The Placer County Planning Commission has recommended that the Board of Supervisors approve the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Lake Tahoe, Mountain Chalets project. The recommendation includes changes to the Martis Valley Community Plan, a rezoning of the site, and an addendum to the environmental impact report.
The proposed development would alter an existing conditional-use permit to allow construction of 38 condominium units arranged as 18 separate mountain chalets in six buildings. The plan also features an 184-space partially-underground parking garage and an elevated walkway connecting the site to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
The original approval for this project dates back to 2005 as part of the Northstar Highlands project. That initial plan included a master conditional use permit for 41 condominium units intended for timeshare or whole ownership. Construction was delayed due to the economic downturn in 2008, and no units were built at that time.
Since then, the 3.4-acre property served as a construction staging area and later received approval in 2009 for temporary overflow parking for hotel employees. In 2014, Placer County extended permission for temporary employee parking with a condition that any future residential project must provide adequate off-street parking both for residents and hotel staff.
The revised proposal reduces total construction from 41 to 38 condo units within 18 chalets spread over six buildings. These chalets are defined as condo-hotel units under county short-term rental rules. Owners may rent out their units through the Ritz Voluntary Rental Program, which currently manages similar properties at the hotel. Each chalet will have a two-car garage, bringing total on-site parking spaces to 220.
To move forward, the project requires rezoning from residential multi-family to resort with a planned development overlay and amending the Martis Valley Community Plan from medium density residential to tourist/resort commercial use so it can operate as a “condo-hotel.” Hotels are not permitted under current zoning regulations.
An addendum was prepared for CEQA compliance based on analysis showing that no new or more severe environmental impacts would result compared with those identified in the original 2005 environmental review.
The next step is consideration by the Placer County Board of Supervisors at a meeting expected early in 2026.
Information about the Planning Commission is available at https://www.placer.ca.gov/2403/Planning-Commission.
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