Homewood To Remain Open to Public
After many months of waiting and local activism, the Homewood Mountain Ski Resort’s plan for redevelopment will ensure that access remains open to the public.
Homewood Closed for 2024/2025 Ski Season
In October, Homewood Mountain Resort announced they would not open for the 2024/2025 ski season. This was only the 2nd time the resort remain closed over their 60 years of being in business.
Due to the slow approval process of their Master Plan for redevelopment, along with public push-back over their intention to privatize the resort, they claimed they lost financial funding for the year. Once TRPA made it clear that privatization was not an option, many believe they closed the resort as a pressure tactic.
January 2025 TRPA Meeting
On Wednesday, January 22, hundreds of people attended the TRPA Governing Board meeting that addressed this project. After two hours of deliberation, they agreed to allow partners, JMA Ventures, LLC, Discovery Land Company, and Mohari Hospitality to continue their plan for redevelopment. At the same time, they want to ensure Homewood will continue to be open to the public.
Of the four motions that passed, two were amendments to the previously approved 2011 Homewood Mountain Resort Ski Area Master Plan. The two other motions related to permitting the resort’s new gondola project.
Some of the amendments include reducing the residential unit density by 45%, and enlarging view corridors. The gondola project terminal location will be close to the base for improved skier access, and Homewood redevelopment will also include a 250-acre forest fuel reduction project.
Redevelopment Approved in Phases
The overall project was not approved. Development permits will come later for different phases. Currently the Gondola phase should begin in the spring and be completed for the 2025/2026 ski season.
In regard to the different phases, TRPA met the public’s request to move up the demolition of the Tahoe Inn as the first phase of project.
After the decision, there was an additional 4 hours of public feedback. The opposition to Homewood’s Master Plan has been driven by a group called Keep Homewood Public. Their biggest concern was that the decision to keep Homewood open to the public might change in the future due to loopholes. Discover Land Company has other member-only resorts and Homewood has discussed privatizing in the past.
TRPA said that they heard the public loud and clear at the TRPA’s Regional Planning Committee meeting in September. It looks like this assurance of public access will be captured in writing and enforceable.
Homewood Will Open in 2025/2026
The Community Access Plan was the result of public pressure and details public access and a discount programs for locals. Many second home owners were also asking how the redevelopment plan will include and affect them.
It has been many months of waiting, but Homewood will remain open to the public. Portions of the Master Plan were approved to proceed. This may be all that was needed to ensure Homewood will open for the 2025/2026 ski season.