here - Tahoe Donner

Tahoe Donner Boat Ramp Town Hall Meeting
February 20, 2016
Purpose
• Board directed meeting to solicit membership feedback, including a survey, and email responses.
• Board discussion item at the November 2015 and January 2016 meetings. Upcoming board discussion February 27, 2016. • Improve the safety of the Beach Club Marina boat ramp and beach waterline. Beach Club Marina Information -­‐ General
• Season – Friday of Memorial Day Weekend through the first Sunday in October –
average length 132 days • Peak season – 7 weeks of July and most of August
Operating Hours – 7am to 9 pm for the majority of the operating season
Snack bar hours – 11 am to 6 pm
Rental hours – 7 am to 5 pm
Services – snack bar, boat rentals, boat ramp, swim area, swim dock, and fishing dock
Number of rental boats – 55 total – 22 SUP’s, 20 kayaks, 6 pedal boats, 4 windsurfers, and 3 sailboats
• State Lands Commission Lease – Tahoe Donner currently has a lease agreement with the Lands Commission for the lake bed areas that include the boat ramp, docks, swim area, and 5 mph buoys. •
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Beach Club Marina Information -­‐ Utilization • Average utilization for the past 4 years – 41,275
• Peak period average daily utilization from 2015 • Midweek – 380
• Weekends -­‐ 745
• Average number of rentals for the past 4 years – 6,540
• Peak period average daily rentals from 2015 • Midweek – 70
• Weekends – 130 (212 max)
• Day Camps utilize the Beach Club on Wednesdays – average of 120 additional kids onsite using the swim area and rentals.
Boat Ramp Utilization
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2009 – 465 launches 2010 – 490 launches
2011 – 665 launches
2012 – 525 launches
2013 – 322 launches* 2014 – 211 launches*
* Data not representative of total quantity of launches for that season due to a lack of focused effort to record the total launches.
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6 year average – 446
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2009-­‐2012 average -­‐ 536
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Average # of unique member launches per summer -­‐ approx. 140
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Unique member launch quantity is significantly lower than the total launches as many members launch multiple times during a summer season Incident Stats
• On average 2 boat related • 41 total reported beach club incidents annually marina incidents in 5-­‐year period (2011 – 2015)
• 40% of reported boat related in 5-­‐year period were • Total of 11 boat related reported incidents property damage during incidents in 5-­‐year period (24%)
launch/retrieval
• Other incidents range from minor injury to verbal altercations to fuel spill
Listing of Activities
Property damage while l aunching
Potential Contributing Factors
Risk Assessment Score*
Operator i nattention
PI
Improper l ookout
Property damage while retrieving
PI
Operator i nexperience
Collision with ramp
PI
Excessive speed
Collision with stationary object
PMO
Alchohol Use
Collision with other vessel
PMO
Machinery Failure
Collision with person
Weather
PC
Force of Wave
Collision with under water object
Fuel Spill
High
Moderate
Low
Person l eaving i nherent safe location to retrieve, move, or otherwise enjoy waterfront
PI
Legend
Extreme
UMO
Extreme risk, i mmediate action required
High risk, prioritized action required
Moderate risk, planned action required
Low risk, action by routed procedures
Likelihood
Almost Certain
1 i n 1 0
Likely
1 i n 1 00
Possible
1 i n 1 000
Unlikely
1 i n 1 0,000
Rare
1 i n 1 00,000
Ramp Design &/Location
*based on annual boat launch average of 500 launches
Insignificant
Minor
Moderate
Major
Catastrophic
No Injury
First Aid Injury
Medical Treatment
Serious Injury
Death
The following slides were not presented at the town hall meeting, but are included as a result of the meeting.
Feedback documented from the meeting on how to make the Beach Club waterline safer.
Feedback documented from the meeting on how to make the Beach Club waterline safer.
The following 9 pages is the first
presentation to the Board regarding the
boat ramp from the November 2015 board
meeting.
TAHOE DONNER
BEACH CLUB
MARINA BOAT
RAMP
2015
HISTORICAL UTILIZATION

2009 – 465 launches

2010 – 490 launches

6 year average – 446

2011 – 665 launches

2009-2012 average - 536

2012 – 525 launches


2013 – 322 launches *
Estimated # of unique member launches per summer130-140

2014 – 211 launches*
2015 IMPACTS
 2015
drought resulted in the boat launch ramp being
closed to motorized vessels this summer.
 Staff
allowed double parking in the 11 trailer spaces,
and DPR parking was much more efficient.
 Ramp
was used by the membership to launch nonmotorized vessels – canoes, kayaks, stand up
paddleboards, and small sailboats.
 Bus
service was not utilized aside from the 4th of July
where we saw significant utilization – 435 riders over
the weekend. Less than 10 for the rest of the summer.
SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS
Boat ramp users (motorized vessels):
 Upon
announcing the closure of the ramp for the
season, staff received 6 complaints from the
membership upset with the decision.
 One
member requested that we continue to hold
our trailer parking for trailer so they could launch at
the public ramp.
SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS
Non boat ramp users (includes non motorized
users):
 Pleased
with the reduced traffic flow both in
and out of the water – less congestion and
noise.
 Pleased
with the additional parking
availability.
SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS
Staff:

“Many more members happy that the ramp was closed
versus angry that it was closed.”

“Much less stressful to work the water line location.”

“No arguments between TDA members or family
members this summer.”

“Day Camp drop off was much smoother.”

“The parking lot was much less congested. The boat
inspections always caused jams during busy periods.”

“I’m concerned about the backlash if we close it
moving forward”
SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS
Comment cards summary – 21 cards submitted referencing the ramp

TD staff at the marina are awesome this summer. All the kids and Ali are so
helpful also I am so glad there is no boat launching.

The rental station should be moved to the other end of the beach so that
rentals and boat launching are separate (for safety).

Please seriously consider eliminating boat launching. It has been so nice to
not have power boats this summer. The water is safer for swimmers &
kayakers and the lake experience is so much more pleasant and peaceful
without power boats coming in and out.

We really enjoy coming to the beach club at Donner Lake. Its great to
swim near the floating dock across the little island. I wish the jet ski boats
were not permitted so close to the swim area. I recommend expanding
the swimming area

Its great having no boat trailers this year. More peace and safer fun and
plenty of parking. Please continue no boat launching in the future. Thank
You

Make the boat ramp longer.
SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS
Comment cards summary – Continued

A wonderful full service beach with family friendly atmosphere. Please keep
the boat launch closed, the extra parking is great.

Keep the boat launch closed and expand the beach. Parking is much
better and safer without the boats in and out.

The Marina is not in a total frenzy like it usually was in the past when motor
boats was allowed so much. Better now!

We are really enjoying the lake without the cross traffic from the boats.
Helps parking.

Boat ramp should have certain hours, it takes up too much space.

T.D. Beach Club Marina is awesome. Staff is amazing. Always willing to
assist with kayaks, sup, etc. Clean & welcoming. The lack of power boats
and Jet Skis made for less congestion this summer. When the lake is back
up I would like to see T.D. have a launch fee. Pay for each launch or have
a seasonal charge. Also, every guest in the boat pays a guest fee. That is
fair! I pay $150.00 to have a kayak at the Marina & do not use the beach. I
just launch my kayak for sup & pay for every guest to put their sup in the
lake.
SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS
Comment cards summary – Continued

This season the beach is really quiet. Would it be possible to close the boat
ramp also next year?

It's been so much nicer without all the chaos of the boats at the boat ramp this
year. Next year would it be possible to restrict boat access on the ramp until
later in the morning? Say after 10:30 a.m.?

Please, please keep the boat ramp closed from now on. It's so peaceful and
quiet now, no yelling, truly a place to come and relax and enjoy what Tahoe
Donner is all about.

Great facility Boat ramp should be drowned out so it cant be used.

More chairs , overall this is a great experience Food service is great, restrooms
were clean. Over the past few years it was rough to watch power boats being
launched in the swimming area next to my kids.

Continue to keep the boast ramp CLOSED. More space for the paddle boards

Boat rentals being moved away from boat launch. Otherwise this is a awesome
place.

I like the marina without the motor boat launch.

Once again the whole crew did an outstanding job. It would be so much more
pleasant to keep the boat launch closed.
The following is the information paper
presented to the Board at the January 2016
meeting outlining the feedback solicitation
plan.
Purpose:
To outline the steps staff will be taking to determine if the membership is supportive of discontinueing motorized vessel
launching at the Beach Club.
Background:
The drought of 2015 provided the association with a unique opportunity. Low water levels in Donner Lake resulted in the
inability to operate the boat ramp at the Beach Club in a normal capacity. Staffed was forced to close the ramp to
motorized vessel launches for the summer season. Suprisingly, the feedback received over the summer months was
overwhelingly in favor of keeping the ramp closed “forever”. Staff presented this information to the board in November
2015. The presentation is attached to this information paper.
Discussion:
The question staff would like to answer….is the elimination of motorized vessel launching at the Beach Club an actual
reduction of the service level at this facility. While those members who do use the boat ramp to launch their motorboats
would no longer be able to do this (estimated at 130-140 unique members), the rest of the membership who does not
use this service will experience less vessel traffic in the water adjacent to our rental area and kiddy swim area, less
vehicle traffic on the ramp itself, and more parking availabitlity in the parking lot and along Donner Pass Road.
Recommendation:
Staff’s recommendation is to move forward with an effort to solicit feedback about this potential change to the Beach Club
operation. The plan follows:
Week of Jan 18 – Staff to develop a survey that provides the membership with high level information about the
experience of last summer.
Jan 25, Feb 1, 8, and 15 – Weekly News email. Provide a link to an online survey asking the membership to provide
feedback.
Week of Feb 22 – Compile feedback to provide a summary to the board at the February meeting with a recommendation
for the upcoming season.
Timing of a decision is important to be sure staff will meet long lead time publishing requirements for the summer season
publications. Late March would be the latest we would need a decision to make these deadlines.
Prepared By: Miguel Sloane 1-19-16