DIY store in South Tahoe granted permit to sell lumber
By Kathryn Reed
Lumber will be able to be bought on a Sunday sometime this summer on the South Shore.
This is because on Thursday afternoon the South Lake Tahoe Planning Commission agreed to DIY’s special use permit that would allow the store to sell lumber.
DIY will sell lumber this summer and add 12 parking spaces. The driveway apron will be changed to concrete down the road. Photo/LTN
The controversial store – at least when it was going through the permit process more than a year ago – expects to start construction on the building that will house the lumber as soon as dirt can be moved May 1. The permits are in hand.
Jordan Haun, manager of the Tahoe Do It Yourself, said execution of the permits didn’t happen because there was no need to have a lumber building when the use permit didn’t allow the sale of that product.
When DIY President Jess Ruf signed a 10-year lease on the old South Shore Motors building in December 2008 he believed he would be opening the following summer.
Then the controversy started in 2009 when the Southern California-based chain started to go through the permitting process. Appeals by representatives of Scotty’s, Nel’s and Meeks led to the City Council approving DIY to operate a general merchandise store, which meant it could not sell lumber. In doing so, the city essentially gave Meeks a monopoly on the sale of lumber on the South Shore. However, Meeks’ South Tahoe and Meyers locations close at 4:30pm on weekdays and is not open Sundays – whereas, DIY has longer hours and open both weekend days.
Lew Feldman, attorney for DIY, told planning commissioners April 14, that granting the special use permit will address the leakage of retail sales off the hill by having a one-stop shop that is open on Sundays.
At the time of the multiple public hearings nearly two years ago, Judy Brown spoke out at a meeting saying how DIY should not be allowed to move in — that proximity of similar businesses should be taken into consideration.
Now she is on the Planning Commission. While she acknowledged what she had said in the past, she voted for the special use permit.
“At this point I feel like my hands are tied. It is existing and it’s an allowable use,” Brown said.
Robert Cosmi told Lake Tahoe News after meeting he does not know if he will appeal the decision. Scotty’s Hardware, which he owns, is walking distance from DIY. He has contended all along that DIY would cut into sales of existing hardware stores.
Ace Hardware, which was on the same street of Scotty’s and DIY, went out of business this year, though they said not because of DIY.
South Tahoe codes allow applicants to reapply for special use permits one year after being denied – which is just what DIY did.
In other action at the Planning Commission meeting:
• The group approved the General Plan Update, which now goes before the City Council on May 3 for approval. It will be one of the topics of the council’s workshop after its regular meeting on April 19.
Well Halleluia! Now Meek’s has some competition in town!
yes
Oh, wow! Are we becoming a real town? One that realizes a little greed is good? Planning Commission – you’re OK in my book!
Maybe they will just make a secret pact, like the gas stations….
Finally. Choice is always good.
It will be the same price as everything else just like gas.
AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TO BEGIN WITH!!!
Why would Scottys appeal? DIY HAS been selling hardware, it was granted to begin with!! Why does Scottys care if DIY sells lumber? Why are Judy Browns hands tied? Which hardware stores have her in their pocket?
And Lew Feldman doing something good for the town?
AMAZING!
This is called free enterprise. There is no reason to deny DIY from selling lumber. Meeks has had that monopoly since they bought the old Supply One site in Meyers. A little old fashioned competition should be good for both businesses. And, as said before, Scotty’s does not sell lumber so they don’t have a valid reason to challenge the permits.
Great news! DIY is my go to store. The have a larger selection on most items and they are friendly AND helpful. I decided to try the store after being ignored one too many times over at Scotty’s.
Fair is fair and Amen to good old fashioned competition. I admire DIY’s tenacity!
Good for them, but I have yet to attend one fundraiser or any other function where there are silent auctions or door prizes and see a donation from DYI. We’ll see how much they support this town with their prices which by the way are about the same as everyone else. The reason Meeks closed on Sunday is lack of business and the later hours are 30 minutes longer. I still have failed to see the $3 million in anticipated revenue they touted and that was the crux of the debate. It wasn’t and isn’t possible to get that much new revenue only take from the existing money out there.
My plate is off to them for expanding but at what cost to the locals? I would still like to see a DYI donation item somewhere and yes, I have approached them but have been stonewalled with “I have to check with the head office”. At least with Meeks, Scotty’s and others we get support. I will be there on Sundays to see how many sheets of that plywood everyone bitched about not being able to get on Sunday actually buy.
Choice is good and yes Meeks and Scotty’s has taken care of myself and all others also. They always matched prices “off the hill” When you figure in the time, cost of gas and wear and tear on your vehicle for all material it works out the same cost. Also knowledgable employees are a huge factor as well as after the fact sales service for any problems. Once again you have to add in all the time, cost of gas and wear and tear on your vehicle for all material to deal with any problems. I don’t know how many times my wife has returned a $25.00 item that cost $45 in gas lol.
I for one just want some competition!! It will be great if DIY is open on Sunday and later hours, but having a choice Mon-Fri will be fantastic. If DIY has high prices and clerks without the know how, they will go out of business. Meeks may meet off hill prices, but if you don’t know to ask, you never get the break. And maybe DIY will meet off hill prices as well.
As far as clerks knowing the hardware/materials business, meeks in Meyers haven’t a clue. All they can due is work the register. Bring on the competition, it brings out the best in all!!
I too welcome the competition and would rather have new merchants than empty buildings.This town needs all the help it can get right now so support all of our local business’. Remember that the dollars you spend here for the most part stay here and help OUR economy.I agree with Ski Bum that if you factor in the cost of gas,etc. shopping off the hill doesn’t always save you money. You also have to realize that the local merchants also have to pay higher prices for their leases than those off the hill. The success of this town depends on all of us.
Good for DIY. I pass Meeks to go there quite a bit. The same sawzall at Meeks was $10 more than DYI. And as for going off the hill to shop: Fill up your gas tank EVERY TIME you go to Carson, and the .45 a gallon saved offsets the wear on your vehicle and makes the trip worth it over the long run. Thats a $14 savings per tank. Worth it!
Thanks heap for making my point. All you had to do was ask Meeks to match the price and they would have. If you have a car that gets 20 miles per gallon, the average, and Carson is 40 miles one way as you will drive around a bit and 40 miles back thats approx 80 miles. Gas is 45 cents cheaper than here so thats 4 gallons used with a saving cost of $1.80 not to mention the 3 hours of time $54.00 (what’s it worth? About $18.00 per hour) when you could have been using that item you went down there for. Wear and tear on your vehicle is about 53 cents a mile according to the state figures so that cost is $42.40. Add it up, $96.64 actual dollars spent to save $11.80. Where do I sign up for that lol?? Of course that is only an example of one item bought for one trip. Most of the time for most Meeks, Scotty’s and DYI items it pays to shop on the hill.
Skibum you should not have to ask for a lower price. The price should always be lower for everybody!
Special permission to bring lumbar into a hardware store? What is wrong with this picture!