HomeMy Public PortalAboutPublic Comment - Ruth Hall (3)Public Comment Form
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First Name Last Name
Ruth Hall
E-mail
Date of Meeting*
2022-08-16
To find the date for an upcoming meeting or to view the agenda, click Agenda Item Number (2)
here. Agendas are posted at least 72 hours before the meeting time.
Public Comment (?) *
Date: August 15, 2022
To: Planning Commission and Town Council
From: Ruth Jackson Hall
RE: Agenda Item: 6.1 Community Character
Dear Commissioners and Councilmembers:
6.1
In your consideration tonight of the Community Character element, I hope you will consider policy that ensures the preservation of the
two Truckee assets most highly prized by residents and tourists alike: our spectacular natural environment and our historic and
authentic downtown. The public input received by the Town over the course of the current 4 -year General Plan process bears these
values out, as does the importance placed on these attributes in our original General Plan.
One useful way to think about policy might be to consider how we can avoid seeing the design and construction of downtown
buildings that do not meet pubic values and expectations:
--The Artists Lofts: This stripped down, modular, development along with its height, and mass degrades the historic environment that
surrounds it and the beauty of the Mt. Rose vista.
--The Avery Hotel: This project was proposed for the historic district and was rejected by the public for its density, mass, height and
its incompatibility with surrounding viewsheds.
--Jibboom Street Residences: The density, mass and height of the proposed designs for this historic street, have elicited ongoing
concern from the public. As designed, the project overwhelms adjacent buildings, including the historic jail and the thoughtfully
designed commercial and office buildings to the west. The height and modern aspect of this development negatively affect the
viewshed and detract from the historic and historic McGlashan neighborhood behind it.
Please consider the vital role that downtown plays in Truckee pride, economic sustainability, and as the crown jewel in the center of
a magnificent landscape. The following excerpt from a recent article in the Sierra Sun provides some background.
History: What Makes Truckee An Historic Town, Heidi Sproat, August 14, 2022, Sierra Sun.
In its own 2013-2014 Visitor Profile Study, Truckee Donner Chamber of Commerce tabulated results of inquiries about the reasons
visitors come to Truckee. Seventy-two percent of visitors come because of the historic districts / downtown, behind only scenic
beauty at 87%. Further, a 2017 town manager executive search report attested that Truckee's economy is driven by tourism. The
report states that Truckee shares a "passion for ... the preservation of Truckee's small town character and authenticity," and the
"community is dedicated to protecting its historic roots and authentic mountain town lifestyle."
Thank you, Ruth Jackson Hall
Upon clicking submit, your comment will be emailed to the relevant Council, Commission, or Committee Members and Town Department Heads
and uploaded to the Town website for public view.