HomeMy Public PortalAboutPublic Comment #050 (Bunge Hester)Mark Bunge and Tanja Hester
10480 Regency Circle
Truckee, CA 96161
Denyelle Nishimori, Senior Planner
Town of Truckee
10183 Truckee Airport Rd
Truckee, CA 96161
Re: Comments for Canyon Springs Revised DEIR
Dear Denyelle –
We are writing to raise our concerns about the proposed Canyon Springs development adjacent to
Glenshire in Truckee, specifically concerns we have about the adequacy of the revised draft
environmental impact report (RDEIR), and ways in which the proposed Canyon Springs development
would violate the Town of Truckee’s General Plan. A big picture theme of our comments is that the
authors of both versions of the Canyon Springs EIR to date have not accounted for the already expected
increases in population and traffic that are inevitable when the existing developments in the area
(namely Sierra Bluffs, Elkhorn Ridge, the Meadows, etc.) are completed. It is unfair to characterize the
existing Glenshire area population and traffic as the baseline, when new developments are already
underway that will raise that number significantly in terms of population, traffic, bicyclists and
pedestrians, as well as capacity needed at the schools and with emergency response.
Inadequacy in the RDEIR: Traffic study was not conducted accurately
The concerns raised on the prior DEIR were not addressed, namely that the traffic study was completed
in December, when school was not in session, and when visitation to the area was at a low point. The
study in the final EIR needs to be conducted at a more representative time period, when school is in
session and when people are visiting the area in large numbers. Ideally, it would also address traffic
delays during times of construction with increased motorists, and time for fire evacuation with more
traffic from the existing Glenshire neighborhood’s residents, from the increased residents who will live
in the area when existing developments are completed, and with the proposed residents of Canyon
Springs.
Inadequacy in the RDEIR: Clarity around the proposed access gate on Edinburgh in Glenshire
There are contradictions between the RDEIR and Town Staff comments regarding the planned use of the
access gate to the Canyon Springs neighborhood on Edinburgh Dr in Glenshire. The RDEIR states that the
gate will be for emergency use, but does not specify what constitutes an “emergency.” Further, Town
Staff comments indicate that the gate could potentially be used for any purpose. The RDEIR does not
adequately address how this could impact residents in the area of Edinburgh, a very small residential
street connected to other small streets like Regency Circle (our street), in regard to traffic, ongoing
construction , etc.
Inadequacy in the RDEIR: Water quality issues in wetlands and ground water
The RDEIR does not address water quality impacts on Glenshire Pond, the main drainage point for the
entire area, and from which Canyon Springs is uphill, nor does it adequately address the hundreds of
acres of wetlands in the area. The report contradicts itself, calling the impact on Glenshire Pond
“minimal” while elsewhere stating that the impact is “significant.” This must be addressed in the final
RDEIR. The Elkhorn Ridge development has already contributed to erosion that degrades the Truckee
River watershed, and we can only assume unless adequately studied that Canyon Springs could
exacerbate the problem. In addition, our local water supply already has a high level of arsenic, as
reported by the PUD, and the RDEIR does not address whether construction and digging could add
arsenic or other hazardous substances to our water supply.
Inadequacy in the RDEIR: Wildlife issues
The RDEIR relied on a study of wildlife conducted in November, when wildlife are not at their most
active. Everyone living in Glenshire knows that we are in a major deer migration corridor, because we
see them every day. Yet even in this atmosphere, many deer are killed by careless motorists. The
mitigations outlined in the RDEIR are insufficient to prevent a worsening of this problem as the
population in the area increases, especially as the mitigations are not set to be completed until the
development is completed, which could be 20 years or more from now. That is unacceptably long to be
harming more deer with no mitigations.
Inadequacy in the RDEIR: Fire evacuation capacity
This summer gave us yet another reminder, with the King Fire, of how vulnerable we are to fire. With
Glenshire Drive under construction for the much of the summer, much of the neighborhood is reliant on
the downhill route to Hirschdale Drive and I-80 for a reliable evacuation route, and the RDEIR does not
adequately address the evacuation capacity of that route or the Glenshire Drive to Truckee route,
especially in light of the population increases that are already planned as a part of developments
currently underway (Sierra Bluffs, etc.). The final EIR must address safe evacuations not just for existing
Glenshire area residents, but for current and future residents plus proposed Canyon Springs residents.
Not addressed by the RDEIR: Feasibility of Canyon Springs HOA providing promised services
The RDEIR states that the Canyon Springs homeowners association (HOA) will provide for snow removal,
maintenance of trails and common facilities, drainage maintenance, as well as mitigating effects on the
migratory deer from the development and traffic. However, if parcels are not sold and rapidly developed
and bought, this is not a credible assumption. Other adjacent developments like Elkhorn Ridge have not
sold their very similar parcels, and as a result their HOA has no money to complete its tasks. As the
Canyon Springs development is largely uphill from Glenshire, deferring this maintenance could
potentially impact the existing neighborhood, and this has not been addressed by the RDEIR, nor has the
credibility of claims such as the one that the Canyon Springs will mitigate the impact on deer, other
wildlife and the watershed. How can they do that if their parcels don’t sell, or if the neighborhood isn’t
completed for 20 years? Or, better stated, what is the Town’s or Glenshire’s recourse if the Canyon
Springs HOA cannot do what it has promised to do?
Not addressed by the RDEIR: Traffic and safety on Glenshire Drive with completion of Legacy Trail
One topic the RDEIR did not adequately address is pedestrian and bicyclist safety on Glenshire Drive,
now that the Legacy Trail has been completed, and more people are seeking to access it on foot and via
bike. The parking at the Glenshire terminus is now regularly full, and one can envision more cars seeking
to park there, and impeding traffic on Glenshire Drive, blocking the bike lane from town, etc. In addition,
many more pedestrians and bicyclists can be seen on Glenshire Drive seeking to access the trail. With no
sidewalks or bike lanes on Glenshire Drive or any streets in the neighborhood, we should all be
concerned about what will happen if we add additional housing parcels and residents, meaning more
vehicle traffic and more pedestrian traffic, onto what is becoming an increasingly dangerous roadway
for children, families and pedestrians. The RDEIR did not address this safety and traffic issue.
Not addressed by the RDEIR: Traffic increases as a result of existing developments being completed
The RDEIR fails to account for traffic increases that will happen if no other developments are begun, but
rather if existing developments simply sell all of the lots that are currently open. That includes many
developments, including Sierra Bluffs, Elkhorn Ridge, the Meadows, Juniper Hills, Cambridge Estates,
Glenshire Devonshire, etc. The final EIR needs to account for traffic increases that are already expected
but not yet realized, and add Canyon Springs’ impact on top.
Not addressed by the RDEIR: Economic and real estate market analysis of the project timeline
The Canyon Springs developers have put forth a timeline for completion of the development, but we
have no way of knowing if that timeline is realistic or not. Given that Glenshire residents will be affected
by construction vehicles for an unknown length of time (apparently construction vehicles will qualify as
“emergency vehicles” and will be granted access via the Edinburgh access gate), we are entitled to a
realistic assessment of whether the project timeline accurately accounts for economic and real estate
market projections in order to have a clear sense of how long we will be made to endure heavy
construction vehicles, the ripping up of our street for a new water main, etc. We have our own
concerns, separate from the RDEIR, of how appealing these proposed parcels will be to likely buyers.
Buyers from the Bay Area are much more inclined to buy on the west side of town, closer to the ski
resorts, and full-time residents are more interested in being in the more “community” feeling
neighborhoods in the heart of Glenshire or closer to central Truckee, so we worry that there won’t be
enough interest in the Canyon Springs parcels to complete the development – possibly ever.
Not addressed by the RDEIR: Sanitation capacity
Per the letter sent by Jason Parker at the Truckee-Tahoe Sanitation Agency, it is not clear from the RDEIR
whether the TTSA has the capacity to serve yet another development in the Glenshire area. This could
affect not only Truckee residents but also affect our ability to serve the Tahoe Basin in their sanitation
needs, and maintain the pristine nature of the basin.
General Plan Violations
As much as we are concerned about inadequacies in the RDEIR of Canyon Springs, we are even more
concerned about the many ways the development would violate the town citizens’ vision for our
community, set forth in the General Plan for 2025. The plan seeks to foster “neighborhoods each with
their own unique qualities,” but unfortunately Glenshire’s “unique quality” is becoming the huge
amounts of blight surrounding us on all sides, from the empty streets and empty lots of Sierra Bluffs to
the empty streets and empty lots of Elkhorn Ridge, to the soon-to-be empty streets and empty lots of
Canyon Springs. This is a terrible expression of our “community character,” and is certainly not what our
town’s voters or planners have in mind. The town’s priority of infill is not becoming the reality in and
around Glenshire, and the last thing we need is another development to contribute sprawl and actually
work against the goal of infill, nevermind the destruction of more open spaces. We believe that most
Glenshire residents would agree that our neighborhood’s unique character is that we are surrounded by
open space, and Canyon Springs also jeopardizes that, trading our scenic resources for more blight,
more traffic, and a lower quality of life for everyone. We have many more concerns about how the
Canyon Springs development would contradict and violate Truckee’s General Plan, but we will address
those concerns if/when the proposed development reaches the Planning Commission.
Thank you for considering our comments.
With concern,
Mark Bunge & Tanja Hester