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.
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. Still we are facing a sweetheart deal for one developer to change zoning from rural in nature (often one home per 40 acres) to clustered homes at 7 per acre! This is outrageous (link to 600 homes).
The 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 final hearings are being held soon. Voice your opinion to us and the county.
In addition to the scenic value of this land, it is also valuable deer range. What is the county thinking? Oh right, property tax!
Where will the water come from? If you read the Draft Forest Area Plan you will also see too many "shoulds" and "mays" big enough for a developer to drive a truck through.It also involves the transfer of hundreds of acres from the U.S. Forest Service to a private Developer. Read our proposal regarding the fate of this property.
The bottom line is most I have spoken to favor the existing plan (why change it) that limits homes to one per acre maximum. The developers want to cluster these homes and will say for example they have 1200 acres but that includes steep hillsides that are unbuildable. One per acre or less maintains a nice buffer and retains the rural atmosphere. No clusters, no gated communities, no commercial, no industrial, etc.
Upcoming Meetings
May 8 ~ Thursday, 7 PM at the yellow library on Wedge Parkway: The Galena CAB final review of the area master plan: Forest Area Plan. Included in the plan is new commercial development west of Edmonton and 600+ new cluster homes in the upper Galena area west of Rolling Hills.
I was wrong when I said the plan calls for 7 homes per acre. I'm now told it is 7 to 9 homes per acre! Your input is needed. Please pass the word.
Volunteers will be on hand outside the library to collect signatures for the water and growth petitions.May 20 @ 6:30 - very tentative at this point. FINAL review by Planning Commission before it goes to the County Commission.
Past Meetings
October 11, 2007
"Washoe County Community Development failed to show up to a
packed house so 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 Ccounty cancelled this on very short notice adding to our frustration.
As recently as 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!