© 2026 KUNR
Illustration of rolling hills with occasional trees and a radio tower.
Serving Northern Nevada and the Eastern Sierra
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Alexa devices are currently experiencing technical difficulties with streaming KUNR. Our team is actively working on a solution.
For continued listening, stream KUNR right here on KUNR.org or click here to download the KUNR app.

Placer County approves scaled-back Palisades Tahoe development after years of debate

2026 Proposed Specific Plan Amendment.
Palisades Tahoe
2026 Proposed Specific Plan Amendment.

After more than a decade of debate over development in Tahoe’s Olympic Valley, Placer County leaders approved a much smaller version of the Palisades Tahoe project.

The board of supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the scaled-back development plan.

The revised project cuts more than 70% from the original proposal first introduced 15 years ago. It also removes a massive indoor waterpark.

After months of negotiations with resort owner Alterra, former opponents Sierra Watch and Keep Tahoe Blue endorsed the revised project.

The original proposal included more than 3,000 bedrooms and multi-story buildings. Over the years, thousands of local residents pushed back, raising concerns about traffic, growth and environmental impacts.

Under the new agreement, the number of approved bedrooms is reduced by 40% from the 2024 plan. Commercial space is also scaled down.

Maria Palma joined KUNR Public Radio in December 2022 as a staff reporter. She reports on regional news, including environmental and social issues in the Lake Tahoe region, and hosts Al Aire con KUNR, the station’s first Spanish-language news segment highlighting community stories.