It has been said many times — the TRPA is out of control. How many new regulations do we have to tolerate before our elected officials get control of this organization? What’s next? Will odors from our barbecues be subject to scrutiny and mitigation fees.

The quote from Juan Palma in Monday’s edition is a classic example of government double talk. Juan is concerned about the “trend” toward development along the shoreline. Where has Juan been for the last 10 or 20 years? It surely wasn’t in the forest he was supposedly managing. The TRPA has been charging mitigation fees for development for years and the only thing growing besides the TRPA is the algae in the lake. The organization is more concerned about generating mitigation fees than cleaning the lake.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I personally do not care to have Mr. Palma and his minions making that determination for me. I have lived here for 15 years and the houses along the lake (I do not own one) are the least of my concerns about the health of the lake and surrounding forests. The water quality of the lake has consistently deteriorated over the past 20 years but the TRPA is concerned about the color of a business sign on Highway 50 and a house on the lake. The TRPA does not want to be judged on the actual water clarity of the lake because that is a measurable standard. It would rather be judged on a nebulous item like the scenic quality that cannot be measured.

John Heeran

Zephyr Cove