Homewood Ski Resort Vs Doolittle

[bullhorn]

Looks like Homewood's owners wanted to sell the land to the forest service but congressman Doolittle has put a stop to that. I guess he wants another use for that land. That's another great one from the man who wants to put build the long dead Auburn dam and flood the best trail system in the sacramento area.


WASHINGTON -- The Homewood Mountain Resort's ski area occupies the largest piece of developable property remaining in the Lake Tahoe basin. With elevations reaching 1,600 feet above the lake's famed blue waters, the views from its slopes are spectacular. The property includes two lakes and crosses three watersheds. And it's for sale.
If owner Jeff Yurosek has his way, 1,086 acres will be sold to the U.S. Forest Service under a deal that will keep the struggling ski business open. The estimated $60 million to $65 million the property is likely to fetch will be used to build an expanded commercial center on land along Highway 89 that will remain privately held.
OAS_AD('Button20'); That plan was moving forward largely in secret until Rep. John Doolittle, R-Roseville, brought it to an abrupt halt this month.


Doolittle's intervention is raising worries that instead of remaining open to public use, the property is edging closer to being carved into as many as 23 estate-sized lots for the superwealthy, and in the process opening new channels for pollution to reach the world-famous lake whose renowned clarity is a constant challenge.
"We're at a crossroads," said Glen Williams, a consultant working for Yurosek on the transaction. If the deal with the Forest Service isn't closed soon, he said, Yurosek will look for other buyers.
The Forest Service wants the property and has appealed to Congress for the money to buy it. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency also has vigorously embraced the proposal, which until two weeks ago had been kept a closely guarded secret enforced by signed confidentiality agreements.
But when the text of a 2007 spending bill for the Interior Department was made public just before its approval by the House, it revealed a provision by Doolittle -- a powerful House Appropriations Committee Republican and an ardent private-property rights defender -- torpedoing the sale.
In essence, Doolittle's one-sentence provision prohibits the Forest Service from spending any money from any source to buy the Homewood land next year.
"I didn't realize there was anyone opposed to this" until Doolittle's rider appeared, said John Singlaub, executive director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. Williams called the provision "shocking and unprecedented."
Brian Jensen, Doolittle's district director, said the government already owns too much property that it can't manage properly and putting more land into federal hands means lower property tax revenues for local governments, in this case Placer County.
Besides, Jensen asked, where's the environmental gain?
"We don't see a real environmental benefit because there's no change in land use," Jensen said. "The landowner would be selling property to the federal government and then leasing back that portion it actually uses. We don't see how that's an improvement."
But the congressman's biggest gripe is that the advocates of the project never sat down to work out the terms of a deal with him.
Project advocates have been in Doolittle's office three times in the past year talking about how they want the federal purchase and why it would be a good for taxpayers and the environment. But Jensen said they never attempted to address Doolittle's concerns.
"Being that this is Mr. Doolittle's district, he'd like to have those discussions before the federal government takes on this additional burden," Jensen said. "He is not drawing a line in the sand on this, but there are issues that need to be discussed."
What's become abundantly clear is that if Doolittle wants the deal dead, it's dead.
Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., is a leading force behind the federal purchase this year of about 770 acres of developable property on the Nevada side of the lake, at an estimated cost of about $70 million.
When asked about the Homewood purchase, however, Ensign's communications director, Jack Finn, said the Nevada Republican will go along with whatever Doolittle wants.
"If Representative Doolittle is opposed to it, Senator Ensign would be inclined to respect that decision and the project would be unlikely to go forward," Finn said.
The sudden turn of events has Yurosek and his partners blaming themselves for working so diligently to keep the deal under wraps for more than a year.
Now realizing that Doolittle is crucial to their success, they are scrambling in the hope of turning foe into friend.
About the time that the House Interior appropriations bill became public, Yurosek and his partner, JMA Ventures, made their first-ever contributions to Doolittle's re-election campaign -- JMA for $2,250, and Yurosek for $2,100. The contributions were in connection with the appearance of Vice President Dick Cheney at an event for the congressman four days after the House had approved the spending bill and the text of Doolittle's rider became public.
Art Chapman, JMA Ventures president, said Yurosek had been contacted by Placer County Supervisor Bruce Kranz and told that a contribution to the congressman would be "appropriate." But Chapman said he didn't learn of the congressman's opposition to the project until the morning of the fundraiser, which was several days after he and Yurosek had written their checks.
"One had nothing to do with the other," Chapman said.
Still, said Chapman, he had a motive in asking his firm to write the check for Doolittle's re-election: "I was hopeful that because of the contribution I'd be able to call him and explain what's going on with the project."
Kranz said he did not solicit a contribution for Doolittle. Instead, he said, Yurosek contacted him and said he wanted to make a contribution, even after learning from Kranz that both he and Doolittle had grave doubts about the deal.
"This had nothing to do with a quid pro quo," Kranz said. "In fact, it was just the opposite."
JMA, developer of Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco and numerous other big-ticket projects, hopes to acquire the ski lodge and surrounding lands from Yurosek for development into a commercial enterprise in what Chapman called a "public-private partnership" with the Forest Service.
"I think what we propose to do is going to involve years of discussion with the community and is going to have a major impact on the environment in the area, and on traffic and on water treatment and water retention and hopefully is going to create some revenue that is going to support government services," Chapman said.
"But we have not been at liberty to talk (to Doolittle) about what we've been thinking about," he said.
Chapman said he will release no more details until he meets with Doolittle.
The tight veil of secrecy also has left environmentalists in the dark, making it hard for Democratic lawmakers or Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration to be brought on board.
"We support public lands acquisition for conservation, but we have not had a chance to examine what's being proposed in this case," said Rochelle Nason, executive director of the League to Save Lake Tahoe.
According to a funding request from the Forest Service, the biggest threat to the land would be its sale to private developers for subdivision.
"The owner has secured county certification of 23 separate lots on the property, which could be developed into very exclusive lake-view estates," it said.
"This new development and the consequential extensive road system would be a threat to the water quality and natural scenic values of Lake Tahoe," the report said. "A valuable public recreational resource and potential access to adjacent national forest lands would be lost."
According to Williams, Yurosek's consultant in the deal, the resort owner is not able to wait long for a decision.
"Either there is a 1,000-plus-acre conservation project that consolidates federal ownership in that part of the basin or the project goes the development route," he said. "If the conservation project is off the table, the owner would have no choice but to take the development route."
To Singlaub at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, there is no question which route his agency prefers.
"We want the ski area to remain," he said. "It's an important recreational resource. If it is sold, it is likely to be developed. "And the more land development we have, the more impacts we have on the lake."

[3pin]

Fuck... I would hate to see Homewood carved up into different real estate plots because of this prick. Organizing some letter-writing will be in effect.

Edit: Email sent to Doolittle, and article forwarded to everyone I know. Bullhorn -- where did that article come from?

[mookie blaylock]

what do you expect when scumbag pieces of shit republicans get involved-they ruin literally everything they touch and should be shot on site

[BLOODSWEATSTEEL]

what do you expect when scumbag pieces of shit republicans get involved-they ruin literally everything they touch and should be shot on site

....As opposed to selling the land to the USDA?

You're living in a dream. HW = Fucked either way.

[bullhorn]

Bullhorn -- where did that article come from?

This was on the front page of the sacramento bee this morning. It's also on their website, though you have to sign in.

[mookie blaylock]

....As opposed to selling the land to the USDA?

You're living in a dream. HW = Fucked either way.

i realize the ski area may be no longer. The lifts are so slow and unreliable. I poach with my dirtbike there in the summer,it is without doubt one of the most beautiful places in Tahoe. So yes HW is fucked but if a government agency buys it will retain public acess. You have to be preety fucking stupid not to recognize the difference between parkland and a private gated community.

[BLOODSWEATSTEEL]

You have to be preety fucking stupid not to recognize the difference between parkland and a private gated community.

Sure. And you truly believe wholeheartedly for one second that the USFS would pay developer prices for, and retain one of the most desireable tracts of land [which is already somewhat developed] in the Lake Tahoe basin solely for public use???? Tsk tsk. Come on.

Follow the money.

[mookie blaylock]

there was a time when the government really was for the public good. Crater lake,yosemite,kings canyon etc were paid for and set aside for future generations. There are a bunch of places all the way around the lake that were at one point private. I guess it is preety bad when people just expect the government to rape. Everything is about money; nothing else matters. How naive to think anything but that.

[3pin]

Though different from the Homewood situation, there are a couple notable examples of coveted private land (Vikingsholm, Sugar Pine, and a big chunk of the East Shore) that are now public land.

The lack of public access is a bigger issue for beach and boat access to the water, but there are some public land access issues, especially in winter when private driveways become the only parking on some of the West shore. And Homewood currently accesses some cool little backcountry zones (4th of July Chutes and Blackwood Canyon) that would probably be closed off if privately developed, leaving only sled access to Blackwood in winter.

The creation of state parks and public access from those old money estates (which could have fetched huge amounts of money) is a strong and admirable tradition, and I hope it hasn't ended.

Dream or not, it's worth spreading the word and creating some action and awareness.

[cj001f]

Sure. And you truly believe wholeheartedly for one second that the USFS would pay developer prices for, and retain one of the most desireable tracts of land [which is already somewhat developed] in the Lake Tahoe basin solely for public use???? Tsk tsk. Come on.

I guess the Thunderbird Lodge transfer is just an aberration. I guess you'll say that wasn't the USFS so it doesn't count. Why don't you give Pombo head on his taxpayer sponsored motorhome vacations?

[Jumbuck]

The locals should buy it if its that important. Doesn't really warrant protection at the national level.

[Jumbuck]

"Being that this is Mr. Doolittle's district, he'd like to have those discussions before the federal government takes on this additional burden," Jensen said. "He is not drawing a line in the sand on this, but there are issues that need to be discussed."

Sounds like he wants a lot for himself.

[BLOODSWEATSTEEL]

I guess the Thunderbird Lodge transfer is just an aberration. I guess you'll say that wasn't the USFS so it doesn't count. Why don't you give Pombo head on his taxpayer sponsored motorhome vacations?

Not really an aberration, a totally different situation. Whittell's property was transferred to a public non-profit group. [ALC executed the deal with expert precision, I might add.] Granted, the forest service transfer is obviously the lesser of two evils in this case - but when it comes to USDA partnerships and resort development, it's only a matter of time before the tide begins to turn. Regardless, It will be interesting.

As far as pombo goes - don't blame me. As long as the nutty central coasters keep re-electing him, he'll continue dismantling your state one piece at a time.

[wookalar]

ohhhh...SIXTY five million...don't worry i'm on it....

[cj001f]

Not really an aberration, a totally different situation. Whittell's property was transferred to a public non-profit group.

When did the USFS become a public non-profit? The Forest Service got 134 acres of prime Tahoe lakeside property, minus the 6 acres surround the structures which are run by the 'nonprofit group' in exchange for a bunch of Vegas land to be developed allowing people like you to rake in quick bucks. I'm sure somegroup would be more than willing to step forward for a similar land swap, I don't really see the make a buck climate changing under the regime du jour, nor do I see it as a totally different situation, except for the usual chickenshit Republican parlimentary maneuvering. And Pombo doesn't represent the central coast...

[Arty50]

Though different from the Homewood situation, there are a couple notable examples of coveted private land (Vikingsholm, Sugar Pine, and a big chunk of the East Shore) that are now public land.

Don't forget Emerald Bay.

How the fuck can you fight this. For god sakes, even the TRPA supports Homewood's plan. They're so environmental it's practically insane (they sued CalTrans over the friggen color of a guard rail), and so if they're behind this plan that says something.

Let's face it, Homewood's a dying resort as it stands. If it builds a nice little village at the base, then it will survive. If it stays the same as it is now, it's gonna get carved up for some rich absentee landlords. That's the last thing Tahoe needs. The little bit of community that still exists is dying and that's not a good thing.

[barney]

Don't forget Emerald Bay.

How the fuck can you fight this. For god sakes, even the TRPA supports Homewood's plan. They're so environmental it's practically insane (they sued CalTrans over the friggen color of a guard rail), and so if they're behind this plan that says something.

Let's face it, Homewood's a dying resort as it stands. If it builds a nice little village at the base, then it will survive. If it stays the same as it is now, it's gonna get carved up for some rich absentee landlords. That's the last thing Tahoe needs. The little bit of community that still exists is dying and that's not a good thing.

I agree that Homewood needs an update and some help but I would also hate to see another village, there are already two in the area. I also think Doolittle is a putz but the rednecks down the hill keep voting for him. What I did not see in the article is how much they want to sell the land to the Feds for. Do they want to sell it for 65 million and then lease it back for cheap? That doesn't seem right to me either. I would hate to see Lahontan spring up on the West Shore but at the same time, I don't think the Forest Service should be giving a sweetheart deal to a flailing business so it is no longer failing. If the Feds buy it, then it should become public land. Maybe if the owners were agreeing to run it as a non-profit or run it as a concession for the Forest Service (Meeks Bay Resort has a deal like that with someone). I do think that selling the land and then leasing it back to increase their profit is only a sweet deal to the owners. Most of this is out of my ass and please correct me if I am way off base.

[Arty50]

Neither solution is great, but selling it to the Forest Service and leasing it for cheap is MUUUUUCH better than cutting it up for homes.

[barney]

That is the truth and you know if it became home sites, they would have a gate and probably guards to keep the likes of me out of there.

[Jumbuck]

Neither solution is great, but selling it to the Forest Service and leasing it for cheap is MUUUUUCH better than cutting it up for homes.

Having the Forest Service over pay to protect a relatively few people's backyards is not a good use of federal (or all of our's) money. It's pork barrrel in the worst form.
If its so important, then pay for it locally. $65M may sound like a lot, but a tiny property tax over the just Cali side would more than cover it.

Or a have bake sale. Those rule.

[Arty50]

Having the Forest Service over pay to protect a relatively few people's backyards is not a good use of federal (or all of our's) money. It's pork barrrel in the worst form.
If its so important, then pay for it locally. $65M may sound like a lot, but a tiny property tax over the just Cali side would more than cover it.

Or a have bake sale. Those rule.

That's great and dandy, but do you actually live here? I do, and the increasing number of absentee homeowners is becoming a major problem. I could go on for days as could any full-time resident here. And that's just one of the problems concerning residential development of this land. Also, there's no way in hell CA is going to come up with $65M; especially not through increased property taxes. Ever heard of Prop 13? Besides, we can barely keep our schools open, and that's a much greater priority.

Also, this isn't an issue of pork barrel. The federal government will get its money back through the lease arrangement with Homewood. Sure it may take a while, but it will happen eventually. However, once homes are built there, public access to the surrounding wilderness will be negatively impacted. Don't believe me? Just ask any mountain biker about the debacle over at Tahoe Mountain...or ask Mammoth residents about their issues with accessing the Sherwins now...or the surfers at Broad Beach in Malibu.

The mountains of Tahoe and the lake itself are a resource that's open for the enjoyment of all citizens, not just the select few of us that live here. In that case it's in the public good to protect this land and beautiful lake.

[Jumbuck]

and the increasing number of absentee homeowners is becoming a major problem. I could go on for days as could any full-time resident here. And that's just one of the problems concerning residential development of this land. Also, there's no way in hell CA is going to come up with $65M; especially not through increased property taxes. Ever heard of Prop 13?

Hey I'm with you on this. I just think relying on the fed's in this situation is a bad move. Hell, they'll probably use the land as trade bait someday. I am aware of the limitations of Prop 13, but there are creative ways to fund open space and recreation aquisitions on large scales, which can involve hitting up second homeowners (ie vacancy tax). So long as they are not getting singled out, second home owners usually support protection intiatives as they tend to mirror the local's values on that issue.

[irul&ublo]

Doolittle is a far right tight assed prick who gives a rat's ass about the environment. Unfortunately, there are a lot of those in Roseville, the population center of Placer County, and they keep voting for the sonofabitch. He's also notorious for for holding projects hostage until he gets something out of it...example...improvements to Fosom dam. Fuck him.

[freshies]

That's great and dandy, but do you actually live here? I do, and the increasing number of absentee homeowners is becoming a major problem. I could go on for days as could any full-time resident here. And that's just one of the problems concerning residential development of this land. Also, there's no way in hell CA is going to come up with $65M; especially not through increased property taxes. Ever heard of Prop 13? Besides, we can barely keep our schools open, and that's a much greater priority.

Also, this isn't an issue of pork barrel. The federal government will get its money back through the lease arrangement with Homewood. Sure it may take a while, but it will happen eventually. However, once homes are built there, public access to the surrounding wilderness will be negatively impacted. Don't believe me? Just ask any mountain biker about the debacle over at Tahoe Mountain...or ask Mammoth residents about their issues with accessing the Sherwins now...or the surfers at Broad Beach in Malibu.

The mountains of Tahoe and the lake itself are a resource that's open for the enjoyment of all citizens, not just the select few of us that live here. In that case it's in the public good to protect this land and beautiful lake.

Here! Here! Let's vote for Arty as mayor of Homewood

[Cono Este]

I believe this is the land on the south facing hill behing the quad?

This guy paid only a few million the entire resort back in the early ninties.

It would sweet if they could use the money to run a lift up Ellis peak. That mountain has some sweet short shots if you know how to find them. Dare I say Richards Bowl in here?