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Home My Public Portal AboutPublic Comment #24 (Didriksen)1 Laura Dabe Subject:FW: From: Neal Didriksen [mailto:neal.didriksen@sbcglobal.net] Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2013 10:46 AM To: Jenna Endres Subject: Sunday, September 15, 2013 Town of Truckee Planning Commissioner Jenna Endres, Associate Planner Phone number: 530-582-2922 Fax number: 530-582-7771 10183 Truckee Airport Road Truckee , CA 96161 jendres@townoftruckee.com RE: Tahoe Donner Marina Facility Improvement Project Scheduled for the Planning Commission Dear Jenna: As you know, I live directly across the Tahoe Donner Marina Facility. When the Planning Commission voted down the application for the Tahoe Donner Marina Project which is really the Tahoe Donner Weddings and Major Event Lake Area I was elated. The Planning Commissioners unanimously voted to not approve the project, since the Tahoe Donner Facility improvements would violate the Town of Truckee Ordinance requirements. In the discussion leading to their final vote each of the Planning Commissioners voiced what their concerns were the following:  Greg Buchheister had the Tahoe Donner Wedding web address open and said that the Marina would have a wedding up to seventy guests. Today when I opened that same web site the Marina is not featured but there a lot of pictures of past weddings at the Marina. There was discussion that all events should receive a permit from the Town of Truckee.  Heather Beckman’s comments were still about the number of light fixtures and the section views. Jenna had a corrected section which she had on the video scree  Bruce Cornell’s main concern was providing the required ramps for the American with Disabilities Act. Bruce also made a very good suggestion of using small cement tubes on square footings with a pressure treated deck support so that the soil would not have to be disturbed and therefore the tree root system will not be disturbed. The new decking material that is on the market today has a 25 year warranty. 2 Below are some of my concerns regarding the Tahoe Donner Marina expansion project that blatant disregard regarding the Town of Truckee’s ordinance requirements. Facility location is currently zoned as a Marina.  The Tahoe Donner group already mentioned that they hold many events at the facility  The Town of Truckee should make sure that this facility requests a permit for all events held at the facility  I went on the web and looked up the Google view of the Tahoe Donner Marina. Enclosed is a hard paper copy of the “snack area and deck”. Please note that the new plans have more than doubled the eating area. The Tahoe Donner people have tried to go away from a Marina where swimmers can get out of their wet suits standing on a lawn area. Then take a warm shower at an outside area in the snack building. Also the grass area where people can lay their long boards on is gone. You don’t need two fire pits for a Marina to warm people up during the day.  Current snack bar is just hamburger shack; the only other one is on the Public Beach on the west end beach. The new improved Tahoe Donner would look like a casual dining restaurant overlooking Donner Lake. Also is this facility zoned to have an on-site restaurant? Truckee has an ordinance zero removal of trees.  Current plan proposes to remove trees; I believe that the commissioner’s suggestion of a raised ADA ramp is a better less evasive solution. Ordinance that does not allow building on grades greater than 30%  The majority of the project is requesting that the Town of Truckee allow the developers to build on locations that are greater than 30%  The developers state that this is to make their site ADA accessible, however, if you look at the plans it is really about making a large restaurant and larger beach Night Sky Ordinance  The proposed development goes against the night sky ordinance.  People live at Donner Lake so we can gaze at stars; the lights proposed will light up the area and encourage light-night activity at a facility that is permitted to operate dawn till dusk.  Tahoe Donner still has their late hour of closing at 10:00 PM. It should be at 8:59:00 The campers at Donner State Park did not come to Donner Lake to view lights across the lake. What about Night Sky Ordinance that Truckee is trying to make goal for? Safety  As a resident who lives across the street, I worry about the pedestrians and bicyclist on Donner Pass Road  The facility does not have enough parking for the current attendees and I am concerned that if they make this into more of an events facility then parking and safety will become worse.  Therefore, I believe that before this project is approved that Tahoe Donner Property Association should pay for a traffic study. There are 3 many residents who rely on Donner Pass Road; therefore a full traffic flow study should be completed for an entire summer.  On a side note; the Tahoe Donner Lake Property Association has enough internal parking spaces for a normal weekend and limits the number of members. I am interested to see how many people enter the Tahoe Donner Beach facility throughout the summer. Trees planted under power lines Tahoe Donner still has 12 Quaking Aspen trees right under the high voltage power line. Please look at the California Polytechnic at San Louis Obispo http://www.selectree.calpoly.edu/ for the maximum height and yearly growth rate. It also tells you the distance that the tree can be from the power line. When my wife and I purchased our home, we chose Donner Lake for the quiet atmosphere. We are very concerned that the current Tahoe Donner Marina project will change the overall atmosphere of Donner Lake. The proposal is trying to enlarge the snack bar and change it to look like other marinas on Lake Tahoe. The proposals will only benefit Tahoe Donner residents who do not own a house at Donner Lake; however the residents and campers at Donner Lake will be directly impacted by the proposed expansion project. The Town of Truckee needs to make sure that a large corporation; Tahoe Donner Property Association does not change the overall feel of Donner Lake. We appreciate the Planning Commissions thoughtful review of the proposed changes. We will continue to keep abreast of the proposed changes to the Marina. I think it would be wise for the Town of Truckee to make the Tahoe Donner Property Association get permits for all events held at the facility. Thank you, Neal Didriksen 12950 Donner Pass Road Truckee, CA 96161 Email www.neal.didriksen@sbcglobal.net Mailing address: 50 Palmer Lane Portola Valley, CA94028 Neal Didriksen