Bruce P. Grego

Description

Issues City Offices I feel that having the city hall at the airport facility makes a lot of sense. We should not spend the little money we have on building new facilities, we should make use of the ones we have. It is a nice facility with ample parking. If someday the city's activities are no longer appropriate at the airport, then I would be willing to revisit the proposition of relocation, I do not believe that this is the time to do anything concerning the relocation of city offices. Project 3 I am very concerned about suspension of the construction activities at Project 3, known as the "Big Hole". We had a similar situation with the Ski Run Project about 15 years ago. This project was delayed for about five years. Some Council members have indicated that since the direct financial burden rests with the developer that the delay is harmless. IT IS NOT! Small business have been removed prematurely. Sales Tax monies have been lost. All the employees of said businesses lost their jobs. The remaining businesses in Stateline have their activities disrupted and impacted. First of all, I would want full disclosure by the developer as to the status of obtaining new financing or other financial support and then evaluate whether these financial approaches are realistic. I would want to work with the developer in trying to bring the project to a successful conclusion. On the other hand, if the developer is failing and unable to proceed, then I would promote the concept of having the developer sell the project to a new developer or have the City of South Lake Tahoe condemn the site and then sell it to a new developer. Sidewalks For too long our town has been in need of sidewalks on Highway 50 that consistently run from Stateline to the Y. Within budget constraints, I will seek to have sidewalks connected through the Highway 50 corridor cleared of snow in the winter time to assure continuing accessibility. Public Transportation I believe that we need to do more in the area of public transportation. Not as a replacement for the automobile, but as an alternative. Public transportation cannot be effective unless it runs often and regularly and can be relied upon by the user at reasonable rates. I believe that we should have a public transportation system, whether government run, or a combination with private enterprise, that serves the entire basin. One system. Also, encouraging larger businesses in our area, to provide incentives for their employees to use the system would be helpful. Protecting Small Business While redevelopment is a planning approach to improving the physical condition of our community, I will not support a redevelopment project that will cause further dislocation of small businesses. Any new redevelopment project must include commercial condominium units so that existing businesses can retain ownership. I will not support a redevelopment project that does not have adequate parking. Both the Ski Run and the Marriott projects have failed to accommodate customers by failing to have adequate parking. Additionally, we need to see a modification of TRPA regulations as it effects existing development in our community. It is not right to TRPA to demand full compliance of their ordinances when dealing with legal non-conforming properties. Business, as well as residential properties in our community, have been denied the right to take reasonable steps to improve their properties because TRPA ordinances to not accommodate these kinds of properties. TRPA Why is it that local elective government is subordinate to appointees and special interest groups? Some have said that there is a need for bureaucratic administration of our basin because Lake Tahoe is of national interest. Where does it say in the United States Constitution that citizens that live in an area of national interest must subordinate their rights to election, recall and referendum? We have seen, with the Angora fire, that the lack of balance, the lack of competing ideas, have left us with lopsided policies that significantly contributed to the devastation of the Angora Fire. There is no reason that we cannot have a locally elected TRPA, chosen by the people that are most affected by its actions. If elected, I will seek to promote a locally elected TRPA. First through the other local governments in our basin, and through the support of the TRPA board members that will listen. Airport The City needs to continue to support the airport. While commercial service to our airport is not likely, the airport serves other purposes, such as for emergency use. It was also used to help extinguish the Angora fire. It would be foolish to abandon this valuable asset. Also, if we abandon the airport, we will have to pay all the subsidies that have been provided by the FAA in support of this airport. Finally, some of the costs of the airport can be offset if we continue to use the airport for city offices, which I support. Erosion Control I do not believe that the implementation of BMP's, on a lot by lot basis, is necessary or required. I believe we should reexamine this approach. Some neighborhoods have installed erosion control projects on a neighborhood-wide basis that appear to be designed to capture all runoff. Individual parcel BMP's seems redundant and costly to individual property owners. Further, the implementation of some of the erosion control projects have resulted in the elimination of on-street parking in our neighborhoods. I will oppose erosion control projects that result in the reduction of on-street parking in our neighborhoods. Redevelopment In the 1980's we thought that redevelopment could include in its planning, all the elements important to TRPA, but the cost of doing these kinds of projects is too great because it destroys the business community as it presently exists, in favor of one large developer. I would like to see changes at TRPA that would permit older non-conforming properties to make improvements without having to go through tremendous expenses in trying to comply with TRPA standards. I feel this can only come about if we can change the TRPA compact and make it an elected body. I am very concerned about suspension of the construction activities at Project 3. Some council members have indicated that since the direct financial burden rests with the developer that the delay is harmless. IT IS NOT! Small businesses have been removed prematurely. Sales tax monies have been lost. All the employees of said businesses lost their jobs. The remaining businesses in state line have their activities disrupted and impacted. We need to work with the developer in trying to bring the project to a successful conclusion. On the other hand, if the developer is failing and unable to proceed, then I would promote the concept of having the developer sell the project to a new developer or have the City condemn the site and then sell it to a new developer. Copyright

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