snow removal

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Eight of the nine City Council candidates responded to a series of questions given to them by the 100% Renewable Energy Committee. On Sunday we printed their first responses - http://southtahoenow.com/story/10/08/2018/slt-city-council-candidates-respond-100-renewable-committe... - and here are the remaining questions and answers:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Each of the nine candidates for City Council answered the same ten questions that were given to them by South Tahoe Now. For nine consecutive days the candidate's responses will be shared in the order received.

Today, the current Mayor Pro Tem Tom Davis gives his responses as he seeks re-election to the South Lake Tahoe City Council:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - The following is a recap of activity the South Lake Tahoe Police Department responded to 955 calls for the 35 days between February 14 - March 20, 2018.

Calls Resulting in Arrests/Citations:

2/14 - 17 calls
Warrant in the 1000 block of Johnson

2/15 - 30 calls
Traffic Collision with Injury at Tahoe Keys Blvd and Venice Dr

2/16 - 23 calls
Drunk in Public in the 4100 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd
Drunk in Public in the 3800 block of Pioneer Trail

2/17 - 34 calls

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Crews from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) have cleared the snow from State Route 89 around Emerald Bay, opening the roads for the first time since Thursday.

Several feet of snow fell from Thursday to Saturday around Lake Tahoe and the Sierra, keeping snow removal crews busy on all mountain roads.

With new storm systems headed to Lake Tahoe this week, the road could be closed again. For up to the minute road information, visit http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/.

Kirkwood Mountain Resort has been fined $754,732 after their snow removal practices resulted in asphalt pavement grindings to get into drainages that flow into Kirkwood Creek and Kirkwood Meadows during the winter of 2015-16.

The financial settlement was with the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board over the alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act, the Board announced on December 28.

Vehicles without the proper traction control device on their cars while on El Dorado County roads this winter may be fined and/or towed.

Massive traffic jams on Sundays in Meyers throughout last winter led drivers onto side streets without chains or snow tires on their vehicles, creating a parking lot of disabled cars that were stuck in the snow. Those drivers attempting to circumvent traffic ended up using Manda, North Upper Truckee and other local roads but a new ordinance will try and alleviate those issues.

The following is a letter received concerning the Sass Talk published on October 7:

I hate to waste my time, but I cannot let the erroneous propaganda put out by the Emperor of City Hall go unrebutted. The City will not let go of this “nuisance” problem as it diverts focus on the dismal road conditions that the City has neglected for years. Also, City management has totally failed to provide a reliable snow removal system as we experienced last winter.

On Tuesday, a majority of city council agreed on a revised VHR (Vacation Home Rental) ordinance. In two weeks we will vote on the first reading of the ordinance and if a majority supports it, on November 7th would be the final vote to adopt the revised regulations and rules. The ordinance would then go into effect 30 days later.

The City of South Lake Tahoe is creating a new design of Sierra Boulevard that will introduce Class 1 and Class 2 bike lanes, parallel parking spots, reduced lane size and lighted sidewalks. Called the Sierra Boulevard Complete Streets Project, work is expected to get underway on the .6 mile stretch of road in the summer of 2018, but not everyone is happy about it.

At the first of two community information meetings on Thursday night, City and NCE representatives gave an overview of the planned project, had a question and answer period and shared preliminary designs of Sierra Blvd.

Snow, rocks, boulders, trees and debris are being cleared from roads through the Sierra Nevada that have been closed all winter. Caltrans crews from Districts 9 and 10 are plowing through several feet of snow in some area. While some roads will be opening soon, many have a lot of work to be done before they can open to traffic.

Crews will inspect the road, bridges, culverts to make sure the road is safe for the public before reopening. They will also replace signs that tumbled during the winter.

People driving through South Lake Tahoe have mostly likely cringed as their car finds a pothole on a local street. That, or dodged them all by driving in a zig-zag pattern that appears to be that of a drunk driver.

After a winter with extreme rainfall, constant snow removal and high groundwater, there is most likely no street that has been spared an outbreak of potholes.

After Tuesday's City Council meeting, help is on the way!

A big thank You to the City of South Lake Tahoe, the County of El Dorado, and the businesses and residents of Tahoe’s South Shore for clearing the snow from your sidewalks and paths.

Even during these big storms, you have made sure the multi-use paths and many sidewalks on the South Shore are passable. And after two feet of snow overnight, you made the roads and paths safe enough for 500+ locals to take to the streets by 11am on Jan 21st for the Women’s March. This is a big and welcome change from the previous years of sidewalk and bike path "freshies". Let’s save those for the slopes.

The following 62 businesses took out business licenses with the City of South Lake Tahoe during the month of January:

1/3/17
3686 APARTMENTS
CUCHNA CAPITAL LLC 3
GLAZED & CONFUZED TAHOE DONUT LLC
JEAN DUPLEXES
THE HOLMAN FAMILY TRUST

1/4/17
APARTMENTS - 3820 PENTAGON
APARTMENTS - 3824 PENTAGON
CLARITY AND BLISS BODYWORK
FARR RENTALS
FLOOR TECH INC
HEAGY CONSTRUCTION IMPROVEMENTS
MARK WOODLEY FIRE PROTECTION
VILLA RUSSO

1/5/17
CORAL PROPERTY MANAGER
TRI WEST HOMES INC

1/6/17
1032 4TH ST APARTMENTS
FIRESIDE LODGE BED & BREAKFAST
MARK & LORI BURWELL

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE - The following is a recap of some of the 1038 calls the South Lake Tahoe Police Department responded to between December 25, 2016 and January 23 2017.

Calls resulting in arrests:

12/25
Drunk in Public at Lake Tahoe and Tahoe Keys Blvds
Drunk in Public in the 1100 block of Bonanza
Drunk in Public in the 3400 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd

12/26
Drunk in Public in the 1000 block of Johnson Blvd
Assault with a deadly weapon in the 800 block of Lakeview Ave

12/27
Drunk in Public in the 1000 block of Emerald Bay Rd

12/28

The one constant in Lake Tahoe this season is snow. The City of South Lake Tahoe is responding to several community complaints and questions about how they have, and will be dealing with removing the snow:

1) Concern – City has rotary blowers sitting idle at the corporation yard.

South Lake Tahoe, Calif. - Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) has announced their buses in South Lake Tahoe will be on limited operations Monday, January 23 as the most recent storm makes its way out of the area.

South Lake Tahoe has experienced back-to-back major storms that left the roads narrow and difficult to negotiate safely.

Snow Days. Kids love 'em, parents maybe not so much.

Last week's five snow days, and a lack of one this week caused some parents to raise concern with how the Lake Tahoe Unified School (LTUSD) decides when to close school for the day.

Closing school is always a tough call for school superintendents across the country, so what is the science behind closing schools when it snows in the Lake Tahoe Unified School District?

Snowplow operators have been working 12-hour shifts to get the roads in South Lake Tahoe cleared of snow, and they will continue widening roads starting Friday to prepare for the next storm.

During winter snow conditions, snow plows have the right of way on streets and vehicles left unattended in the streets are subject to a citation and/or getting towed. Law enforcement is seeing a large number of cars parked on neighborhood streets and not where they belong in driveways.

The Douglas County road crews cannot work anymore hours over the three-day weekend due to their having reached the maximum number of driving hours allowed due to flooding and snow conditions in the Carson Valley over the last week.

Hours are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The Douglas County staff can resume regular duty on Tuesday January 17, 2017 at 7:00 a.m. If an emergency arises, staff may be called in after 5:00 a.m. on Sunday.

South Lake Tahoe students are able to enjoy the never ending snow day with school being canceled for the fifth straight day on Friday, January 13. Due to the extreme snow removal conditions still going on throughout South Lake Tahoe, on all bus routes and school sites from the week long blizzard, Lake Tahoe Unified School District officials decided to call a snow day.

Snow removal has been ongoing and very difficult due to the amount of and consistency of the snow, the notice of cancellation said.

Here is a recap of all area school closures on Wednesday, January 11.

Lake Tahoe Unified schools are closed. Only essential staff members at the District Office and Snow Removal / Maintenance staff should report to work. All other staff are asked to please stay at home.

Both Whittell High School and Zephyr Cove Elementary School are closed today. All other Douglas County Schools are open.

All Tahoe Truckee schools and offices will be closed. There will be NO morning snow phone calls on Wednesday.

The City of South Lake Tahoe administration offices are closed Tuesday to non-essential personnel due to the blizzard which is forecast to drop up to seven feet of snow by Thursday.

Snow removal crews are out in full force.

A Blizzard Warning has been issued for the Sierra through Wednesday morning. Dangerous and potentially life threatening blizzard conditions are possible according to the National Weather Service.

The City of South Lake Tahoe’s Snow Removal crews have been working around the clock to clear snow on city roadways. The combination of the snow and rain mixture is casing roadways to flood. It is imperative to provide snow removal vehicles the right of way as they work to clear roadways as well as blocked drainage ways.

Follow these safety tips:
Do not drive through water that is too deep. “Turn around – don’t drown”

Do not try and cross the snow berm in the center lane. Wait until snow removal crews have cleared the center lane for crossing.

Caltrans is alerting motorists traveling in the Sierra foothills, to mountain areas or over the Donner or Echo Summits during the New Year’s weekend to be prepared for travel delays. Cold temperatures and alternating bands of precipitation are predicted to arrive Friday night and continue through Tuesday morning, January 3, resulting in winter driving conditions, even at lower elevations.