The Tahoe Daily Tribune reported this week that Squaw Valley is expected to be releasing a revised plan for the Village at Squaw Valley in mid-December. This is no surprise to those that have been watching the project. An email was circulated earlier this month from Chevis Hosea, VP of Development at Squaw Valley. The email alerted members of the community that a new plan was forthcoming, and hoped to address concerns over the project.
The Tahoe Daily Tribune, Moonshine Ink and this site continue to be bombarded by letters and comments regarding issues with the proposed development. Few of those comments and letters seem to favor the current proposal for development.The article at the Tahoe Daily Tribune is worth the read. We encourage people to stay abreast of the situation and make sure to express your opinion, regardless of which side you support. Collectively, there are a lot of proposals in the works all over Tahoe that impact all of us for a long time. Read the article here.
For those of you that love to make comments…here’s a fresh new thread to load up!
A walk through discussion with a Mr Haag resulted in KSL talking about a carpark going up on a easement. The legal idea was initially met with the words ‘that can’t be right’ by non-lawyers in the valley, but, after being first floated on UA and with the servient easement holder’s counsel, it looks like a few mutual problems are solved. Let’s see if KSL puts pen to paper in the next version.
Other favourable treatment are preserving a water garden, a set back from a boundary, a road width in one place, and tree planting to preserve privacy. Again, let’s see words on paper plans soon.
Feedback indicates there’s still a lot of uncommitted potential voters, and some courting. KSL would be wise to pay heed to all the positive suggestions to build bricks and a soulful community for all.
This caught my eye: :” While it’s unclear what exactly those revisions will be, Alex Fisch, senior planner for Placer County Planning Services, said he thinks they will be “notable.”
In the SLT News, City Manager Nancy Kerry says – Posted: November 27, 2013
We are in an unprecedented time in Tahoe, one where more collaboration, more teamwork, and more focused and strategic vision that the future of the South Shore is bright… the note was to thank and encourage those who are working together. My point in the note was to encourage people to keep working together and not be discouraged, which is so very easy to do. ”
Let’s hope KSLs new plan works with the community..
On facebook are photos of a waterpark that your readers might like to see because I don’t think KSL published any artist impressions about their proposed idea.
http://www.avoriaz.com/mountain-holidays/aquariaz-.php#
It looks plastic to me but we don’t have to use it.
The real question is whether these things are a big drawcard for tourists or if it’ll be a big financial mess.
Drahy Unofficial.
Our towns bid with neighbouring Poland for the Winter Olympics that your Olympic Committee decided against bidding for. We have real ‘water parks’. http://www.slovakia.com/spas/
Dobre Nos,
You’re a funny guy!
Dear UA,
The owner of 2 Canadian ski resorts sold some resorts that went to Murdoch’s associate who, subsequently, sold off ski resorts to the British operator of Legoland and other “disneylands”. Prada and Tiffany’s proposed being part of the expanded development, and wisely withdrew. Surplus condos, numbering 70, were dumped on the market in a fire sale with an average price of $115,000. The theme park operator did not try waterparks despite the fact that water parks are its core business. KSL must be more optimistic. Demographically and geographically, Squaw Valley is very similar to the Merlin resorts too. Needless to say, Murdoch is a clever gent and Merlin are experts. Dr Heneveld wisely, I think, suggests phased development and I think you’ll find that KSL is working hard on that idea. May the wisest outcome eventuate soon.
How are KSL going to build partly submerged (oops, I mean partly subterranean) parking lots given that 22% of the stream is groundwater. To me that sounds like the carpark is a marsh (like the old photos showed BEFORE the Army Corps ‘moved’ the creek from running east-west in the middle. How will KSL “move” ground water from the middle to the roadside? Will they have bilges pumping water 24/7 out of carparks? And how do you build on wet porous soil just 61ft above a big hole 500′ deep? I’m sure they have answers, …. or did they buy swampland without due diligence …or was the carpark sold cheap because its a marsh covered in easements of access and Well Agreements?
Also, do banks lend money for condo 2nd houses built on infill, or must KSL find people with cash to buy condos?
Dr Heneveld, imo, wisely sugested that KSL build and sell one part before moving on to another part.
Fyi, in a landmark environmental case, the United States Supreme Court expanded the scope of potential governmental liability for takings. In Koontz v. St. Johns River Water Mgmt. Dist, 133 S. Ct. 2586 (2013),
a landowner sought a permit to develop a section of his 14.9 acre property; his property was located on wetlands. (Sounds like SV) 133 S. Ct. at 2592. In the application, the landowner offered to deed to the government 11 acres of his property as a conservation easement. Id. at 2592-93. (Is that what Squaw intends doing with Wells and the creek?). The government demanded the landowner either deed over a larger portion of the property (13.9 acres) or pay for wetland enhancements on government-owned property that was located several miles away. (Who’s paying for poop pipes, and road works and bus terminals?)
In Koontz, the Court said government demands, such as impact fees or payments in lieu of an easement, are subject to the takings clause when those demands are tied to a permitting action for a specific property.
The Court substantially expanded property owners’ rights by increasing the potential bases for a property owner to challenge the validity of a permit. Now, a property owner can challenge a permit, even if the permit was denied. Also, a property owner can now challenge instances where the government conditions a permit on monetary contributions. These new rights will likely lead to an increase in litigation as property owners explore what “roughly proportional” means in regards to monetary contributions.The decision will also cause permitting jurisdictions to examine closely all potential conditions tied to a permit. In addition, permitting jurisdictions may need to review how impact fees or payments in lieu of mitigation are linked to permitting actions. In short, the Koontz decision will demand heighted scrutiny by permitting authorities, which will likely lengthen the review process for permit applications.
Jennifer Montgomery was right to say, in Monshine In, that the BoS are under scrutiny (and their decision to listen to the design review committee was very wise, tacticly one cynic might say). The County Planner was also wise to expect “notable” changes in the next set of plans. “Someone” is going to have to look at all the ripple effects and negotiate a sensible outcome i.m.o that doesn’t make neighbours pay for things. I can’t wait to see the revised plans and a full FAQ as there’s more to building a resort than meets the eye.
According to IOV on facebook, the next IOV meeting want to hear what services people want from a town. Put some thought to it people.
Gus
I don’t see SOV people saying a thing on the IOV Forum either. But they know everything and won’t enlighten us, except through soft sell advertorials.
Perhaps they can ask Placer about the $30,000,000 in outstanding debt and the $10m bond financing for the new sewer plant to Roseville. You know, that’s where they have voters who enjoy OV’s money.
Some quick thoughts:
1. Permits for events like Ironman that deal with the issues that prevented employees getting to work and caused places to close. In MShine. one local Tahoe business wrote that ‘everyone’ lost thousands – so fix these events so the economic benefits flow through to small businesses, their employees and small families who depend on the boss opening the doors.
2. Placer estimated a town would pay $697,000 towards regional advertising that uum helps big billionaire resorts. The $ also goes to foreign tv networks. Use smart local promotions and smart locals for far less to promote local businesses;
3. I went to a sausage sale at Squaw for the regional race clubs. I didn’t see any real sponsorship Try this: Use RFID technology to co-brand passes – with regional resorts – for a regional series of grass roots events for kids and families that is a pathway to national selection and Olympic Gold. At one group of hills, we’re sponsored by car companies(and the hill’s car company can’t stop that), et al for over $500,000 for events that run over the season. 8000 beds PER NIGHT fill (and that’s TOT tax) with thousands of kids and parents at apres events (and spending on food and bev). Surplus funds help the elite with sponsorships, and subsidized ski training trips. Think about the tot tax, the tips, the lessons, the training programs, the bed and the food and bev revenue etc etc etc.
Can i suggest
1. widening (at KSL’s cost) the bike path for safety reasons (over the poo/water pipe to Martis)
2. adding curbside all day parking on meters for the day when KSL charges paid parking (as they surely will)
3. snowclearing the bike path. That idea was widely supported by at least a dozen businesses in letters I’ve seen.
Regarding IOV’s call for ideas about services the town should provide, really KSL has to provide affordable accomodation for employees to stay in village. The town should make that a planning rule.
That way, Employees spend money in small businesses in the village.
Employees avoid long polluting commutes.
Employees save on gas!
And SV has people on hand to staff lucrative events.
Would you drive miles for a short job where, after paying for gas, you’ve wasted your time?
KSL must know it’s in their interests to build affordable places for employees.
What type of services do they want people to suggest? I think a Medical center with an ambulance ‘escape route’, a medivac heli pad, and a creche/kids center could be nice.
In the Nstar Masterplan they talk about wildfire prevention services, town planning and housing permit, providing medical services and fire stations, and things like that. Eleswhere we’ve read about grey water recycling plants and parking structures – like the one Mr Gaad (?) spoke about.
Are those the type of services that IOV want people to think about ? For ideas, here’s a link to public services in Northstar’s masterplan http://www.placer.ca.gov/~/media/cdr/ECS/EIR/NorthstarMMP/NorthstarDEIR14-PublicServices.pdf
Personally I’d like to see an asylum built for whoever invented a bus system that costs $25 to $165 to $290.14 per ski bum on seat.
Mark,
I noticed the date of these posts predate the KSL Presentation in January! There is an escape route and other ideas peppered in the threads.
Why are KSL still hiring “experts” who keep farking up: you should’ve been at the DRC meeting and you should read what the piffle the SOV people are peddling pathetically
The Tribune reports on the importance of snowmaking to the economy but don’t big buildings radiate heat so snow turns to rain?
After all, SV is in a ‘warm’ region in a valley, so heat will pool in that valley.
What do the snowmakers think?
The Trib also covers medical tourism. Yes, medical tourism to Sth Lake Tahoe. http://www.laketahoenews.net/2013/11/barton-puts-emphasis-destination-medicine/ . It says Does Squaw’s masterplan have a viable medical centre next to the slope near a helipad?
In the Nstar Masterplan they say “Wildland Fire Hazard
There is a high risk of wildland fires in this area based on the topography and vegetation present.
Portions of Northstar that will remain undeveloped include steep slopes which are conducive to
the rapid spread of wildland fires and will pose a risk to the public as well as to residences. See
Section 15.0, Hazards Materials and Hazards, of this Draft EIR for a detailed discussion of
wildland fire hazards.”
What’s happening with the “8 mile pipe”, grey water recycling, and pumping grey water thru snowguns for wildfires and snowmaking? Or is there so much water in that aquifer (which fluctuated 22% in 2 years!) you could save Squaw from massive fires like the recent ones???
It’s good to hear KSL agreed, on a on-site discussion, to allow adjoining parking spaces for a place without adequate parking places. Now I can park and have friends over.
I understand KSL “moved” things to save views from Bldg 3.
It sounds like KSL saw merit in trying to see if the 8 mile pipe idea works for them and might fix bends and bad cambers where cars spin out.
Looks like KSL might have a place for employees and 350 car places too .
How are other people getting on with KSL?
Mark,
I am in awe and amazed how did your mere mortal people know this because Lot 4 wasn’t announced until January or February 2014!
Why didn’t IOV supporters and IOV detractors know.
Was the DRC even aware?
Did KSL even know what it would do???
How did Squaw locals know about the top secret SEC FBI IRS case with Hewlett Packard as soon as the SOV advertisement mentioned the HP ex treasurer’s transparent concerns?
I tip my hat to you.
Cheerio
Odin.
Will the waterpark look like this one?
http://www.greatwolf.com/
I see the Museum – and the $200,000 paid by the County to ‘experts’ – is in the news again.
Yes, $200,000 was paid to experts to select a site
a) owned by someone else
b) who wasn’t selling. and c
) next to where foreigners wrote (see the Letters to Mshine) ages before locals knew about concrete pours for buses stops and secret pipe deals.
The Auditors should hold the County responsible.
Here’s a snippet from a local realtor in today’s facebook news:
” Ultimately the Poulsen property was eliminated because of a power substation and easements on the property. Placer County also rejected the location because its portion of the land was too small for the museum, and the Poulsens had no desire to sell.
The history of the park is also cited by Heneveld as a reason for opposition to the location. The 35-acre park was created by an act of Congress after many year of lobbying. “Congress authorized the U.S. Forest Service to sell the land to Placer County, legislation that was signed by President Bill Clinton.” The park land came with deed restrictions for summer-only usage and non-commercial uses. Heneveld asks “how can a museum be financially viable if it can’t have commercial operations?” Click here to read the entire Moonshine Ink article.”
I’d like to know how on earth the County gave “experts” $200,000 to select places owned by other people that aren’t for sale, are covered in easements and are part of plans next to road and bus terminals!.
When you look at the dates on the letters, you’ll see foreigners knew about bus station concrete pours before the overpaid Experts knew. How come the museam people and the experts needed $200,000 to find that out? Someone, Ms Montgomery, should ask for a refund!
I was thinking about the indoor pool at Montbleu @ Heavenly https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/q71/1459789_10151992628203567_346973879_n.jpg and 2 pools in my youth which were unused and were turned into dining rooms.
That made me think about all the other “great ideas” over 50 years – like boat cruises and water skiing – that KSL came up with in the survey.
I have to ask “What has KSL invented that’s so different to ideas that died in the past?”
Even fancy spa resort pools, for example, don’t have people camping at the door like A Black Friday Sale.
Let’s hope that KSL plans the indoor pool area in a way that turns it into dining tables like most other pools became.
IOV on Facebook say:
“We are pleased to announce that one of our trusted advisors, Robert Van Nort, will be joining us at our monthly meeting this Tuesday.
We will be discussing services in the future town and look forward to Robert’s input.”
Would free roadside parking – no more fn parking tickets ! – go some way to save daytrippers from any future paid parking?
For traffic services I know In some places there’s car lanes, a parking lane and next to the parking lane is a bike lane. That puts a row of parked cars between traffic (and construction trucks) and cyclists/peds. (Under the widened road there would be the 8 miles of poop pipes to Martis which replace the high cost manual poop removal by trucks). We know kids need to be safe, like the poor 23 y.o who died recently at Dollar Hill.
Instead of a Museum, how about small employee condos run by the town at a profit.
Whatever happened to the geo-dome for a neighborhood green house?
That’s my 2c.
Did anyone from SOV come to the meetings and ask the ‘hard questions’, or did they stay at home?
– Bumpkin.
Worried about your view?
Unsure how tall the neighbour’s building will be and are you unsure if your view is really affected.
Try helium ballons!
Use string cut to the building’s height . On a stlll day you can photograph the balloon from your window and assess if the height is something to worry about, or not.
Easy Peasey.
Have IOV or FOSV or anyone tried this, filmed it, and put it on facebook for 2nd homeowners to see?
What does this Save Olympic Valley mean when it says locals don’t know things and don’t understand?
Can he explain why locals knew – before KSL’s January 2014 Presentation – the Helipad would ‘go’ and the Squallykids will stay as a Medical Center ?
http://unofficialalpine.com/?p=2382#comment-9475
Did SOV assess reports about wind gusts that funnel down 10 story tall buildings and then hits a helicopter as it hovers near cars and buses? 🙂