project feels different (and who made it possible)
This project is funded up front, so listening and early homework happen before anything is finalized, or built.
Thank you to project funding coming from the North Tahoe Community Alliance’s TOT-TBID Dollars at Work Program($240,000), NTPUD’s local match ($60,000), and the California Tahoe Conservancy ($90,000 for environmental/permits work).
In short: the grant pays to listen—so please take advantage of the chance to shape how Secline Beach works for you.
Who’s involved and what’s in/out (scope)
Three public owners meet at the water: NTPUD, Placer County, and the California Tahoe Conservancy (their parcel is maintained by CA State Parks). NTPUD maintains two of the three parcels and is coordinating this project.
In scope (now): on-site beach basics — public restrooms, water bottle filling station, a seasonal ADA mat to get down to the water, clear on-site routes, a few more bike racks, seasonal managed Kayak and SUP storage, and drainage tune-ups.
Out of scope (now): the Sinclair gas station and the Highway 28 right-of-way next door.
Picture it
My “Imagine-if” from the first beach pop-up:
Bike down, lock up, grab the SUP (stand-up paddleboard) from seasonal storage, paddle out and back, quick rinse, bottle-fill, bathroom, ride home.
A while back, I told the NTPUD General Manager that simple two-line loop. When we ran into each other on the beach last month, he said it back to me. That’s how you know listening is actually happening.
Other loops we heard that night:
- Grandparents reach firm sand on a seasonal mobility and access mat → short splash → easy roll back
- After-work dip with open racks + a simple sign to the entry → ten minutes → home before dinner
- Dog walk at off-peak times with bags and bins at the entry → shoreline loop → leave it cleaner than you found it
- After rain, routes aren’t puddle lakes → drainage does its job → cleaner water toward Griff Creek
Hearing these from neighbors, it’s clear we’re all describing the same thing: a beach that works in 10 minutes, not just on big weekends. Small pieces of essential and functional infrastructure and support, placed right, turn quiet ideas into easy habits. That’s social infrastructure.
What’s in the mix (what we’ve heard so far)
Comfort & access
- Real restrooms, water bottle filling station, a seasonal mobility and accessibility mat to the water, and clear on-site routes
- So that… kids, grandparents, strollers, and wheels reach firm sand without stress.
Arrivals & storage
- A few more bike racks, simple wayfinding, and seasonal board/SUP storage
- So that… drop-ins feel calm, paths stay open, and play space is safer.
Care for the shore & clear expectations
- Drainage tune-ups (fewer puddles, cleaner water toward Griff Creek)
- Straightforward dog and parking rules that fit a tight shoreline.
Strong Towns in one line: fix what we’ve got, make the smallest useful move, watch real use, then invest in what works — and that is exactly how NTPUD is phasing Secline’s basics.
How it connects nearby
These same basics—restrooms, water bottle filling station, clear routes, racks, storage, drainage—also show up at places you already use: Tahoe Vista Recreation Area, North Tahoe Regional Park, and the North Tahoe Event Center.
I’m also loving the little, welcoming touches at North Tahoe Regional Park lately—even around the pickleball/tennis courts. Tiny upgrades there make quick drop-ins feel easy; the Secline Beach project is aiming for that same “everyday simple” vibe.
What happens next (how your input is used)
- NTPUD and the team combine beach notes with NTPUD Secline Beach Community Survey responses.
- A draft map posts for the three public parcels—what goes where, why it’s there, and the trade-offs.
- Neighbors react in plain language (what’s missing, what’s in the wrong spot).
- Only items with clear community support move into the next phase for preliminary design, funding, and construction.
Add your voice
👉 NTPUD Secline Beach Community Survey (5–7 min)
Strong North Tahoe is independent of NTPUD. Secline reflects a simple commitment: listen together and build what helps everyday life—quietly and well
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