Grego shutdown trying to get to meat of General Plan’s draft EIR

By Kathryn Reed

South Lake Tahoe City Councilman Bruce Grego expressed dissatisfaction with contents of the city’s environmental impact report for the updated General Plan, but was essentially shutdown by the consultant.

“It appears there is a certain philosophy being worked into this document,” Grego said at the Nov. 2 council meeting.

He took issue with regulating fireplaces and woodstoves, restrictive lighting for businesses, and the pervasive view people are going to stop using their vehicles.

Bruce Grego

“Today is not intended to be a dialog of the adequacy of the document,” explained Pat Angell of PMC World, the group paid to assemble the EIR. “When we prepare the final we will relook at the language and unintended consequences.”

Angell gave a brief, superficial PowerPoint of what the EIR is about, but no substance to what is in it.

Even though a PowerPoint slide said the purpose of the public hearing was to, “Provide an opportunity for interested agencies and the public to provide input on the adequacy of the draft EIR,” Angell did not seem to care what Grego had to say.

Staff and fellow councilmembers pointed out to Grego that much of what he is worried about in the draft EIR is already in city code or part of Tahoe Regional Planning Agency rules.

One person from the audience spoke.

Mayor Kathay Lovell agreed with Councilman Bill Crawford’s statement, “I think the General Plan is much like the city budget, both are living documents that are subject to be changed along the way.”

This was an informational item, with nothing to vote on.

The General Plan, once approved, will replace the existing General Plan that was adopted in 1999. The public may comment on the draft EIR until Nov. 12. The plan is online. The final EIR is expected to be released in January or February.