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Town of Truckee Rail Yard River Revitalization

The Framework Plan

This section provides an overview of the development concept for circulation, future use and environmental improvements along the river. Information provided within this section is based on the public workshops held in conjunction with existing goals and policies of the General Plan and Downtown Specific Plan.

The objective is to use the river as a focal point and connector that links complementary resources that will serve the community on several levels. Along this connector, several public places are focal points and provide access to the river in various ways. Future use strategies promote the “best use” of river edge property, taking economics, environmental conditions and social development into consideration.
In this regard, balance is sought in providing access to the river while also protecting it.

Environmental considerations will also include green building principles, which are to be used throughout both the construction of structures and for site designs. River edges are to be protected and natural habitat areas are to be enhanced.

The framework has three concentrations of uses, or “activity areas,” which span the river and combine natural resource protection, river access and town-related activities to create distinct places. These areas are:

• West River – near the confluence of Donner Creek
• Central River – near the Old Country Corporation Yard
• East River – near the existing pedestrian bridge and Trout Creek

The Town of Truckee Historic Resources & Architectural Inventory is periodically updated, and as new resources in this area are identified, they also should be taken into consideration.

Several areas are to remain undeveloped and, in these places, habitat enhancement should occur. Bank stabilization and other remedial work would be included after a geomorphic assessment of the river is performed and an analysis of the habitat and plant communities have been undertaken.

Where future development is proposed to occur along the river edges, the uses should be those that best serve the community in terms of providing appropriate economic stimuli and supporting social and cultural activities. Future uses would include boutique hotels, specialty retail, professional offices and residential. Civic facilities would include public plazas, river overlooks and water access points as well as open space set aside for passive recreation.

The framework plan addresses enhanced regional circulation and improved opportunities for use of alternative modes of transportation. Sidewalks would be constructed along West and East River Streets, and trail segments would be installed to link with other established ones such that a continuous pedestrian system would exist on both sides of the river in the downtown area.

Framework Map

(This reduced version of the framework map is provided in this chapter for quick reference. See a larger size of the Framework Map at the end of the document.)

Key features of the framework concept:

• Three Activity Areas that span the river
• Figure 8 pedestrian circulation loop extending from Donner Creek to Trout Creek
• Six river access and habitat enhancement points
• Two public plazas
• River bank stabilization
• Habitat restoration
• Street improvements

Redevelopment Principles

Any redevelopment work should serve to meet as many objectives as possible:

Environmental Protection Design Principles
Best practices for water resource management should apply throughout the area, including these specific principles:

• River edges are to be protected.
• Riparian habitat areas should be restored where feasible.
• Coordinate habitat enhancement efforts on sites that will be impacted by new development activities.
• Remove sources of contamination potentially affecting river quality.
• Bank stabilization should occur where erosion patterns threaten established developed areas. Such stabilization should also serve to enhance habitat.
• Drainage should be controlled such that detention infiltration and filtering occur through natural means prior to release of water into creeks and streams.
• Alternative modes of transportation that will minimize impacts on ecosystems should be promoted.
• Impacts of new development along the river will be mitigated.
• Recreational access points will be carefully sited to minimize impacts.
• Sediment that negatively impacts proper functioning conditions or beneficial uses in the Truckee River and its tributaries is reduced to non-harmful levels.
• Water resources are managed to preserve and improve existing water quality and quantity.
• Structure and ecological function of riparian, wetland and wet meadow systems are protected and enhanced.
• Changes to channel shape and structure that could negatively affect proper functioning condition or beneficial uses are avoided and existing degraded channel shape and structure are corrected.
• Habitat supports viable populations of native and desired non-native riparian and aquatic-dependent species.
• Connectivity over space and time is maintained or improved to ensure movement of riparian and aquatic-dependent species within the corridor for survival, migration and reproduction.
• Where invasive species are adversely affecting the viability of native species, work to eradicate the invasive species or reduce their negative impacts on native species.
• Promote or require, where possible and environmentally appropriate, public access along the frontage of the river.
• Avoid activities and encroachments in the 100-year floodplain of the river.
• Within the appropriate regulatory documents add a finding required to approve riverfront development that requires that such development result in improving and enhancing the natural characteristics and function of the river adjacent to the project.

Social Enhancement Principles
River improvement is a unique opportunity to provide a focus for the Town of Truckee that can be shared by everyone. As the community continues to grow, the need for a sense of identify and central gathering place will become more critical. Therefore, development along the river should enrich the cultural and recreational by following these principles:

• Provide places for public access to the river.
• Develop parks and open space for compatible recreation.
• Provide places for community gatherings and events.
• Provide education and interpretation of historic river corridor uses.
• Provide for proper management of public uses and areas along the river.

Economic Development Principles
Development concepts should recognize the unique opportunity of improvement along the river and should be designed to position the community for the future as a distinctive place with a high quality of life. It should include these principles:

• Development should generate new jobs for community residents that provide incomes allowing new employees to afford safe and decent housing.
• Development should contribute to a stable, year-round economy.
• Development should serve a diversity of users, including local residents and visitors.

Future Use Principles
Future uses should be considered in coordinated areas, and they should be linked to adjoining uses to create neighborhoods along the river. The following are key principles for future use along the river:

• Reinforce existing residential development.
• Promote mixed use development, with job-creating uses and residential opportunities for local residents.
• Make "best" use of the river edge; future uses should be those that respect the river and provide opportunities for appropriate public access.
• Provide space for industrial uses in the downtown, including "new industrial" uses.
• Plan for open space and habitat preservation areas as “land uses.”
• Promote green building principles related to building siting and construction.
• Where portions of the strategy area lie within the downtown overlay, the relevant design guidelines shall apply.
• Promote and maximize land uses that provide for public activity and access to river areas (e.g., hotels, restaurants).

Circulation
Circulation for pedestrians, bicyclists and automobiles should be efficient and support the planned future uses. Future transit opportunities also should be included. Alternative modes of transportation should interconnect to encourage their use. Key circulation principles include:

• Improve auto circulation; don’t exacerbate it without impacting pedestrian circulation and safety.
• Provide opportunities for future transit systems.
• Connect and expand pedestrian systems, both for recreation and also for an alternative transportation mode.

Street Character
Streets in the strategy area must be improved for safety, to mitigate erosion and to enhance circulation. Along the westernmost portion of West River Street, a green, forested edge should be developed. This is a restoration of an earlier character. Farther east on West River Street and along East River Street, sidewalks and crosswalks should be installed. High quality streetscape and landscape improvements should be considered as part of the proposed right-of-way improvements. Native and other appropriate indigenous vegetation should be used. The Downtown Truckee Design Standards address appropriate landscape species to guide future landscape installations.

Pedestrian Systems

Sidewalks and trails should be considered as a coordinated system for pedestrians. A basic concept that was developed through the workshops was a pedestrian circulation pattern that starts at Donner Creek, goes through Old County Corp Yard site and ends at Trout Creek in a "figure 8" pattern along the river. Other trail connections should also be addressed. A trail connection to the future campus should lead along the edge of Donner Creek, if feasible. This will also serve new residents in the area.

On the south side of the river and west of Bridge Street, trails should connect with other parts of the regional system. One all-season trail should be provided, which serves as a part of the regional transportation system. This should be designed to minimize impacts while also meeting functional needs. These could be constructed of low-impact, porous materials.

Within the downtown, sidewalks and trails near the river should be conceived as a recreational walking tour, in a "figure 8" arrangement as mentioned above. This will help to promote this urbanized section of the river as an amenity for visitors seeking quick encounter with nature and the river. Local residents also promoted a design that would link downtown and residential neighborhoods to the river. Using an underpass or overpass to downtown should be considered. The pedestrian crossing over the railroad tracks at Bridge Street should be substantially improved to enhance pedestrian safety and to foster pedestrian access. Also pedestrian connections should be provided between the Hilltop area and the Downtown and the Hilltop area and the river.

Pedestrian Bridges Three pedestrian bridges should provide connections across the river to complementary uses:

• Bridge #1 – at the eastern end of downtown, on East River Street (existing)
• Bridge #2 – at the proposed River Plaza (Old County Corp Yard site)
• Bridge #3 – near the confluence with Donner Creek, on the western edge of downtown (or perhaps further west, along State Highway 89)

There is the potential for a fourth pedestrian bridge between Opportunity Sites C-1 and C-2.

Parking Parking should be provided in coordination with policies set forth in the Downtown Specific Plan and determined in conjunction with a Downtown-wide transit plan and parking plan. It should be planned to be subordinate to other land uses, while also meeting needs. The following public parking areas should be constructed to provide parking for the general public:

• Along railroad right-of-way, north of the Old County Corp Yard site. This site is identified in the Downtown Specific Plan, and redevelopment concepts in this document rely upon its construction as part of the river improvements. (Site E-2)
• Along railroad right-of-way on East River Street. This facility would supplement other downtown parking resources. (Site E-3)
• At the eastern end of East River Street. This parking lot would be developed to serve public river access facilities to be constructed at the base of the existing pedestrian bridge (Site F-1). Other parking design principles:
• Parking ratios for on-site lots should be calculated to assume sharing of uses.
• Parking lots should be located away from the river edge.
• Parking along the railroad right-of-way should be promoted.
• Parking lots edges should be landscaped to provide visual buffers and also to filter storm water run-off.

Parks & Recreation
The following parks are proposed:

• At the confluence with Donner Creek.
• At a proposed civic plaza on the Old County Corp Yard site.
• At the existing eastern pedestrian bridge (Bridge #1).
• At a midpoint along East River Street.
• At the historic ice pond.

In addition, large areas of open space are planned on the Fish & Game property, portions of the Bright property and at the confluence with Trout Creek. It is important to provide for proper management of public uses and areas along the river in order to minimize the impacts of human activity and to further the environmental protection design, social enhancement, and economic development principles of this strategy.

Habitat/Resource Protection Areas
Habitat restoration is a key part of the development strategy. Whenever other improvements occur, habitat restoration and mitigation should be a part of the project scope. The following principles apply:

• Provide a filtration buffer along the perimeter of each site that drains toward the river.
• Provide on-site detention and infiltration areas, develop them as site amenities, and link them to trails and open space.
• Minimize access into habitat areas along the river edge.
• Provide opportunities for interpretation of wildlife habitat and hydrology.
• Perform geomorphic assessment of the River and analyze function of habitat and plant communities before planning improvements.

Cultural Resources
Cultural resources, including historic buildings and archeological sites, should be preserved to the extent feasible. Where archeological sites must be disturbed, they should first be recorded. The downtown overlay design guidelines should apply. In addition, preservation of historic resources with markers and other devices should be provided, and reuse of historic resources should be a priority. Reuse of the historic ice pond, for example, should be considered.

• Preserve and rehabilitate historic resources.
• Address archeological resources in site development.
• Mitigate impacts on cultural resources in development projects.
• Include interpretive signs in development projects.
• Include site-specific resource inventories on vacant properties in the planning area.

This reduced map is provided in this chapter for easy reference. For a larger 11 x 17 size, see the Future Land Use map at the end of the document. Within this framework, a series of specific proposals is set forth in the next chapter.

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