Tahoe Keys Marina creates illegal parking lot
By Kathryn Reed
Tahoe Keys Marina staff illegally removed vegetation to create a dirt parking lot close to the water.
“It’s fairly significant. Eleven thousand square feet is the size of an entire lot,” Julie Regan, spokeswoman for the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, told Lake Tahoe News. “It’s a serious matter and we will want to look into it thoroughly.”
TRPA issued a cease and desist order July 25. If would be up to the Governing Board if punitive action would be taken.
Tahoe Keys Marina turned vegetated state land into a dirt parking lot. Photo/Kathryn Reed
The grading occurred July 24. TRPA, South Lake Tahoe and California Tahoe Conservancy started investigating Friday. The Conservancy owns the land that was dug up.
“We cannot change what has happened. We have to decide how best to move forward … if it’s only remediation or if it’s something compensatory,” Ray Lacey, CTC deputy director, told Lake Tahoe News.
State officials were at the marina at 10am Friday giving people until 5pm to remove their vehicles from the illegal dirt parking area.
The marina is accused of violating two state Penal Code sections. One was trespassing by taking down a fence to get heavy equipment in to do the work; the other is unauthorized removal of plants and soil.
This is an area where the Conservancy spent significant money to restore the site.
The marina owns the paved area. The Conservancy owns the dirt area. A fence separates the two.
The vegetation that was removed is next to the South Lake Tahoe launch ramp.
It’s also against TRPA code to park on dirt. The fine sediment is an issue when it comes to erosion, and in particular for reaching Lake Tahoe and degrading its clarity.
No one from the marina returned calls, and their attorney was not available for comment.
Marina officials, including their attorney, had met with Conservancy staff July 24 about using the 1-acre lot the Conservancy owns off Venice Drive for parking for this weekend’s wooden boat show. This is a lot the two entities have long agreed to could be used for boat storage. Parking for the show was not a problem, the Conservancy said.
Lacey said Robert Spinnato, marina manager, apologized for digging where they didn’t have permission. And the marina, according to Lacey, agreed to keep people from parking on the dirt.
South Lake Tahoe sent police and building inspectors to the site on July 25.
“It’s a violation of TRPA code and they have been noticed. They also violated the city’s grading ordinance,” City Manager Nancy Kerry told Lake Tahoe News. “The police department is interviewing and may file a complaint for improper removal of vegetation.”
A bit of irony is that one day the disturbed land, including the Conservancy section up to the cul de sac area of Venice Drive, is slated to be paved. The Conservancy board in December 2013 OK’d 60,000 square feet for additional parking that would be used for people accessing Cove East and for the marina. Marina attorney Bob Henderson had earlier told Lake Tahoe News that would not happen this building season.
Even so, all the permitting still needs to be secured before any new parking lot in the basin is ever created.
Lacey said a meeting has been set up for Monday between Conservancy staff and marina officials.
Tahoe Keys Marina grades land they don’t own and turns it into a parking lot. They dump raw sewage into the lake with no clean up , a fine or anything. I’d bet this illegal grading will be swept under the rug as well.They must have some good connections somewhere.
OLS
At first I was like what?’..then I ‘oo’.. Then I ‘LOLed’. They got the green light to pave 60000 square feet anyway! Hahaha! Screw the TRPA. I can’t even put a garage out In Meyers but a business can pave 60000 SF right next to the spanking lake? This bi-state pact can gargle asphalt.
OLS, are you implying that people with connections are able to get away with doing things that the rest of us common folk cannot? Imagine that!
Not only should the marina be held liable, but the company doing the grading without a permit should also be held accountable for their illegal actions.
another black eye for the Keys Marina.
OLS, at least tell the truth, they did not dump sewage, a pipe got clogged.
The Keys are a joke. There are other problems there. The pump out has been broken for over a month. Slip holders are pissed at the incompetence.
I agree with Moral Hazard’s remark that the Tahoe Keys Marina did not dump sewage, but I’m sure the usual cast of “conspiracy” theorists will be out in droves.
But this grading appears not only to be blatant but really stupid. Who in the basin doesn’t know that you can’t grade 11,000 square feet of land without prior approval from a multitude of agencies, let alone grading property owned by the CTC?! There’s no gray area on this one–what a bunch of morons. Fine the crap out of them for this flagrant disregard of the laws and rules to which the rest of us must adhere.
Hope the keys dry up turn to marsh and everyone living around is inundated with evil Sierran mosquitos all day every day
Tahoebwire: “This bi-state pact can gargle asphalt.” One of the best lines I’ve heard about that ‘pact’ yet. Too true.
Unintended consequences. When the parking was closed on Venice Drive, this was as predictable as the sunrise.
Maybe next year they can arrange parking in a paved parking lot and then arrange transportation with a reputable transportation company? I know one I can recommend :) PS. Howdy OLS, hope you and yours are doing well.
If this marina’s owners and manager have done anything right since purchasing it a couple years ago, I’d like to know. The list of blunders has become overwhelming.
My bad, Tahoe Keys Marina and the Fresh Ketch didn’t actually “dump” raw sewage it “leaked” raw sewage. Big difference between takin’ a “leak” and takin’ a “dump”.
Sorry folks, couldn’t help myself. Bad jokes are always comin’ from OLS
The Marina used their own equipment & employees to clear the dirt lot that did not even belong to them. Also GM Spinnato (aka Skippy) already knew that it was illegal to do that but he also new that he could get away with it.
I have met with NANCY KERRY & DAVE WALKER City of SLT and have a number of conversations about the things that GM Spinnato is getting away with and they continue to do nothing about it. I can prove that they have building taken place without permits, new signs without approval as well as fire code violations but the city officials for some reason just don’t care. Dave Walker was at the Fresh Ketch (also owned by the marina) last week while a new bar was being constructed on the east end of the patio , he not only didn’t site them they continued the work right in front of them.
This is what happens when Felons take over a business. Openly violating several laws and the city does NOTHING! This sounds a lot like what is going on in Washington as well. Pathetic on many levels.
The Marina is a bit of a problem for sure, but they do seem to get flack for rather ordinary business activities. Did they need a permit for whatever they were doing regarding a bar in Capt. Steve’s comment above? There are many things that simply do not need permits.
However, I am concerned that now, apparently, the SLT police are also the environmental cops?
It is my belief that TRPA and Lahontan are the enforcement agencies as opposed to the SLT police. I’d love to hear about the environmental training the police received to pursue their new duties.
Any comment about this Ms Kerry?
Everyone who cares about the Tahoe Environment should Boycott the South Tahoe Antique and Classic Wooden Boat Show this year in protest. The marina owners need to get the message that this is NOT OKAY and they will only do so if it costs them money.
Observer: They said these fools violated a few Penal Codes. That would get the Police involved.
The Marina ownership and management, Skippy or half shady in particular, have ruined a SLT icon. Watching this deteriorate the past few years has been painful. There are high quality marina ‘ s on the lake. If the TKM had a clue about running a reputable business they could be making tons of money and making us locals proud.
Too bad the local bureaucrats let the illegal activities continue. Leveling our restored land for a parking lot, REALLY??
Just another case of people doing whatever the heck they want to with no repercussion. I really have to wonder what the TRPA truly does. The guy down the street from me cut down about 15 trees around his house–I reported it more than once. Nada. Not a single thing was done. Some trees were very large. I have photos. Nothing. They seem to just waive a big stick.
Having just spent thousands of dollars on my BMPs while being closely supervised by the County, I am curious to see what, if anything, happens with regard to the above violation. If my small lot five miles from the lake is so vital to lake clarity, imagine how important land adjacent to the lake is! If no agencies step up and take action this, I will lose any last shred of confidence I might have in Tahoe regulatory agencies. Keep us posted Kae.
Ok Tahoe Keys Marina, this is not cute anymore.
Yes, the marina and ketch have really become run down compared to years before. I ALWAYS steer people away from that over priced, poor quality, lake polluting den of felons. AMAZING how the city officials DON’T DO A DAMN THING!! Typical of politicians at any level these days.
“They paved paradise and put up a parking lot….ohhhhh ah ah ah ah.”
Rebel is absolutely right. Under most state and federal environmental laws landowners AND their contractors are individually and severally liable for the violation. And Kae, just FYI – dirt is what you wash off your clothes- in its natual environment it’s called soil.
This Robert Capone Skipoutonpunishment guy is pretty cool. They should have sold the marina to the city of angels guy. At least he couldn’t get away with things that aren’t detrimental to the lake. If he were in charge the whole place would be auctioned off to the highest bidder, and maybe someone who cares would scoop it up. Thanks Bobby Skipsaccountability for being the hill billy in such a prestigious neighborhood.
@Joni Mitchell “…With Casino-Hell, a time-share and a swinging Asian Massage spot….don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you got til’ it’s on a five dollar t-shirt”
Crime of the century. Off with their heads.
Since Tahoe Keys Marina took over land it doesn’t own, graded it and turned it into a parking lot, I’ve got an idea! I’ve always wanted lake front property since I was a kid and now that the precident has been set I’m taking over the meadow between Kiva Beach and Taylor creek (one of my old hangouts). I’ll be grading for my new estate and set up a buoy field offshore and for the heck of it put in a hundred foot pier. No permits, no report to EPA, no title to the property… Heh, No problem!!!
So remember, I’ve got first dibs on that lake front property, no papers have been filed because Tahoe Keys didn’t for there dirt parking lot on conservancy land.
Is America a great place or what? OLS
old Tom told me that the whip is going to come down on those guys.
I will believe it when I see it,
OLS now your taking about federal land, your not going to make this a bundy ranch thing are you?
reloman, Of course I was being facetious on taking over public land but had I actually tried such a thing you could bet that that ” the armed militita, second ammendment patriots” would be out in force to protect my stolen public property.
I’m curiuos to see how the ongoing saga of Tahoe Keys Marina unfolds. Anyone heard of the depth of the channel at the mouth that leads to the lake?
I’m glad my boat is on the trailer this summer. OLS
I find it very comical that GM Robert Spinnato is always blaming people of sabotage and persecution pertaining to the cal-osha investigation, sewage leak, the channel depth, building code violations and everything else, when in reality it his stupidity and disregard for the law. If he actually thinks the community and law enforcement believe lie after lie then he should just tell us the parking lot fairies came in the middle of the night and graded that land. In this case I don’t feel it could be more clear that he will continue to make irresponsible choices. If the public could know how he abuses his employees and how he lies to customers and authorities I know he would be laughed out of the basin. My punishment to someone as Incompetent as him is that he will ruin his own life through is own choices and once he is gone the TKM marina will once again be the great place it could be
I read where “Chad” is the spoke person for the Marina. Seriously? No offense Chad but you’re just a front desk clerk. If this were a reputable business, I would expect the Felon (as I read) to man up. I guess he is too busy blaming others for his stupid and law breaking decisions. Run him out of town!! Send him back to the prison he belongs in with the other bottom feeders.
Only yesterday I was able to share the contents of this thread, as well as some of my own experiences, with a fellow Carson Valley resident who was telling my how much she and her family have loved the Fresh Ketch.
Talking away customers one at a time is a slow process, but it’ll eventually strike home.