Camp Rich parking issues stall Forest Service’s plans
By Kathryn Reed
Parking along the road that leads to the Beacon restaurant has brought the U.S. Forest Service’s renovation plans for the area to a halt.
The federal agency has to go back to the drawing board on this particular aspect of the larger plan because people who live along Jameson Beach appealed the USFS decision from June 14. That decision was withdrawn this month, with letters going out last week to everyone on the project list.
“Although the project is billed as a BMP retrofit, it actually was the beginning of a wide-scale expansion of the Camp Richardson resort intended to maximize parking revenues at the cost of safety, the visitors’ enjoyment, the residents’ rights and most significantly the environment,” attorney Jacqueline Mittelstadt told Lake Tahoe News. “We see the project as ‘Disneyland on the South Shore’.”
Parking in the Camp Richardson area will be further studied by the U.S. Forest Service. Photo/LTN file
A dispute that still has not been resolved is who owns Jameson Road.
“Our project moves forward with the assumption it is a Forest Service road,” USFS spokeswoman Cheva Heck told Lake Tahoe News. For decades the feds have maintained and assumed liability for the road that is the access point for Camp Richardson Resort.
But that road also winds behind the marina to private residences. That is why they care what goes on with this road.
The Forest Service late this fall will release another environmental assessment for public comment, with the hope a decision can be made this winter.
“What we are going to do is more fully develop an alternative that addresses their concerns,” Heck said.
Inadequate traffic studies and lack of free parking are concerns of the opponents.
“Though the Highway 89 corridor involves some of the highest accident rates on the South Shore, the non-local traffic engineer for this project stated there was ‘no evidence’ of any traffic accidents, so no changes to the Camp Rich entry area were required,” Mittelstadt said.
More information about the project may be found online.
“Though the Highway 89 corridor involves some of the highest accident rates on the South Shore, the non-local traffic engineer for this project stated there was ‘no evidence’ of any traffic accidents, so no changes to the Camp Rich entry area were required,” Mittelstadt said.
Wow. Just wow. Have you ever tried to exit Camp Rich on a Saturday in summer? During the Renn Faire or other event. They really need a traffic cop out there or they need to retro fit it with something.
If the road is owned by the public how is it that they can charge to park or pass through?
The area between Pope Beach and Spring Creek needs to be looked at for parking solutions. The Forest Circus most recent choice to block parking during busy times with no real alternative is insane. If this area is a point of interest then parking for people needs to be considered along with getting traffic to flow through. I applaud the efforts to arrange busing from the Y but this comes at a cost to the retail parking at the Y.
Considering the Forest Circus has all but clear cut the forest beyond Gardner Mountain why not consider parking where the road narrows with a bus stop to get people in. A second lot could me established at the entrance to Fallen Leaf Lake. Both lots could be snow parks in the winter for the myriad of sledders and snow shoe/x-Country skiers. Snowmobiles should also be allowed in these massively thinned areas.
My Two Cents
-Local Yokle
Being able to walk through a forest doesnt make it a clear cut. Not even close. Not even close to close.
Ok…, let me get this straight… The project is billed as a bmp retrofit project and is actually expanding the use and incorporating parking. Right off the bat something sounds weird… Is money just being spent because it can be? Are BMPs even being completed?
Frederick, its just the writing. BMPs include removing the parking in the dirt on the side of the roads and putting people into a parking lot. If they just block the street parking then they are greatly limiting the number of people that can visit. Then the businesses go bankrupt.
If it has BMPs then that must mean that a sediment load reduction to lake Tahoe is expected, which also means the usfs is acknowledging that it contributes to the TMDL as a source of Tahoes urban pollution. So now I expect that the usfs must register this as a catchment in the TMDL, run complex inaccurate models, develop catchment credit schedules, use bmp and road rapid assessments, sweep the road like mad and inspect to ensure its working. Just saying….
Wonder if a strategically placed parking tower/s going to the top of the trees has been considered. For special events and actually freeing up real estate to a natural state, it might be worth it.
there will always be days when use exceeds capacity and traffic is a mess – our parking and traffic needs are not and should not dictated by the 4th of July – you dont build a church for Easter Sunday that is only half full the rest of the year – its a big waste of money! Just live with the 7-14 days a year of massive of congestion and get over it!