Sierra Watch
Founded in 2001, Sierra Watch is a non-profit environmental organization and conservation advocacy group headquartered in Nevada City, California. According to its website, the mission of Sierra Watch is to protect “the Sierra Nevada by turning development threats into conservation opportunities.”[1]
Tom Mooers has served as Executive Director of Sierra Watch since 2001.[2][3]
Martis Valley[edit]
In 2001, Sierra Watch began a largely successful effort to “Save Martis Valley”. That campaign has led to protection of thousands of acres of priority land between Truckee and North Lake Tahoe.[4][5] “At last,” celebrated the San Francisco Chronicle, “Sierra sprawl has an answer.”[6]
Sierra Watch joined the League to Save Lake Tahoe and Mountain Area Preservation in challenging 2016 development approvals for the Martis Valley West project[7], citing concerns about impacts to Tahoe, fire safety[8], and forest preservation[9]. In 2018, a Placer County Superior Court judge agreed with Sierra Watch and ordered the county to “vacate and set aside” its approvals of the project. [10]
Donner Summit[edit]
From 2006 to 2012, Sierra Watch coordinated the successful campaign to turn back a massive development proposal on Donner Summit, securing protection of the 3,000 acre Royal Gorge property.[11]
Bear River[edit]
In 2013, Sierra Watch and its allies stopped a proposed dam for the Garden Bar region of the Bear River. The new dam would have flooded three square miles, including properties purchased and protected as conservation lands.[12]
Dyer Mountain[edit]
In 2014, Sierra Watch marked the successful conclusion of its campaign to stop the Dyer Mountain resort proposal in Lassen County.[13] Developers had secured a massive 7,000-acre development plan that would have doubled the population of Lassen County. Sierra Watch worked with a local organization, Mountain Meadows Conservancy, to challenge the proposal and remove the threat of development from the entire property.[14]
Squaw Valley[edit]
Since 2011, Sierra Watch has been the lead organization behind the campaign to “Keep Squaw True”[15], a grassroots effort to turn back private equity firm KSL Capital Partners’ proposed Squaw Valley development.
Named the Village at Squaw Valley Specific Plan, the proposal would include 850 hotel and condominium units[16] and a 96-foot-tall “Mountain Adventure Camp”[17] featuring a year-round indoor waterpark.[18] According to the environmental review for the project, new development is projected to add 3,300 new car trips to local roads on peak days, and the project would have twenty “significant but unavoidable” impacts.”[19] KSL Capital Partners, now partnering with Aspen Skiing Company as part of Alterra Mountain Company[20], added a roller coaster to its Squaw Valley proposals in 2017.[21]
Sierra Watch filed two legal challenges to overturn Placer County’s approvals of the development in 2017. [22][23]
References[edit]
- ↑ GuideStar (2002). "Sierra Watch - Guidestar", GuideStar Nonprofit Reports.
- ↑ Bunker, David (December 15, 2005). "Keeping watch over the Sierra", Sierra Sun.
- ↑ Sierra Watch (2017). "Tom Mooers, Executive Director - Sierra Watch" - Sierra Watch Staff Page.
- ↑ Garcia, Ken (May 6, 2005). “Some relief for Tahoe’s growing pains", The San Francisco Chronicle.
- ↑ Lamb, Celia (March 29, 2006). “Developer agrees to scale back Martis Valley development", Sacramento Business Journal.
- ↑ San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Page (March 11, 2005). “A Sierra reprieve", The San Francisco Chronicle.
- ↑ Longerbeam, Kelsie (November 17, 2017). “Martis Valley West battle heats up", Sierra Sun.
- ↑ Sajdak, Jim (December 11, 2017). “Sonoma – Placer County’s crystal ball for Lake Tahoe", Auburn Journal.
- ↑ Braxton Little, Jane (December 1, 2017). “California is losing its prized rural forestland, one luxury condo and one ski run at a time", Sacramento Bee.
- ↑ Braxton Little, Jane (March 16, 2018). “Placer County didn’t adequately assess fire risk of massive Tahoe development, judge rules", Sacramento Bee.
- ↑ Jones, Carolyn (August 6, 2012). “Donner Summit deal by land trusts", The San Francisco Chronicle.
- ↑ Snider, Susan (June 28, 2010). “Controversy Mounts Around Proposed Garden Bar Dam on Bear River", Yuba Net.
- ↑ Braxton Little, Jane (December 4, 2014). "Settlement ends resort plans on Dyer Mountain in Lassen County", Sacramento Bee.
- ↑ Kleist, Trina (August 6, 2012). "Enviro groups ready for Dyer Mountain court fight", The Union.
- ↑ Hughes, Ryan (August 6, 2016). "Keep Squaw True Fights the Massive Expansion of the Squaw Valley Resort", The Inertia.
- ↑ Placer County (April 2016). Village at Squaw Valley Specific Plan, pg.3-6 – submitted by Squaw Valley Real Estate, LLC.
- ↑ Id. at pg. B-22, Development Standards and Guidelines, Placer County.
- ↑ Id at pg. 3-13, The Village at Squaw Valley Specific Plan, Placer County.
- ↑ Placer County (April 19, 2016). Placer County Village at Squaw Valley Specific Plan Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) 3.2.4-326 – Prepared by Ascent Environmental.
- ↑ Blevins, Jason (February 21, 2018). The new name in ski resorts you need to know: Alterra Mountain, Denver Post.
- ↑ Fimrite, Peter (September 16, 2017). Timberline Twister tying Squaw Valley in knots, The San Francisco Chronicle.
- ↑ Rhoades, Amanda (December 16, 2016). “Sierra Watch files CEQA suit over Squaw project (read the lawsuit)", Sierra Sun.
- ↑ Superior Court of the State of California, Placer County (March 6, 2018). Brown Act Petitioner Opening Brief: Sierra Watch v. Placer County; Placer County Board of Supervisors; Squaw Valley Real Estate, LLC; Squaw Valley Resort, LLC; Poulsen Commercial Properties, LP – submitted by Shute, Mihaly and Weinberger LLP.
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