© 2003 by Leo Poppoff

May 29, 2003

Basin Watch

by

Leo Poppoff

THE DISAFFECTED CONSTITUENCY

There was a time here at Tahoe, mainly during the 60s and 70s, when
residents, environmentalists, businesses, realtors, and government
agencies were at each other's throats. Public meetings sometimes ended
in brawls. Sheriff deputies had to keep order.

Then, with the new 1980 TRPA Compact, things calmed down. Disagreements
were argued and lawsuits were filed, but violence subsided. Still, not
much progress was made because diverse groups were still at loggerheads
and managed to stall action.

At this junction, representatives of the warring groups, encouraged by
Tahoe's elder statesman, the late Dwight Steele, met to discuss how to
get things moving. Frustrated by a lack of progress, they tried to find
at least one thing that they could agree to get moving on. That one
thing was transportation. It was the beginning of the Lake Tahoe
Transportation Coalition, which included property rights groups,
environmentalists, chambers of commerce, gaming interests, realtors and
the ski industry.

Coalition members didn't always agree, but discourse was civil. As time
went on, they found more things to agree on. They were able to develop a
united front to get the President and other federal officials to come
here and promise funds for restoration projects. It looked as if this
group, now known as the Lake Tahoe Transportation and Water Quality
Coalition, would produce peace, harmony, and progress in the Basin.

But, something was missing. Rank-and-file residents and property owners
were left out. These are the folks that are affected, or fear they'll be
affected, by agency regulations. They have lots of apprehensions and
gripes.

Why the unhappiness? There are many reasons, some real and some
imagined. They believe that Tahoe agencies don't treat everyone
equitably. They believe that they're dumped on when they want to do
something to their property. Yet, they see what looks like favorable
treatment for people who can afford consultants and attorneys.

They see houses built on the edges of steep cliffs, what looks very much
like over coverage by new homes, and sand dunes removed for expensive
resorts. And they grumble -- to anyone who'll listen -- at parties, in
supermarket lines, beauty salons, barber shops and dentist chairs.

Most of these folks believe that the lake needs serious attention. They
want to keep it blue and hope that it might become even bluer. Yet, they
don't have confidence that Basin agencies are really concentrating on
that goal. And the full court press by TRPA on the controversial scenic
ordinance (rated only ninth in priority in a recent survey of Basin
movers and shakers) appeared to confirm their suspicions.

So, major public and private interest groups might be in accord. But,
individual residents don't seem to be going along. Is this a problem?

A year or so ago, many of us who serve on the Lake Tahoe Federal
Advisory Committee were concerned about the slowness of getting
Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) projects built. It was suspected
that the delays were caused by requirements for environmental impact
studies. To get a handle on the problem, we invited EIP project managers
to tell us what their problems were. To our surprise, we learned that
environmental studies weren't slowing EIP projects all that much. In
fact some managers said that environmental studies helped to spot
problems before projects were underway.

So what was slowing the implementation of projects? Mainly, it was
opposition by residents living near proposed projects. Some folks feared
noise and traffic problems generated by construction activities. Others
objected to loss of treasured views or open spaces. And many just
couldn't understand how the project would help the lake. Some groups
petitioned agencies, resulting in meetings and workshops that have
resolved some problems, but also delayed construction. Lawsuits have
been threatened. A group of Tahoe City folks has successfully stalled
the construction of a transit center, an EIP project.

Why is this strong reaction occurring? It's probably because agencies
haven't been able to make the case for work that clearly disturbs
residents. They obviously haven't even made a compelling case for the
importance of retrofitting older properties with BMPs. And there's a
historic mistrust of government agencies. In short, there's a disconnect
between Basin residents and the agencies charged with protecting Tahoe.

How pervasive is this disaffection? Well, I don't know, but from my
vantage point, it seems serious. What can be done to change it? I don't
know that either. One of the problems is that residents aren't
organized, so they don't have the clout that organized public interest
groups might have. And, let's face it, it's hard to represent a group,
whose members don't agree with each other.

Still, it seems to me to be important for Tahoe agencies to find ways to
reach Basin residents, to win their hearts and minds. Perhaps a good
start would be a well-structured survey to learn more about residents'
attitudes, desires and anxieties. Basin residents and property owners
are, after all, important constituents -- and progress is going to be
very, very difficult without their cooperation.

Comments? Send them to basinwatch@earthlink.net.