As the blog author on this site, I can see which pages are getting the most views.  I’m gratified to see it, but sometimes, I feel like my viewers are missing some of the best stuff.  I’ll take this chance to highlight a few things that I think are most informative.

There is a consolidated list of all the new developments that have been approved but not finished in Washoe County.  It includes a lot of developments in Reno.  It is sobering to think that there are over 100 developments to house 60,000 residents that are already “in the works”.  I have requested updated information because this list and map were produced in April 2017.  Look for the map on page 4.  [LINK]

You are not alone thinking that there is a lot of bad development and that housing prices are too high.  There are also others that accuse the commissioners of favoring developers and other malfeasance.  See the “In the Media” page for recent articles, opinion pieces, and letters on these topics.

How did we get here, and what were they thinking?!  After the Ascente project was approved, I scheduled meetings with each of the commissioners to plead the case that this development was problematic and bad for the neighborhood.  I didn’t change any minds, but I got an earful of the commissioners views and justifications for why things are this way.  I found it revealing. [LINK]

Bad development occurs all over the Truckee Meadows, in the North Valleys as well as in the South Valleys. There are over 100 new projects in the Truckee Meadows which have been approved by the county and city planning commissions. For many of these, the construction has not started yet.  All of these are voted on by the county commission and the planning commissioners they appointed.  No part of the county can be protected from bad development unless we are all protected.

The new travesty is called Stonegate. It’s a development of over 4,000 homes on 395 between Reno and Cold Springs. Residents are concerned about all the familiar problems related to area development; traffic, fire protection, police services, water availability, flood control, schools, and sewage processing. These issues are inadequately addressed in the developers plans and there does not seem to be the will in the city council to deny it. Traffic is the biggest concern: this part of 395 is already choked and plans to widen 395 are a year or more after the development construction. TMWA has reported that providing water will not be a problem, but they have a history of reckless commitments. The City of Reno expressed confidence that adequate fire and police services will be provided, but they have a history of diluting public services in an effort to balance their budget. Both the city and the county seem to be playing a ponzi scheme wherein tax revenue from new development is used to pay old bills. This is unsustainable and gives the commissions an incentive to support any development just to get the revenue. The logical conclusion is to have development like Vegas, or Phoenix until the rugged beauty of the Great Basin is spoiled and the civic nature of Reno is a memory.

Check out our page: [XXXXX]

As a county-wide entity, WRAP is pleased to ally with the Cold Spring residents in their fight against bad development along with the malfeasance and corruption that enables it.  We count on them to help to change the county.

This is the year that Barnes and Tanguay hope to start the Ascente build.  But, before the blasting and the grading, the trucks and the bulldozers, they will need to meet the 134 “conditions of acceptance” required by the county and get approval of their “final map”.  Some of the conditions require engineering reports regarding the suitability of the site for construction.  My understanding is that the county staff does not review these reports for accuracy or veracity, but simply check-off that they have been submitted.  Given the ludicrous traffic study that was accepted by the staff for Ascente, we can have no confidence that any due diligence is exercised or any the report is not falsified to favor the developer.  I’m told, the staff lacks the expertise, the resources, and the will to review submitted reports for technical accuracy.

This is the year that commissioners Lucey, Jung, and Herman come up for re-election to 4-year terms.  Robert Lucey is reported to be the ring leader of the pro-developer cabal in the commission.  He is an uninhibited beneficiary of developer largess having acquired five new homes directly from developers.  He also benefitted from impressive campaign donations from developers.  As we see much of our view suffer the fate of Colina Rosa (next to Galena), we must ask ourselves if we are angry enough to fight back.  We shouldn’t wait till we feel the blasting and hear the back-up beepers to decide that this is just too much.  There is a WRAP strategy group seeking a good candidate to run for Lucey’s seat.  This candidate will need exceptional grass-roots support to beat Lucey and his developer money.  There will be many ways to support this candidate; large and small.  I think now is the time for each of us to consider what it is worth to see Lucey ousted.  Our neighborhood was sold out for money: it is that simple.