HomeMy Public PortalAboutPublic Comment #23 (Eaton)1
Laura Dabe
Subject:FW: TD marina
Attachments:PastedGraphic-1.pdf
From: John Eaton [mailto:]
Sent: Monday, April 15, 2013 6:17 PM
To: Jenna Endres
Cc: Alexis Ollar
Subject: TD marina
April 16th, 2013
Dear Ms. Endres:
As a Tahoe Donner homeowner I have a number of concerns about the proposed expansion of the Tahoe
Donner Marina:
It is currently approved for recreational use. A Tahoe Donner advertisement indicates that they intend to
rent it out for weddings. Is this commercial use appropriate ? There are multiple other areas in Tahoe
Donner itself that would easily serve this function, as would existing facilities on the west end of Donner
Lake.
They will be creating a lawn and an extensive semi-pervious area right next to Donner Lake. The pavers
have holes, but how much of the water falling on the pavers actually soak into the ground ? What will be
the effect of the sediment and chemical runoff? How should this be mitigated ? Currently an unkown
proportion of the runoff flows off asphalt to a wet meadow on State Park property. How much is it
?What is the effect of this runoff? How should it be mitigated?
They are proposing removal of a number of trees because they are “diseased.” One of the trees proposed
for removal has a fork. I have a tree with a fork in my yard which is over 300 years old. Most of the
trees proposed for removal have defects but are not truly diseased. Defect trees provide particularly good
habitat and should be retained for environmental reasons. What would be the effect of removing these
trees on the local bird population ? How should it be mitigated ?
They propose extensive excavation which is likely to severely disturb the roots of any remaining trees.
Can the project be done without or with much less excavation? If they do excavate, what will be the
environmental effects? How can they be mitigated?
The northern portion of the property is on a steep slope. Is working in this area consistent with Town
policy?
The 39 parking places provided are currently inadequate for the approximately 30,000 people using the
facility each year. How much use can these 39 places support ? A traffic study is necessary to determine
how many places should be provided for its current use as well as for its proposed new use. Inadequate
parking does not limit use, it just causes people to park where they inconvenience the neighbors and
create congestion for other users of Donner Lake.
Lights are unneccessary for its current use, but would be needed for its (undisclosed to the Town) new
use. Ten foot high lights, even if directed downward, will reflect off the water and produce light
pollution of the entire lake. I doubt that this could be mitigated, but it must be evaluated by an EIR
which would need to provide an effective mitigation.
The proposed half moon retaining walls on the steep slope are an unneccesary disturbance. Since most
of the slope will be stabilized by vegetation, all of it might as well be be stabilized by vegetation
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The marina is environmentally sensitive area. It would be completely irresponsible to proceed with the
extensive disturbance without assesssing the environmental consequences with a full Environmental Impact
Report.
The Sierra Club Forester has an opinion different from the Tahoe Donner Forester on which trees should be
removed. The Town should select and hire an independent arborist or forester, paid for by Tahoe Donner, to
settle the difference.
It would be cheaper, and would probably produce a better result if the project were designed around the trees,
rather than vice versa.
Thank you very much for your consideraton.
Sincerely Yours
John M. Eaton M.D.