Dale Creighton, a 33-year veteran of the local land use game, delivered the applicant presentation to a packed room at the Truckee Town Council’s special public hearing on the Hilltop Master Plan (HMP) July 16 with his characteristic breathless intensity. Creighton, Principal with SCO Planning and Engineering, is experienced at what he does and is a familiar face in the Town Chambers, retained by major players to help create and pitch plans to Commissioners and Council members alike, and to sit across the table from Town staff to hash out nuances. His dialogue, which stretched nearly half an hour, lays bare both an unparalleled knowledge of the intricacies of the plan and an underlying frustration, indicating that the property owners’ quest to stake a claim on these parcels perched above downtown has been a tortuous eight-year processCreighton stated emphatically up front, ‘if you look at what we’re proposing today as opposed to what was there before (under old Nevada County zoning) there is a significant reduction in this plan, as well as the addition of public uses that didn’t exist before.’ He ran through a laundry list of benefits that will coincide with eventual Hilltop development including the preservation of historic structures, green building designs and the inclusion of open space areas, trails and a public park encompassing much of the old ski hill. He conjures up a vision of the town of Graeagle as he attempts to describe how retail shops, restaurants and small residential lots will look when built along the main street. His definitive message: ‘We believe we’ve met the goals of General Plan and the (Downtown) Specific Plan and done our best to meet neighbor concerns and special interest group concerns.’
Into its second hour, the meeting was just getting started.
Fourteen citizens approached the podium to raise issues, objections, or simply opine about the HMP. Some, like Andrew Esler, Ellie Hyatt and Peggy Townes, are nearby residents with heartfelt anxiety about the increase in traffic development projects will bring. Others were seeking trail enhancements and expansions. Denny Dickinson was there to voice concern over wetlands issues.
But the most tense and intriguing moment of the night came when Mountain Area Preservation Foundation President John Eaton took the podium.
In a statement obtained for a Moonshine Ink story last month, Eaton said MAPF was throwing their full support behind the Hilltop Master Plan after separate negotiations with the development team had resulted in desired outcomes.
But Eaton explained this night, ‘things aren’t so happy anymore.’ He pointed a finger at Owner/Developer Allen Radford for not yet signing a newly penned agreement between some of the property owners and MAPF relating to permanent easements on the property. ‘If Radford signs, things can go along as before,’ Eaton continued.
The statement drew a quick reaction from Radford, who was sitting in the audience. ‘That’s not fair, John.’
But Town Manager Tony Lashbrook stifled the unexpected exchange, which was clearly contrary to proper meeting protocol. ‘There can be no talking from the audience during a public hearing…only into the microphone.’
Councilmember Richard Anderson reacted. ‘Isn’t that setting an environmental group above the public process?’ he queried.
Radford got up to explain his position. How could he have been expected to sign an agreement with MAPF he had never received or reviewed? ‘Once we know how we are going to develop the property and how it is approved, we will then be able to draft a document to have in perpetuity the (Great Ski Race) and the easement…we don’t want to be in conflict with staff or council,’ Radford stated.
Kaitlin Backlund, MAPF’s Executive Director stood to address the council and apologize for the confusion. ‘You (the Town Council) clearly have the ultimate authority here… we hope to present a more unified message at the August 7 meeting.’
The meeting continued for another 90 minutes as the Council queried staff and discussed a range of topics including: four-laning Brockway Road; the height and size of affordable housing overlooking downtown; the ongoing controversy about whether the ‘corner’ at Ponderosa and Palisades Drive should eventually become an intersection, and the need for a ‘will serve’ letter from the Truckee Donner PUD confirming that there is sufficient water to serve the development. At the Hearing’s close, the Council made no decisionss and agreed to bring everything back to their next regular meeting.
On August 6, Town Planner Duane Hall released a memo with new information. A letter from Lahontan Water Control Engineer Tobi Tyler received by the Town July 30 states, ‘The potential impacts to the wetlands by disrupting the surface and groundwater flows with this development are very high, and without further analysis of how these impacts could be avoided and minimized, the mitigation measures stated in the Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) are not adequate.’
Noting that Tyler’s letter was received well after the June 11 public comment deadline and that the Town Council is not obligated to consider its contents, Hall said in the memo that, ‘the Town Attorney and the Town Planner believe the comments from (Lahontan) are premature and will be addressed in subsequent wetlands analysis and future action by the Planning Commission.’
Hall’s memo also discusses an August 4 letter from TDPUD General Manager Michael Holley, which concludes that the estimated water demand for the Hilltop development exceeds previous assumptions by 100 acre feet and that further discussion and analysis, along with a development agreement, will need to be completed before water service will be provided.
Also on August 6, John Eaton clarified that MAPF did not yet have a signed agreement with developers. In addition, referencing the letters from Lahontan and the PUD, he indicated that MAPF has not yet decided a next course of action.
The Town Council approved the Hilltop Master Plan with a 4-0 vote on August 7.
