In a setback to the Washoe County School District, the Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to table the appeal by the WCSD of the Board of Adjustment decision against allowing grading to proceed on the new property.  The request to allow grading was always curious since the WCSD had not yet acquired the property they wanted to grade and they admitted that the school design was only 75% complete and subject to change.  What is the rush to grade under these circumstances?

To the benefit of homeowners and parents, the commissioners asked the school district to improve their plan to reduce the traffic impact and flood hazard to the local residents.  Also mentioned, was the requirement to rigorously identify earthquake faults on the property.

The Board of County Commissioners will take up the appeal again on September 18 and hope to see improvements in the plan to address the concerns of area residents.

Links:

Arrowcreek School Grading Tabled

Arrowcreek Middle School Townhall

Arrowcreek Middle School

I just heard yesterday: the Washoe Board of County Commissioners will hear the new Washoe County Lands Bill on September 11 (time TBD).  This bill is a travesty, and warrants the strongest possible response from the residents.  In short, it will make a deal with the Federal Government to turn over BLM land in the Truckee Meadows to Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County for development (73,000 acres).  No one supports this bill except those that will profit from it.  The cities and counties are eager for the development and for the ensuing property tax revenue.  Given the problems we have now with irresponsible development, expanding the area available for malfeasance will produce a nightmare.  Watch for the agenda with the schedule.

If you’re worried about the pace of development and the effect on our daily lives, you have good company.  The TMRPA board met yesterday at a restaurant and candidly discussed issues of concern.  The purpose was to inform a consulting company that will work on a plan proposal for the region.  The issues and situation will mostly seem familiar.

• We are at our limit for sewer capacity.  We have neither the pipes nor the treatment facilities to support expansion.
• Our roads are in rough shape.  We don’t have the funds to pay for infrastructure improvements.  Developer’s “impact fees” only cover a fraction of the cost.
• Growth proponents want to see a major expansion in the North Valleys, but persistent flooding and road conditions must be addressed first.
• Growth proponents accept that development will impact the lives of residents in the unincorporated county negatively.

It was pointed out that there are already plans for 70,000 dwelling units approved (but not built) when only 42,000 are needed by 2038.  We have approved the building of more new homes than will be needed for the next 20 years!

The “elephant in the room” which was referred to, but not discussed is the giant Stonegate development recently approved by the City of Reno.  It is a small city of 5,000 homes north of Peavine Mountain and south of Cold Springs.  The likely problems associated with this are staggering.

Detailed Notes

Here’s a summary of what was covered and what the concerns were.  It was a standing-room only crowd in the Hunsberger School auditorium.

Bill Dunkelberger (Forest Service) spoke first about the Forest Service and the Educational Land Grant Award program.  He spoke about the process and the site.

• The Forest Service sees the 93 acre lot as not in “forest character” since it is surrounded by private property in a suburban environment.  It is the kind of property they would want to get rid of.
• The comment period is open until August 31.
• Before a final decision to grant the property, the Forest Service will consider public comments, take another look at the environmental assessment, and then decide whether to approve the transfer of the property or not.
• The Forest Service reserves the right to retract the property if it is not used for the intended purpose.
• There is only one school in the current plan: there is no plan for a Pre-k or vocational school.

Traci Davis (WCSD Superintendent) introduced information about the school district.

• The District presently spends $20M on repairs and maintenance.
• The District serves 65k students.
• The WC-1 legislation authorizes the building of 3 new schools.

Adam Searcy spoke representing the capital projects department for the District.

• The Arrowcreek school is specified in the WC-1 legislation.
• Using the land provided by the Forest Service greatly reduces the cost of the school.
• The District will go “above and beyond” in an effort to be a good neighbor.
• The design is 75% done, with special attention to traffic and drainage characteristics.
• Flood risk will be addressed with a system of french drains and catch basins to reduce the runoff that is normally seen on that lot.
• Traffic will be addressed with a 2900′ private road 40′ wide which will allow parallel parking on both sides.  There will be 300 parking spaces where as Depaoli only has 186.
• There will be a separate bus loop to pick-up and drop-off.
• For large events, the Hunsberger parking lots will be available.
• There will be elevated pedestrian bridges for students to cross the private road.
• In regards to landscaping, 40% of the property will not be graded but left to natural vegetation.  They will plant 500 new trees and 2500 native shrubs so that the school will barely be visible from the street.
• The goal is to open the school to 1400 students in August 2020.

The sentiment of most attendees was that the school was needed and there was some impatience that it had taken so long to get a new school to address the elementary school overcrowding and the long trip to Pine School.  One resident asserted that the concerns expressed about the school were a disingenuous tactic to delay the build to keep the neighborhood unchanged.

Questions and concerns expressed by attendees.

1. Will the Arrowcreek Road be widened to handle the extra school traffic?  The answer is that this is not part of the plan.
2. What steps are being taken to provide security at the school?  The answer is that the school will be built to the latest design standards regarding security with a perimeter fence and a single point of entry.
3. How will the three schools on Arrowcreek be evacuated in case of fire?  There was a fire 4 years ago and the roads were jammed.  The answer is that the school will be built to incorporate extra fire-safety features so that shelter-in-place may be possible.
4. There is concern that the lot has earthquake faults close to the school.  The school will be built on sediment and fill and may be susceptible to damage.
5. If there is only the one road with an entrance on Thomas Creek and an entrance on Crossbow, how can parents come to pick up students in an emergency?
6. The Washoe County Planning Commission turned down the request to allow grading before the school plan is approved.  The District will appeal this decision to the Board of County Commissioners on August 28.
7. Flooding downhill below Thomas Creek is a problem.  The area was flooded 4 years ago.  What if a detention pond fails in a bad storm?  It poses a terrible risk to downhill homeowners.
8. Are there plans to improve Thomas Creek for the expected bicycle and pedestrian traffic expected to and from the new school?

The traffic, hydrology, and school design principals were present.  There were one or two references to the county planning staff that they could be trusted to resolve problems.  This was viewed with some skepticism.

Commissioner Bob Lucey was not seen at this event.  Steve Wolgast is a candidate for the Washoe County Commission.

There’s no big, new story this week, but there are still things to report.

Moratorium Sign 8/2/18

The property owner was told by the county that there was a complaint about the “Washoe County Development is Out Of Control!  Time for a Moratorium?” sign facing Mount Rose Highway at Thomas Creek Rd.  No ordinance was cited and no citation was issued indicating the infraction.  So far, efforts to find the justification for the complaint have been unsuccessful.  There will be more follow-up, but the motivation might be political.  We have taken the sign down.  It will likely be restored at a later date; maybe with a new message.

Northern Nevada Water Planning Commission Meeting 8/1/18

This meeting reviewed the “consensus plan” for area population growth and the expected annual water availability report.  The region’s population is expected to grow from 452,000 (2017) to 559,000 in 2036.  RWMP reported that 190,000 acre-feet of water could be sustainable consumed from existing sources.  They estimate that 100,000 acre-feet of water is needed for the expected population of 559,000.  Concern was expressed that drier weather, shorter snow seasons, and increased evaporation from Lake Tahoe will adversely affect the water availability.  There was also concern that the 190,000 af number might include water that was not available or not potable.  The reports were accepted.

Zolezzi Property Development (Autumn Wood II) 7/30/18

Residents met to learn about the Autumn Wood I and Autumn Wood II developments on Zolezzi Lane next to the Montessori School.  The plan was unanimously denied by the Planning Commission for non-compliance with the area plan.  There was substantial concern over flooding and traffic as well.  The developer plans to appeal, and the neighbors need to prepare.  The developers can expect a more favorable hearing from the County Commission.

Echevaria Ranch; Joint Meeting 7/30/18

The Echevaria Ranch property is near the Stonegate project at the foot of Peavine Mountain. The property is part of the Reno-Stead Corridor Joint Plan. Like Stonegate, it is a huge project which represents a radical extension of the city into the unincorporated county.  There is room for 67 homes based on the current rural zoning on the 559 acres.  The request for re-zoning consistent with the Re-Imagine Reno plan would allow for 3,000 homes.  Residents expressed concern about emergency services, traffic, and school overcrowding.  There were two proposals being covered.  First was a proposal to remove this property from the joint plan and cede it to the City of Reno’s jurisdiction.  This was approved releasing Washoe County’s interest in the property.  The second proposal was to approve re-zoning the property for urban-scale densities.  This proposal was denied.  It will be brought up again when there is a development plan to consider.

Reno City Council on Stonegate  7/25/18

City Councilwoman Brekhus inveighed against the earlier Stonegate approval.  She pointed out inconsistencies in the plans to build, staff, and operate the fire stations needed to protect the new development.

I would call it a coup conspiracy.  Commissioners Berkbigler, Jung, and Lucey realize that the Citizens Advisory Boards and the Planning Commission are no longer approving the non-conforming projects.  Their response is not surprising: take power from the organizations that diligently represent the residents and examine compliance with the master plan requirements.  Here’s my summary of the different commissioners’ positions.  Commissioner Hartung was absent while Commissioner Herman did not express an opinion.

Commissioner Berkbigler

• She didn’t understand the roles of the Planning Commission (PC) or the Board of Adjustment (BOA).
• She emphasizes that the County Commissioners are elected as opposed to the members of the Board of Adjustment who are appointed.
• She claims that the County Commissioners always over-rule the Board of Adjustments on appeal (not true in Colorock case).
• She worries about the cases the BOA denies that are never appealed.
• She wants the staff to “work” with the BOA on the Incline area plan.
• She’s worried about how confusing and difficult it is for developers.
• She has “huge goals that we need to meet”.

Commissioner Jung

• We could avoid extra meetings if we consolidated the superfluous quasi-municipal agencies such as regional planning, the RTC, the Flood Authority.
• She suggests that Washoe County could assume all these roles with some subject matter experts under the county manager.
• She’d really like to see if we could legally collapse all the agencies under one umbrella. She doesn’t consider collapsing the county commission.

Commissioner Lucey (It’s hard to discern his point through his “word salad”)

• He emphasizes that the County Commissioners are elected while the PC, Citizens Advisory Board (CAB), and BOA members are only appointed.  They “try to potentially do the work of commissioners”.
• He expresses a lot of concern for out-of date ordinances. It looks like he’s referring to the area plans.
• He wants to be efficient and “help the process along” for the benefit of the community.
• He thinks appointed board members may not use their positions to benefit the community but rather to advance their own agendas.
• He is committed to have Washoe be the county of “yes” to development.
• He thinks the County Commissioners should be more involved with the Planning Commission to address “challenges”.

Inferences

• Commissioners Berkbigler and Lucey are not happy that the PC, BOA and CAB’s are looking critically at the developer plans and the staff reports and acting with due diligence.
• Commissioners Berkbigler and Lucey think the solution is for the county commission to require the subservience of the PC, BOA, and CAB’s or eliminate them.
• Commissioners Jung thinks Washoe County should take control of all the regional governmental bodies. It sounds like tyranny to favor the developers.
• Commissioners Berkbigler, Jung, and Lucey all express concern about delays to  developers with no reference to addressing the concerns of residents.

Summary

It looks like a coup attempt to take over all the regional governing bodies from the regional planning board at the top, down to the CAB’s on the front lines.  No commissioner hides the pro-developer bent shared with Mayor Schieve.  None of the comments recognize the role played by the CAB’s and PC’s to deny irresponsible development.  Remember that Commissioners Berkbigler and Lucey are in real estate.

But, don’t take my word for it.  Watch the meeting video online https://www.washoecounty.us/bcc/board_committees/index.php#meetingList

or see my transcript of the discussion BCC_Quotes_re_PC_&_BOA_072418    .

The public has become increasingly skeptical of the engineering reports ordered by the developers and skeptical of the county planning staff that always recommends development approval.  To date, it seems that the Washoe Planning Commissioners have taken the staff’s word that a new development is compliant over the arguments of the residents that it is not; no more.  Here are some examples that the  staff opinions and the developer reports have lost credibility.

June 14 Citizens Advisory Board; topic Estates at Marango Springs, Toll Road

• One exasperated resident asked “Can you name a single development project for which the planning department has not recommended approval?” County planner, Roger Pelham, was physically reeling from the question and stammered “Lemmon Valley Drive”.  There is no project by that name.  The audience laughed derisively.
• The CAB found there was “a severe credibility problem”. The motion was to deny the application “lock, stock, and barrel”.  This passed unanimously.

July 3 Planning Commission Meeting; topic Prado Ranch North, Lemmon Valley

• One attendee mocked the Washoe County mission statement as being a model for western governments. She also observed that the county staff always sided with the developers.
• One resident read from the North Valleys Master Plan that “Development should minimize negative impacts.” And pointed out the hypocrisy.
• Staff asserted that the schools were under capacity. This was met with a derisive laugh from the attendees.
• Commissioner Donschick asked how soon work would be completed on Lemmon Drive. It is presently partly blocked and running at reduced speed due to roadway damage.  Staff admitted there is no schedule for these repairs in the area of the proposed development.
• The county engineer claimed that the road would be widened to 4 lanes, but then admitted that the plan was only to re-evaluate the road capacity in four years and to decide what to do then.
• Doug Smith (Mfg. home dealer) pointed out that Lemmon Valley Drive belongs to the City of Reno and that it was safe. Attendees laughed.
• Commissioner Lawson said that he did not believe the traffic report including the conclusion that traffic would still be within acceptable limits following the development.
• Commissioner Lawson said that he was not comfortable trusting staff to resolve these major issues with no public review.
• Commissioner Bruce pointed out that there is presently no good way to evacuate the area.
• Commissioner Chesney asked when the road improvements would be completed. Staff answered “within 4 years”.  He went on “I don’t want to hear that that there’ll be a study in four years and then another one in another four years.  I’m not comfortable with it.”
• Commissioner Horan asserted “The infrastructure is inadequate.”
• Donschick asserted that the sheriff and fire department response times were already unacceptable. The drainage plan depends on development features that are still in the planning phase.
• The traffic engineer pointed out that the effect of the new development on highway 395 wasn’t their problem: it’s the responsibility of NDOT.  Lawson replied that there must be systematic approach to traffic planning.
• Commissioner Chvilicek asked of the developer “Why was the project design done to the lowest possible acceptable standards?”
• The traffic engineer admitted that the traffic study was done on January 2: the day after New Years day. Hardly a day when you’d expect typical traffic.
• The plan was denied unanimously as not consistent with the master plan.

July 3,  Planning Commission; topic Autumn Wood-II on Zolezzi Lane

The preceding part of this development (Autumn Wood-I) was approved in 2010 and has been granted extensions.  It has not been started: the final map has not even been submitted.

• Commissioner Horan asked “Can you point to similar developments with duplexes built on the lot line?” Pelham replied “no”.  Commissioner Horan said “So, its not consistent with the neighborhood.” “That would be your judgement call.” Pelham answered.
• Pelham went on to make the argument that Autumn Wood-II was consistent with Autumn Wood-I. Commissioner Horan pointed out that Autumn Wood-I was just a vacant lot now.
• Commissioner Horan asked “Why is this plan consistent with the master plan?” Pelham answered “It’s allowed with a cluster plan.”
• Commissioner Chvilicek “Why not redesign Phase-I to better match Phase-II?”
• The developer’s plan was denied unanimously as “not consistent”.

Something more to celebrate.

Wherever you live in Washoe County, your Planning Commissioner defended the special nature of our communities last night … twice!  Remember that the next time the county does something infuriating: your planning commissioner sided with the residents on a tough vote when it mattered.

Prado Ranch North tentative map application denied unanimously.

Prado Ranch North      Prado Ranch  KOLO-8: Prado Ranch Denied

The house was nearly full in the big auditorium.  Consideration of Prado Ranch North started about 7:30 PM.  It was voted down at 10:35 PM.  Most of the time was consumed by residents raising concerns with clear reasoning and delivery.

• Flooding: the waste water will go to the Stead treatment plant and from there to Swan Lake raising the water level for all on its perimeter.  The area where the developer plans retention basins is already underwater.  Bringing in 1.2 million cubic feet of soil to raise the development and Lemmon Drive will displace water which will raise the level of Swan Lake.
• Traffic/Evacuation: Lemmon Drive is impassable at one point and hampered with road degradation and reduced speeds everywhere.  Residents are making detours through the  residential streets and suffering doubling commute times and worse.  Emergency vehicle response times are now exceeding 20 minutes.  The traffic study was done January 2.  What does that represent?  Road improvements are tentatively planned for 395, but there is no commitment and no schedule.
• Incompatibility with the North Valleys Plan: residents live in Lemmon Valley for the rural lifestyle.  They like to see the stars, to keep and ride horses, to keep livestock, and slower traffic.  Prado Ranch represents an urban neighborhood that would be out of place.
• Schools: they are presently overcapacity in contradiction to the information provided by the developer and by the county staff.

It was impressive.  It was a little unruly, but it was democracy in action.  Congratulations, patriots!

Autumn Woods-II tentative map application denied unanimously. 

Autumn Woods Development  Autumn Woods Blog

The auditorium was mostly empty by the time the Commission convened to consider this development at 10:55 PM.

• Flooding: the area floods routinely from Whites Creek.  One area resident pays $2500 in FEMA flood insurance indicating a high risk.  Not only does the area flood, but the developer plans to redirect drainage through a 90-degree bend.  Neither the developer nor the county staff could give a reason to be confident that flooding wouldn’t continue.
• Traffic: the property is next door to the Montessori School on Zolezzi which has 240 students that must be dropped off and picked up every day.  Traffic onto Arrow Creek Parkway is already slow in either direction with the big, new apartment complexes on Zolezzi Lane.
• Incompatibility: the development design is unusual and new to Washoe County.  Basically, the residences will be duplexes where the shared wall is also the lot boundary.  This is not compatible with the master plan and represents an increase in density.
• Expired: Autumn Wood-I has been extended 8 years from the tentative map approval.  This is highly unusual and was done during the recession, apparently as an effort to support the local economy.  The drainage from Autumn Wood-II will require a change in the design of Autumn Wood-I.  This should probably require a new tentative map submission for Autumn Wood-I.

We should anticipate that this victory for residents may not hold.  The developers can expect a more sympathetic hearing from the Board of County Commissioners should they decide to appeal.  Catch up on your sleep.  We may need to do this again.

It looks like the developers are still digging the County into a hole in Lemmon Valley.  They are presenting a tentative map proposal before the Washoe County Planning Commission on July 3 at 6:30PM at the county complex at Wells and Ninth.  The next development is called Prado Ranch North which includes 490 homes on lots ranging from 1/8 to 1/2 acre.  See this LINK  and LINK for more details.

This basin centered on Swan Lake has been flooded for over a year.  New development only means more flood hazard since the paving increases runoff and the treated waste water (sewage) ends up in Swan Lake increasing the flooding for adjacent properties.  The developer is proposing retention ponds to offset the runoff, but given the nature of the subsurface rock, there is little percolation so that the ponds could stay filled from year to year defeating their purpose.

Show solidarity with the neighborhoods all over the county.  The only chance to stop such poor development anywhere is to fight it everywhere.  Put it on your calendar.