Snowjob on Donner Summit

Donner Summit, Soda Springs, and Serene Lakes residents are accustomed to heavy snowfall.  Usually the snow is white, cold, and somewhat wet.  Residents are now being introduced to a different type of snow- that produced by the New Royal Gorge's PR machine.

The Royal Gorge Overview of Public Meeting Presentation offers two pages of bullet points on the supposed benefits of the massive development they are attempting to impose on Donner  Summit and Serene Lakes.  They must hope residents up here have fallen off the ski lift one too many times, and will embrace the New Royal Gorge's attempt to condo-fy the summit.  If people read carefully, and trim all the pseudo-conservationist language out , the New Royal Gorge's ludicrous proposal should have the proverbial ice-cube's chance in hell. 

This blogger plans to discuss the many problems that will ensue from a development of this massive and inappropriate scale.  The environmental impact of this project, if carried out, would be ruinous, no matter how many  "green" buzzwords the New Royal Gorge proposal invokes.  The proposed construction straddles sensitive watersheds, involves wetlands and areas of historic interest, and entails daunting logistical problems concerning water, sewage, construction, traffic, noise pollution, and last, but not least, the small problem of dynamiting two brand new artificial lakes.

I anticipate devoting many months to discussing these issues, and hope to invite other commentators on this site after I get the technical bugs ironed out.  By way of introduction,  I am KTG.  I have  a background in planning and public policy. I hold both an undergraduate degree, and a J.D. from a U.C.   My family is fortunate enough to spend time up here at the summit.  I feel that residents here are trustees of this beautiful area, and owe it to all of the citizens of California to prevent it's destruction by condofication.  In essence, the Sierra Nevada is California's wonderful backyard, and it's time for Californians to start telling developers, "Stop crowding my backyard with all your condos, time-shares, and parking lots.  What we have is worth fighting to preserve."

KTG