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In 2007, JMA Ventures (JMA), the parent company of Homewood Village Resorts, LLC.,
proposed to expand Homewood Mountain Resort (HMR) shortly after acquiring it in 2006.
Locals and patrons immediately called for the continuation of public recreation on this beloved mountain.
In 2011, the TRPA and Placer County Board of Supervisors approved the proposed expansion of HMR.
Over ten years have passed since the TRPA approved the Homewood Mountain Resort Master Plan, and much has changed.
“We want to make sure that whatever happens is in keeping with the character of the Homewood/Tahoma community.”
— TRPA spokesperson, Julie Regan,
"The Last Resort" What does the future look like for Lake Tahoe’s Homewood Mountain Resort -Sierra Sun, Jan 25, 2008
1910 Hotel Homewood, Courtesy of the North Lake Tahoe Historical Society
1910 Hotel Homewood, Courtesy of the North Lake Tahoe Historical Society
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1910 Hotel Homewood, Courtesy of the North Lake Tahoe Historical Society
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View of entrance at corner of Sacramento and Highway 89
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COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM
Visual simulation of architectural design from approved Master Plan
“The new Homewood Resort design is conceived as an alpine village community in the architectural style of the classic old Tahoe lodges…
Certain architectural features, in particular, gable and hipped roof shapes, dormer configurations, as well as the use of exposed timber and natural materials are designed to express the Tahoe lodge design theme in the manner of the Tahoe Tavern and Ehrman Mansion. These and similar National Park Service structures, exemplified by such buildings as The Ahwahnee Hotel.” (p. 28).
“In keeping with what Homewood has meant to so many of us over the generations, the design theme is 'Old Homewood,' which will find expression in the future architecture and design.”
— Homewood Mountain Resort's Newsletter "On The Homefront" Dec. 2006
Old Tahoe vs Mountain Modern
Placer County Issues Permit In Error
It has been over 10 years since the Ski Area Master Plan for Homewood Mountain Resort was approved, however, an extension was granted by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) as JMA was stated to have begun construction on a new chairlift (although it seems to merely have been the retrofitting of the Ellis), in thereby activating the permit that would otherwise have expired in 2020 (having already been extended by TRPA the previous year for reasons unknown).
In 2021, the developers of HMR proposed a revision to the design and configuration of the townhouse residences [Lot 3, Phase 1C portion of the Homewood Mountain Resort Project on Fawn Street] as part of the initial phase of construction. The classic “Old Tahoe'' design explicitly mentioned in the approved Master Plan is being replaced with a design that will be intentionally jarring against the natural landscape and surrounding neighborhood. With little notice or opportunity for participation and meaningful community input, Placer County Building Department's Tahoe Basin Design Review Committee gave its approval of the change in architecture, though it has now become evident that proper plan area statements and guidelines, along with the Master Plan itself, were not provided to the DRC members at the time of their decision.
“The community relied on the architectural design depicted in the Master Plan for the Homewood Mountain Resort development. The design was drastically changed without notice to, and the participation of, the community. The new modern design would change the entire look of Homewood and is incompatible with the character and existing architecture.”
— FOWS
Objection Letter - June 18, 2021
The Master Plan had been guided by extensive community input until these modifications were made without the public being aware.
Modifications — such as the revised Mountain Modern architectural design and discreet plans for privatization — were not evaluated nor approved by the Master Plan and thus warrant comprehensive review and public engagement.
For the past 14 years, Friends of the West Shore (FOWS), a non-profit community conservation organization, has been following the progress of the project, updating the community with status reports on their website and through newsletters. Keep Homewood Public (KHP), a grassroots organization of local residents, has formed to lead the effort of informing the Lake Tahoe community at large about the developer's plans to restrict access to HMR and to promote public comment concerning the architectural aspects of the project. Sign up for the KHP Newsletter HERE.
DESIGN REVIEW SUBMITTED TO PLACER COUNTY BUILDING DEPT.
Residential Renderings — Walton Architecture + Engineering
(This design style was not depicted in the TRPA-approved HMR Master Plan)
“The Old Tahoe look specified in the Master Plan was the outcome of thousands of hours of input from all stakeholders participating in a robust and thorough public review process. If [the developer] proposes such a dramatic architectural change in their upcoming application, we would expect that proposal to go through an equally robust public review process, in which both experts and the community can readily participate.”
— KHP
Letters to the TRPA Governing Board - January 30
Placer County policy requires that any plan set must adhere to the base level standards set by the county, then by the more site specific TRPA standards, followed by the relevant basin area plan, in this case the West Shore General Plan Area Statements & Guidelines, and most importantly, the Master Plan document itself which pertains to the Community Enhancement Program matrix of scenic rating improvements and TRPA Code Amendment benefits pertaining to building height and density.
On January 31, 2023 the second phase of architectural planning for condominium residences [Lot 5, Phase 1B portion of the Homewood Mountain Resort Project at the North Base near Madden Chair] were submitted through Placer County to the Tahoe Basin Design Review Committee (TBDRC) for approval. During the meeting it was noted that a continuance needed to be made so that committee members could familiarize themselves with the project, relevant codes, statements, and guidelines. It was clear that the former Placer County Planning Director had previously not provided the West Shore General Plan Area Statements & Guidelines along with the Homewood Mountain Resort Ski Area Master Plan to the Tahoe Basin Design Review Committee members when plans for Lot 3 townhouses were reviewed. Thus the permit for construction at Lot 3 was issued in error by Placer County.
Over 128 written comments of concern were received regarding the Homewood Mountain Resort project as a whole, some relating to design, some not. Twenty-Four residents and homeowners of the West Shore community spoke out with concern regarding the project’s drastic change in visual and socioeconomic impact. Two speakers commented on the issues regarding non-conformance with the 2011 Homewood Mountain Resort Ski Area Master Plan and West Shore General plan for the townhouses on Lot 3. Four speakers spoke in favor for the design overall, of these, one was an employee of JMA Ventures, two were affiliated with Discovery Land Co., and the other was a former employee of Placer County who was part of the initial approval for the project.
It seemed apparent that Placer County was aware of their past mistake concerning the Lot 3 townhouses, as lawyers and upper level staff took part in the February 28, 2023 meeting to review the Lot 5 condominiums being presented to the TBDRC by JMA Ventures and their associates. While it became clear that the developer's intentions were to completely disregard the classic “Old Tahoe'' designs depicted in the Master Plan, the TBDRC members were adamant that policy would be upheld during the review and this lead to their unanimous decision to "reject as proposed".
Aside form the style of architecture diverging from the Master Plan, it was apparent that the massing of the structures had changed too. What was once depicted to be a magnificent mountain lodge that hugged the base of the mountain became a sporadic sprawl of five story tall condominium towers creeping up the hillside. These were stand alone structures that didn't need apply a height restriction variance as their footprint no longer spanned any significant grade change (previously, the lodge arose from street level to some distance up the hill).
Another missing factor was the view corridor that
"The Old Tahoe look specified in the Master Plan was the outcome of thousands of hours of input from all stakeholders participating in a robust and thorough public review process. If Discovery proposes such dramatic architectural change in their upcoming application, we would expect that proposal to go through an equally robust public review process, in which both experts and the community can readily participate."
To date, no official updates from the developer have been provided to the public regarding the future plans for Homewood.
Public vs Private
Under The Gise Of The Master Plan
In November 2022, the developers announced to the TRPA their intentions to restrict public access to Homewood Mountain Resort under the guise of the TRPA approved 2011 Ski Area Master Plan.
By this time, JMA Ventures had already spent a year in partnership conceptualizing plans with operating partner Discovery Land Company (DLC), and private equity investor Mohari Hospitatlity. The final prospectus and pilot website for Homewood Mountain & Lake Club,
www.welcometohomewood.com (not currently searchable via web browsers or search engines) clearly shows their intention to create the same exclusive member-only residence club that DLC has introduced around the world, including, The Yellowstone Club, Hills of Pine Barrens, Southampton, Taymouth Castle in Loch Tay, Scotland, Ocean Club and airport of Barbuda, the beaches of Costa Terra, Portugal, and dying coral reef and Bay at Guana Cay, Bahamas.
"At Homewood, members can expect
the privacy, exclusivity, five-star service
that define Discovery Land Company."
— Homewood Project Overview, 2022
"The new development will have a strong focus on exclusivity."
— Mohari, main equity investor since 2022
"Lake Tahoe's most-exclusive community to date."
From "Peak to Shore", the developer's action plan was to turn the heart of Homewood into an exclusive mountain and lake club. Creating a socioeconomic environment apart from the existing community would negate the project's original planning status, having been part of the TRPA's Community Enhancement Program (CEP). Developers who partook in the pilot program were granted special benefits under certain conditions of promoting public access, improving scenic views along the travel corridor, and providing enhancements for the community to be "enjoyed equally by local residents and visitors."
In 2007, JMA Ventures, the parent company of Homewood Village Resorts, LLC., sought to develop Homewood Mountain Resort under such CEP conditions shortly after acquiring the resort in 2006. In 2011, after five years of extensive community involvement, the TRPA and Placer County Board of Supervisors approved the proposed expansion as outlined in the Homewood Mountain Resort Ski Area Master Plan and accompanying Environmental Impact Report & Statement. It was a model of responsible land use and community planning, but nearly a decade later, the same developer is abandoning their plan and claiming that project approval is without restriction.
Community vs Developer
Forced to Play Watchdog
In January 2023, a grassroots movement of community members formed Keep Homewood Public (KHP), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization leading the effort of informing the Lake Tahoe community at large about the developer's plans to restrict access to HMR and to promote public comment concerning the architectural aspects of the project. Sign up for the KHP Newsletter HERE.
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency received an overwhelming number of emails from the community of residents and patrons calling for the continuation of public recreation on this beloved mountain in response to JMA's action plan.
“Stick to the plan." " Keep Homewood public forever.”
— 1st KHP Community Meeting, May 2023
KHP began to appeal to regulators of the TRPA and Placer County in February 2023, requesting that they enforce the developer's adherence to the Master Plan + EIR/EIS. By February 2023, the TRPA issued a letter addressed to JMA stating that "the proposed changes may not be consistent with the Master Plan approved by the TRPA Governing Board in 2011. To determine the consistency of the proposed changes with the Master Plan, please provide additional information addressing how the changes fit within the vision and goals of the adopted Master Plan." A comprehensive list of the Master Plan components of concern was outlined in the nine-page letter. Below are a few examples that appear to conflict with the proposed changes:
“The Homewood Master Plan has been guided by 3 specific objectives based on extensive community input:
1) Consistency with the scale and character of Homewood.
2) Enhance the lifestyle and property values of west shore residents.
3) Generation of sufficient revenues to... ensure the continued viability of the ski operations."
"The proposed changes outlined in your letter appear to shift the future vision of Homewood from a four-season resort with a neighborhood commercial village and a ski resort open to the public to a residential neighborhood with a mostly private ski hill and limited local amenities."
In an email correspondence, sent in direct response to the increase of public concern regarding the changes to the project, Arthur Chapman, Founder and Chairman of JMA Ventures LLC, stated: "As proposed, the new model will be membership-oriented with both a residential component and non-residential [social] membership that will be offered to the public.
"We won’t know how much the non-residential [social] membership will cost until we complete our analysis of what the total costs of necessary improvements will be. We can tell you that it will be a vertical membership that will include the primary member’s family (parents, children, grandchildren)."
— Art Chapman, achapman@jmaventuresllc.com January 22, 2023
Similar social club & recreational memberships from around the Tahoe/Truckee region range from $8,450—$17,500+ in yearly dues, with initiation fees of $10,000—$100,000. Memberships offered by Discovery Land Company at the "Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, Montana—another private ski club—requires an initiation fee of $400,000 and annual dues of $40,000." Overall, the resort will be limited to about 1,000 individuals on the mountain in a day. With 180 new residences and a proposed vertical membership (presumably modeled after Martis Camp's club membership that may be passed on to future heirs as well, generation after generation), this leaves little room for the rest of the West Shore community. When asked what assurance the community has that Homewood won’t become completely private in the future, Chapman replied:
"No assurances.”
"As proposed, local residents will have
an opportunity to ski at Homewood on select
non-holiday weekdays every few weeks.”
— Art Chapman, Moonshine Ink, March 25,2022
— Art Chapman, achapman@jmaventuresllc.com January 22,2023
Given HMR's notoriously short ski season, this pencils out to 10 days / year
Recreational vs Residential
#KeepHomewoodPublic - forever!
Since May 2023, KHP has attempted to coordinate with the developer to ensure the Community Enhancement Program backbone of the project (which garnered community approval for land use and density changes) is reflected in any proposed changes. A lack of response and deliverables triggered a petition signed by over 2,000 community members, requesting the TRPA and Placer County to require the developers to clarify their stance on public access.
In an effort to mollify community objections, the developer submitted a "Draft Public Access Plan," along with a permit application to build a gondola, which lacked quantifiable or enforceable commitments.
In November 2023, both governing bodies told the developer that although Homewood managers intend to keep the mountain open to the public, an application to amend the 2011 Master Plan is needed in order to consider how the broader vision for the resort is changing. The TRPA has established a process going forward that includes public input opportunities:
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The agency will review the timber management plan, gondola application, and Master Plan amendment application together.
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Homewood Mountain Resort must submit a public engagement plan as part of the application to amend the Master Plan
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During the review of the Master Plan amendment, final determinations will be made on public access, site plans, architecture, and other components.
To date, no official updates from the developer have been provided to the public outside of the Homewood HOA meeting regarding the future plans for Homewood. On Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 6pm, Discovery Land Company executive Ed Divita will host an online meeting to comply with the Community Outreach requirement that was mandated by the TRPA two years prior.
"TRPA officials expressed a strong concern that the local community was uninformed about the proposed changes to the master plan and suggested that we develop and implement an extensive community outreach program to present the proposed changes to the local, West Shore community.”
— Art Chapman, Regarding June 28, 2022 Meeting with TRPA
The opportunity to ski at Homewood during the 2023/2024 winter season was minimized by the delayed release of season passes, which typically would have gone on sale in the Spring of 2023, yet were not released until Fall 2023. The mountain failed to open any significant terrain until January 8, 2024. Despite the late release and late opening, nearly 2,400 passes were sold in a number of days, once again proving that the Master Plan was right in asserting, “Homewood Mountain Resort is an important winter recreation amenity to the residents, second homeowners, and visitors of the West Shore of Lake Tahoe. It has been considered the locals’ ski hill for several decades. If Homewood is to remain as a viable public recreational amenity, a new plan [the Master Plan] must emerge that... attracts visitors who will stay at the resort for several days... and continues to offer a convenient and quality skiing experience to local, west shore residents."
Taking Action
And Getting Involved
As development projects continue to spring up in the Tahoe Basin, residents and those who partake in our beloved communities
must advocate for meaningful input on the design and implementation of those projects.
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Write Letters to Placer County Building Department and the TRPA Project Supervisors.
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Join local community groups on Facebook and sign up for community newsletters so you can stay informed about opportunities to help make an impact.
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Attend Placer County and TRPA public meetings.
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