Letter to the editor- Selfish a little, concerned a lot
To the editor-
The following is a rebuttal to Dean Mieras’ letter to the editor on
June 27, entitled “Ormsby Folks Being Selfish”.
When we bought our house in the fall of 1997 we paid higher value
than the median price just to have a house in a lovely setting with
a view of a beautiful meadow with a creek running adjacent to our
property. Naturally we want to keep this view because this is what
we were looking for when we bought our house. (Additionally, we
don’t want to lose property value). When one buys a house in an
unfamiliar neighborhood, they say you can’t pick your neighbors
because they may indeed change. However, you don’t expect to see
the natural environment of your setting change (other than naturally).
So you may think it is selfish of me to not want to see this change,
but that is your opinion, and opinion is not arguable.
However, there are a few facts that may need clarification. When I
first heard of the plan to relocate Trout Creek, I was disappointed.
When I went to the public information meeting and viewed the plans
and queried the people in charge about the project, I left the meeting
with the idea that the project was for the better of the environment.
I was willing to sacrifice my beautiful view for the better water
quality of Lake Tahoe.
However, the plans as proposed in that public meeting have not been
executed. There have been drastic deviations from the plan. After
Phase one of the project, the Ormsby residents complained and were
“promised” alternatives to the plan, but Phase two went on regardless.
Now, Phase three proposes an environment that is aesthetically
unacceptable to the Ormsby residents. The plan as it exists, (not
filling in the old creek bed entirely), may also in fact provide
negative environmental impact as a source of pollution to the lake
by providing a “playground” for snowmobiles and ATVs. Additionally,
the erosion control devices that had been mentioned in the public
meeting in 1998 that would reduce silt and sediment flow into the
lake have not been installed into the new streambed. (The engineers
had talked about grass plugs and tree stumps to reduce erosive effects
of water flow).
This is what upsets me the most, the fact that I lose my precious
view of the creek, and our “jewel”, (as you put it), will NOT benefit
from this massively disruptive project.
George Giguere
South Lake Tahoe
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