Councilmember Duerr hosted a town hall meeting on Zoom regarding the planned Canyons’ Edge development. It’s a small development of 8 homes at the foot of the steep rise above Damonte Ranch and The Palisades. It is the next step in peripheral sprawl from the recently approved Canyons development. The 80 acres will be divided into 8 10-acre lots. Only 14 acres will be developed. The other 66 acres are too steep (30% slope or more). In effect, the homes will be on small lots with nearly 10 acres of vertical back yard.
John Krmpotic of KLS Planning gave the presentation. He made two points to show the efforts made by the developer to address community concerns.
- The developer would accommodate the wild horses with a path through the development and a water trough further up the hillside. This would be considered temporary for two years until Reno came up with a comprehensive plan to manage and support the wild horses.
- The developer would zone the 66 acres as Open Space and would allow access by the public. The Open Space area would be under the control and management of Reno.
Krmpotic represented these as “concessions” to the neighbors. One resident pointed out that the accommodation of the wild horses was not a concession but rather a mitigation (addressing a problem caused by the development itself). Also, the 66 acres are too steep to build on. It’s not conceding much to make it Open Space.
The meeting lasted an hour and a half. Open issues remain.
- What will the cumulative effects be when the Sunny Hills development is built on the adjoining properties to the North?
- What will happen after two years? Will Reno be ready with their plan to support the wild horses when the developer starts building and blocks the horses’ access?
- How will horses access the planned water trough which is on a steep hillside?
- What does it mean for a homeowner to own Open Space? Legally, the homeowner could fence off all or part of their property whatever the zoning. The developer wants to sell the properties as 10-acre lots, but guarantees public access to 82% of it. This appears untenable.
The developer has submitted a Master Plan Amendment to change the zoning from UT-40 (one home per 40 acres) to one home per 10 acres. While it’s only a few homes, it follows the pattern of every developer seeking a zoning change to build at higher densities. They are also requesting a designation change from Tier-3 to Tier-2 by the Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Authority for the 14 acres. Building is largely prohibited on Tier-3 areas. The developer does not yet have a date for the Reno Planning Commission to review the project. Dolan said that he had wanted to move forward earlier when he felt “he had strong staff support”. He didn’t expand on how that had changed.
Duerr made the point that the conditions about accommodating the wild horses should have been incorporated into the PUD for the Canyons development which was just recently approved. Dolan argued that this was not possible since that development had a different owner: his brother, Jack Dolan (Six Development). He went on to admit that Jack was also an investor in his company; Virginia 40’s. It sounds like good old Reno.
KLS Presentation
Washoe Residents for Appropriate Planning 
“They are also requesting a designation change from Tier-3 to Tier-2 by the Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Authority for the 14 acres. Building is largely prohibited on Tier-3 areas.”
The above designation change request is interesting – the Verdi properties that were recently approved for development are a Tier 4 – and there is no request for a designation change – the Tier 4 wasn’t even addressed by the City!
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So sick of these Developers aka Destroyers of land and wildlife’s home! What a Dolan scam this is! Tell your Brother to be decent and have compassion for the animals that have called that land home before he was even born! This should be a forever deal of protection not 2 years Harming Nature for self gain will not have a happy ending for anyone who wants to deprive horses and wild animals the right for drinking water and a safe home also!
These residents will be calling BLM to pick up our horses due to their negligence not the horses! That needs to be addressed also! They must comply also to live there
What about the Golden Eagles? Who builds Up like this in an area that is should not happen for many reasons
Most importantly Who allows this to be given the Okay?
That is Deplorable that a slick tactic was played by these guys Not to mention long time Nevada residents and families who have called that area home for decades having to be subjected to this mess it will create also!
Dolan argued that this was not possible since that development had a different owner: his brother, Jack Dolan (Six Development). He went on to admit that Jack was also an investor in his company; Virginia 40’s. It sounds like good old Reno.
You are right on that one!
So guess that means if anything happens to the horses then Jack should be held liable for the harm to them and the Eagles and other wild life and residents who are the Good OLD Nevadans who know how to keep things in balance and lives will be destroyed in many ways also
More traffic and non stop trash arriving! it lines the side of the freeways now no matter where you go! Wait until they start dumping cars couches and garbage out there They seem to follow where the Builders Go!
And lastly Why was it not blocked from happening at the beginning? Because of brother Jacks refusal Should have made the Boys work it out about Conditions about accommodating the wild horses-It should have been incorporated into the PUD for the Canyons development which was just recently approved
Time to shut all this Hustle Down and finish the messes all over before allowing anything like this be happening
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