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.
Turn out at the May 20th Planning Commission was excellent. We have made 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. The Subcommittee has submitted our proposal to the Planning Commission but declined to make recommendations. The "bad" plan is still on the agenda for passage. The date for the hearing was just changed to July 28th at 6:30 at 9th & Wells causing problems for many who had planned for the promised date of August 5th. See you Monday, July 28th.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 latest plan also has info on the Reynen & Bardis developments and the Mt Rose Ski Resort. 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. Also thanks to Karen Mullen for her hard work on the commercial issues and 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 most I have spoken to favor limiting homes to one per acre maximum. The developers want to cluster these homes and will say for example they have 635 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
Monday, JULY 28, 2008 ~ Washoe County Planning Commission
6:30 at the Washoe County complex, 9th & Wells: Final review of Forest Area Plan. This is an extremely important meeting. Please plan to attend and speak. Bring your kids and tell your friends.
Once again the county has pulled a bait & switch. The Planning Commission voted in open meeting (many of you were there and stayed to the end) that August 5th was positively the date for the PC review of the plan. Now, someone has changed this without a public vote to July 28th.
Like me, many of you may have already made vacation plans and this short notice change creates a hardship. If you were at the July 1 Subcommittee meeting you'll note they never mentioned the change and they refused to allow Public Comment. This is unheard of. Only after the meeting was adjourned did a community member inquire and get an answer.
The plan itself is seriously flawed. The subcommittee refuses to suggest changes. It has factual errors, is contrary to community wishes and another developer has entered the picture and threatened legal action if the plan is adopted. Two developers want more density and condos. The issues are complicated but please contact us if you have specific questions. See you at the Monday, July 28 meeting!
Cancelled by the County! August 5th, Tuesday, 6:30 PM, Planning Commission, 9th and Wells: Planning Commission final review of Forest Area Plan 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!