Barton Environmental Assessment Comments- For The Hospital
A total of 965 pages of comments were submitted on/before the due date of 2/7/25 for the Barton Environmental Assessment. Below are the 11 comments from individuals who appear to support the new hospital. One person submitted three separate comments, so another way to view this is that nine different people submitted comments in favor of the project, while approximately 950 pages of comments and supporting documents had issues with the project.
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These comments, along with the other 950 pages of public comments, can be found on the TRPA website- Here is the link to TRPA Barton EA Scoping Comments.
Barton has presented several talking points that are misleading or inaccurate, some of which are reflected in the comments below. We are highlighting these public comments to ensure everyone has the facts.
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If, after reviewing the facts of this project, you would like to update your comment to the TRPA, we would be happy to review things and update the information on this page.
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****** Douglas County Principal Planner Email​ To Team Pushing For Barton Project Approval ******
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​Project will cost Douglas County Tax Payers and Douglas County needs to held accountable
We feel it is important to note the hospital would be exempt from paying $1 Million+ in property taxes each year to Douglas County, whereas a condominium complex at this site would generate that amount and more. Here is an article outlining the difficulty Douglas County has with the budget and this $1M+ each year could really help.
​Nobody has data suggesting this new hospital is needed ​​​
We reached out to several people/entities, and no one has been able to provide any data suggesting the proposed hospital is needed in Stateline, NV​​
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​TRPA is Failing Us
Here is a link to how great of a job TRPA is doing... when TRPA provides the information​​. We also provide links to outside reporting that details TRPA's failures around Lake Tahoe.
Pg 202
Mr. Kaplan suggests that having the new hospital closer to him and his neighbors in NV is more important than the current location that is closer to the population center in South Lake Tahoe, CA. The new hospital will potentially be 5.5 miles closer to this resident and potentially add 5.5 miles to those living in South Lake Tahoe, CA.
Pg 216 Mr. Kelly has a relationship with Barton Health
This commenter suggests that the noise from the proposed air ambulance is "overblown" for the neighbors on Laura Drive. He claims that the tourist helicopter is noisier than the air ambulances. However, based on what we know, the tourist helicopter route passes over Lake Tahoe at an altitude of 500-1,500 feet, rather than over homes in our area. The tourist helicopter has a piston engine, whereas the air ambulance is a turbine helicopter. Turbine helicopter engines are generally louder than piston engines due to the high-velocity exhaust stream and the noise of the turbine itself. A landing or departing turbine helicopter just 200 feet from homes will be significantly louder than a tourist helicopter flying over the lake at 500-1,500 feet.
He states that he hears more sirens at his home than at his workplace. Okay. But it’s unclear why he would want to add more sirens to this area near his home, along with the additional noise from hospital helicopters.
He also notes that the current hospital is in a residential area. This is true—the hospital has been in this location for the past 60 years. Barton owns 26 acres in this area, so there is no need to relocate the hospital and create new impacts on a different neighborhood.
Finally, he argues that a new hospital would allow Barton to upgrade its aging infrastructure. We continue to hear this argument, which implies that Barton has failed to maintain and upgrade its facilities over the years. We agree—Barton should have taken steps to improve its infrastructure over time.
Pg 238
Mr. Kolstad says he is disappointed that the meeting was co-opted by neighborhood opposition. However, this article reviewing the meeting makes no mention of it being taken over. It seems he wants the public to understand why Barton needs to bend the rules. We believe Barton should adhere to the current 56-foot height restriction and not make exceptions that would introduce additional helicopter noise to the area.
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Pg 677 Mr. Marshall suggests that he would prefer the hospital to be located at the proposed site in Stateline, NV, as it would be more convenient for him. The current hospital, which has been in its location for 60 years, is 5.5 miles away from the proposed site. He believes that most of the opposition comes from NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) sentiments. A total of 965 pages of comments were submitted for the Environmental Assessment (EA), with only nine people expressing support for the project. Mr. Marshall states that he would rather see a hospital built than a condominium complex. However, we feel it is important to note the hospital would be exempt from paying $1Million+ in property taxes each year to Douglas County, whereas the condominium complex would generate that amount and more. Here is an article outlining the difficulty Douglas County has with the budget and this $1M+ each year could really help.
Pg 330
Mr Shepard signature suggests he lives in Sparks, NV and he does not specifically say he is in favor of the project... but he does not say he is against it either. He is recommending more studies and he does not believe this project will impact the beavers in the area.
Pg 356
Mr. Lurtz suggests there are no alternative plans because none exist. However, there are plenty of alternatives:
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The most obvious option is for Barton to build a state-of-the-art hospital at its current location in South Lake Tahoe. Barton owns 26 acres surrounding the existing hospital in California.
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Another potential location is the Wells Fargo site in Stateline, NV, which is currently for sale.
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A third option would be to construct a smaller hospital with less impact at the proposed site in Stateline, NV.
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Mr. Lurtz also claims that the hospital cannot be built in California and must be located in Stateline, NV, to meet state-of-the-art standards. However, after contacting multiple representatives from the State of California, not one has stated that Barton cannot build a state-of-the-art hospital in California.
The Lurtz letter became a much bigger issue when Douglas County’s Principal Planner chose to share it (click email picture below with red border)—especially considering whom she chose to share it with. We obtained this email through a public information request. Kate Moroles-O’Neil ignored all of the pages of public comments outlining concerns about this project and instead chose to highlight this letter. This is significant because her email identifies all the key players who have been working for three years to push this project through the approval process. All Douglas County and TRPA representatives need to remain unbiased.
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Here are the players who were included in Kate's email ​
Jacob Stock Senior Planner, TRPA
Paul Nielsen Special Projects Manager, TRPA
Julie Regan Executive Director, TRPA
John Hester Chief Operating Officer & Deputy Executive Director, TRPA
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Jenifer Davidson County Manager, Douglas County, Nevada
Wendy Lang Assistant County Manager, Douglas County, Nevada
Tom Dallaire Director, Community Development, Douglas County, Nevada
Andrea Pawling Deputy Director, Community Development, Douglas County, Nevada
Alex Hames Deputy District Attorney in Douglas County, Nevada
Pg 506
Mr. Moulton suggests that a height of 80 feet is acceptable because it would result in a smaller footprint while still complying with TRPA coverage regulations. However, we maintain that construction should be limited to the allowable 56 feet- here is the impact Barton's 80'+ building will have on the single family homes on Laura Drive. It is our opinion, if the desired project cannot fit within the given height regulations of 56', then the property should not have been purchased for this purpose.
Additionally, he does not seem concerned about the helicopter noise and its impact on Rabe Meadow and the surrounding neighborhood. However, we have significant concerns regarding the noise disturbance it would create.
On the matter of bicycle infrastructure, he believes there should be a greater emphasis on providing bike paths and parking. We agree.
​Pg 520
Mr Bindell is GM of Forest Suites and he is a LTVA Board Member (Chairman).
Mr. Bindell suggests that many people in the area support the new hospital complex. However, there are approximately 950 pages of comments opposing this project, with only nine individuals voicing support.
He also mentions his desire for a state-of-the-art facility.
As stated above, we have contacted multiple representatives from the State of California, and not one has claimed that Barton cannot build a state-of-the-art hospital in California.
Mr. Bindell suggests that compromise is the solution.
We agree on the importance of compromise and have made numerous suggestions to Barton over the past seven months. To be absolutely clear, Barton has not taken a single step toward compromise.
Instead of compromising, Barton has:
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Directed its legal team to serve papers and harass the small Oliver Park GID.
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Allowed Clint to file a Douglas County Sheriff Report to intimidate neighbors, despite having no evidence of a crime.
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Illegally pumped water into storm drains in 2023 and then lied about it.
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Refused to meet and have meaningful discussions with the neighbors
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Received a Cease and Desist order in 2024 for flooding the neighborhood and potentially introducing sediment into Lake Tahoe.
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Demanded special allowances to increase building height from the permitted 56 feet to 89 feet and then positioned the proposed building as close as possible to the neighborhood. This hospital will tower over the homes on Laura Drive.
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Sought special approvals for turbine helicopters and placed the proposed helipad within 200 feet of homes on Laura Drive.
Pgs 291 523, 525
Here is how Dr Ryan is connected to Barton Health.
He claims that the height of 85 feet is mitigated because the property sits 20 feet below street level (we assume he is referring to the proposed building sitting below Highway 50). However, this does not address the issue of the building being constructed just 80 feet away from, and towering 89 feet above, the single-story homes on Laura Drive.
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Regarding the helipad, he states that the current hospital in California is also located in a neighborhood. While this is true, the existing hospital has been at its location for 60 years. Barton also owns 26 acres of the surrounding neighborhood in CA. Additionally, the current hospital is situated near the approach/departure end of a major airport, where aircraft and helicopter noise is already frequent.
He further claims that noise from Highway 50 will likely exceed that of the anticipated helicopter activity. This is flat-out false—vehicle noise from Highway 50 will not be greater than the noise generated by a turbine helicopter engine operating within 200 feet of nearby homes.
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Dr. Ryan also argues that the new hospital will improve enrollment numbers in local schools. However, we have found no evidence to support the claim that a new hospital will increase enrollment in Douglas County schools. If this were true, one would expect a similar effect in California, boosting enrollment in the Lake Tahoe Unified School District. And LTUSD would benefit from a new hospital at the CA location. In reality, enrollment has been declining since 2005, as outlined in a related article. In our opinion, the years of declining enrollment in Douglas County’s lake schools will not be reversed by the construction of a new hospital.
Additional comments made over a year ago in favor of the proposed hospital by key players:
Senator Titus
Assemblyman Ken Gray
Douglas County Board Commissioner and TRPA Governing Board Member- Wes Rice
​And nobody can provide any data suggesting this project is needed in Stateline, NV​​