The Washoe County sent the badly flawed Forest Area Plan back to the Planning Commission. On June 3rd they gave the developers everything they wanted and more! Contact us for a summary. Potentially it calls for upwards of 700 new homes on Fawn Lane, more commercial development, approval of the Gourley changes, etc.
The county seemed to disregard legal notice requirements and overwhelming citizen input. They have awakened a sleeping giant and we are looking at forming a formal non-profit and working with county wide groups to propose ballot measures to rein in run away, cut and run urban sprawl.
Please be prepared to attend and speak at the County Commission hearing on these changes at 6:00 pm on July 14th, at the Washoe County Administration Building at 9th and Wells. This will be the most important and possibly final hearing on this urgent issue. Be there! Get involved!
We use this website and our group email list to send out info of interest to the community including fire safety info, legislative info, community events, etc so please email us with your address so we can add you to the list. If you have info to put out, please advise us.
Time For Action!
Washoe County is updating their master plan for the Mt Rose Scenic Corridor (Forest Area Plan) and it does not look good.
We have made some progress. Thanks to citizen involvement we successfully fought their plan... for now... to turn over 375 acres of our US Forest Service land to private developers for 600 new homes, a hotel and commercial development.
Matera Ridge is still seeking 625+ new cluster homes at the end of Fawn Lane, a rural road. They also seek a 4 lane road across OUR US Forest Service Land. Where will the water, sewers, schools and fire protection come from? Will they use this as an excuse to force us onto county water from our wells at our expense (Assembly Bill 54)?
While we lost at the Planning Commission, the County Commission heard us and on January 27th sent it back to staff. A new hearing will be held around March 26th. We need your help. Please email Trevor Lloyd at TLloyd@Washoecounty.us to let her know you opposition to Matera Ridge and support for listing the Stantec study as an equal, second option.
The Forest Area Plan also changes zoning to allow commercial development up Mt Rose where the road narrows at the curve. This is unsafe and unfair!
Get involved. The latest plan also has info on the Reynen & Bardis developments and the Mt Rose Ski Resort. The steering committee came up with well researched alternatives. A group of 5 persons, each with special personal interests, (who perhaps may not even all live in the plan's area) came up with a proposal allowing the road and Matera Ridge. They don't represent us. Don't be fooled. Read the plan if you are interested.
We are also seeking persons willing to purchase post cards for future mailers for our group. A special thanks to Beth Honbien for all the work she did getting specific line by line suggestions to the commission. If you want a copy of her suggestions please let us know. Thanks to CAB member Robert Parker for his expertise on fire issues. Please send us any questions on any of these issues.
To read the Draft Forest Area Plan click here.
Regarding the US Forest Service Property: Read our proposal regarding the fate of this property.
The bottom line is the developers want to cluster these homes and will say for example they have 635 acres but that includes steep hillsides that are unbuildable. It's called Matera Ridge for a reason. While we favor maintaining the rural character, the Planning Commission voted in favor of Matera Ridge. The CAB and community had voted against it. We realize the need to compromise and the steering committee hired experts (Stantec) and they came up with 237 homes for Matera Ridge. Please support this option ~ the Stantec study ~ over the Matera Ridge 625+ option. It may be the least offensive of all the bad options.
There are also important issues with the St James, Joy Lake "Gourley Property". Outrageous is the best word. Email us for info.
There are also serious legal issues with the way people were noticed ... not noticed would be more accurate ... about the proposed zoning change. There were clear violations of Nevada's Open Meeting Law (OML) NRS 278.210 and Washoe County Code Article 820. We have a letter from the Nevada Attorney General stating that the County did violate the OML at a July 1 hearing and that the provision of NRS 278.210 do seem to apply to the Forest Area Plan. Yet the county won't hold any re-hearings with proper notice and public comment! Thanks to Commissioner Humke for asking for a public legal opinion. We are still awaiting that opinion.
PAST MEETINGS:
January 27th - County Commission: They finally heard our voices and sent it back to staff. It looks like the Staff Report will likely be sent back to Planning. We need that to include the Matera Ridge Stantec "237" study as an equal option.
July 28, 2008 ~ Friends, we got our butts kicked at the Planning Commission. They ignored our experts and suggestions, not adopting a single word. They gave the developers everything they wanted and more. At the last minute, without adequate public hearings or notice they actually added more zoning changes for Mt Rose Ski Resort, property near Joy Lake and others.
They ignored various full houses at meetings and our overwhelming, thoughtful and well presented citizen comments. This meeting was re-scheduled on very short notice denying us time to rally all the troops. Many were put of town on summer vacation. Do you think this was an accident?
Cancelled by the County!
- December 9th ~ Changed to January 13th or 27th.
- August 5th ~ Planning Commission final review of Forest Area Plan changed to July 28th on short notice.
- October 11, 2007 ~ Washoe County Community Development failed to show up to a packed house at the CAB so as a result, we could not receive the Forest Area Plan update.
- November 17, 2007 ~ The county planned a meeting at Hunsburger Elementary but contrary to newspaper reports that day, Washoe County cancelled this on very short notice adding to our frustration.
- At 1 PM, November 13th the County's website confirmed scheduled Forest Area Plan meetings on November 17 and 20th. Then at 3:11 PM they cancelled the November 20th meeting but confirmed the meeting on the 20th. Less than an hour later they cancelled both meetings!
These are but samples of the county's cancelled or short notice, non-well publicized meetings. There is a pattern causing us to lose faith in our County government.