TRUCKEE, Calif. — With the comment period now complete for the Canyon Springs draft Environmental Impact Report, officials are reviewing all 77 pieces of public feedback on the proposed development near Glenshire.

“The town considers all comments received equally,” said Denyelle Nishimori, senior planner for the town of Truckee. “We do not consider one comment more or less important or significant than another.”

Issues that continue to be primary concerns for the public include Donner Pass Road/Glenshire Drive intersection capacity and safety; wildlife habitat preservation, particularly for deer migration; loss of perceived open space; traffic; urban sprawl for fringe development; and ongoing construction due to long-term buildout of homes, she said.

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“When individuals comment on an EIR, often their comments help create a better document and better project,” said Nishimori, adding that responses to the comments currently are being prepared.

As of now, there is no timeframe for a completed final EIR, a document that responds to comments and possibly includes revisions to the draft. It depends on whether additional environmental study is needed; the town finds new or different mitigations are needed aside from those proposed in the draft; and the developer decides to alter the project based on comments, Nishimori said.

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“We thank the members of the public who provided comments within the process guidelines,” said Christopher “Chip” Huck, one of the property owners of the proposed Canyon Springs development site and project manager. “At this time it is still too early to determine if any changes to the project are required, as the comments are still under review. We look forward to the continuation of a balanced review of the project.”

Once the final EIR is complete, there will be a public review period before both the document and project are reviewed by the town planning commission at a public hearing, or possibly multiple hearings, said Nishimori.

While the California Environmental Quality Act requires an EIR be certified at a public meeting, it does not require one be held during the draft EIR comment period, she said.

The town customizes its review process for each project, depending on the community’s needs and interests, Nishimori said. In the case of the Canyon Springs proposal, the town held a neighborhood meeting on Dec. 18, prior to the release of the draft EIR, and an informational meeting about the document’s findings on Jan. 29. Town staff and EIR consultants were present at each meeting to answer public questions.

The town planning commission will analyze the final EIR and hear general public comment on the proposed development at a public hearing before deciding whether to certify the final document, she said. If adopted, the EIR becomes the official environmental document for the project, and the developer will be required to comply with all mitigation measures, Nishimori said.

In the meantime, submitted draft EIR comments along with project updates can be viewed at http://www.townoftruckee.com/index.aspx?page=486.