Last Andersen's Field Meeting Tonight

Carson-Tahoe Hospital representatives George Szabo and Mark Palmer, together with chief executive officer Steve Smith, will meet with the public tonight for the third and final meeting concerning the development of Andersen's Field.

Szabo, a land planner, promises an improved plan addressing major problems posed by the development, including the following:

- Revised alternative plan with more open space.

- The design of the development's entrance has changed to move traffic more efficiently and minimize its impact on Mountain Street. He also has revised traffic numbers.

- The site plan has increased setbacks for buildings, and he has created a site section to show height versus neighbors and distance, as well as a partial elevation in terms of roof-line overhang.

Owner Ira "Andy" Andersen has offered to either lease back or sell his property to the hospital, and Carson-Tahoe officials say the acreage could help alleviate the pressure to expand. The pasture's development has been a bone of contention for neighboring residents.

Surrounded primarily by residential areas, the 7.8-acre parcel is bordered on its eastern side by by Mountain Street. It provides a haven for wildlife and affords residents a view of Kings Canyon and the Sierra Nevada.

Szabo's proposals thus far have included about 92,400 square feet of two-story office space surrounded by 460 parking spaces, and a 50-foot buffer between the parking lot and existing homes. The closest houses were about 143 feet away from the buildings, and an 8 1/2-foot berm would insulate residents against the noise and a view of the parking lot.

In addition to stiff opposition by neighbors, there are other obstacles to the proposed development. Zoning would have to be changed from its current residential (single-family homes) before the hospital could proceed, and figures indicate that a medical facility of this size and scope would generate about 4,500 car trips per day, more than doubling Mountain Streets' present load of about 3,700.

What: Andersen's Field neighborhood meeting

When: Tuesday October 17 at 6:30 p.m.

Where: Brewery Arts Center, 449 W. King St.