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The Truckee Planning Commission hearing on Hotel Avery is tonight, Nov. 12, starting at 6 p.m.



TRUCKEE — The Hotel Avery overlooking the Truckee River downtown could be approved tonight.

The Truckee Planning Commission will consider the hotel planned for the now-vacant lot at the corner of Bridge Street and South River Street. The Historic Preservation Advisory Commission approved the three-story, 47,299 total square foot hotel earlier this year, but some neighbors aren’t happy with the plans.

“I don’t think anybody has an objection to a hotel or the architecture; it’s a good project, but it’s just too big for the property,” said James Bond, who lives near the proposed hotel.

But David Tirman, vice president of JMA Ventures — owners of Homewood and Alpine ski resorts and the developer behind the hotel — said the project has been downsized many times.

“The 47,299 square feet includes about 13,000 of under ground parking and mechanical space, so really what you see is 34,000 square feet on three levels,” Tirman said.

A traffic study also showed the hotel won’t contributed significantly to traffic, Tirman.

“We had a meeting a couple weeks ago with the neighbors, ourselves, and the town,” Tirman said. “I believe we’ll be able to mitigate any impacts and that should help satisfy the neighborhood.”

However, Bond said a group of around 10 neighbors and concerned citizens still aren’t satisfied, and plan to speak to the planning commission tonight.

“This is fundamentally a residential neighborhood,” Bond said, who listed other concerns including parking, noise, and the intersection with Brockway Road.

“We’re asking for further investigation and further clarification,” Bond said.

Included in the plans are 40 rooms, a restaurant overlooking the Truckee River, 38 underground parking spaces, sidewalks and bicycle trail connections, and a park area giving public access to the Truckee River, Tirman said.

“It should be the first public area over-viewing the river in downtown,” Tirman said.

If the project is approved, Tirman said construction could start next summer and finish late 2010 or early 2011.

Market conditions could delay the project a year, he said, meaning a finish closer to early 2012.