Douglas to discuss Clear Creek development

MINDEN - Final approval of the Clear Creek development, which calls for 384 high-price homes and a golf course on the former Schneider Ranch, is on the agenda today for the Douglas County Commission.

Commissioners meet at 1 p.m. at the Douglas County Administration Building, 1616 Eighth St. in Minden.

Douglas County planning commissioners denied the project twice.

The development is proposed by Carson City developer John Serpa. It was approved by Douglas County commissioners Sept. 4 and brought back to planning commissioners last month to give them an opportunity to agree, disagree or take no action on the commissioners' decision.

The project borders U.S. Forest Service lands, Washoe Tribal property, private owners and Douglas County. It is a half mile north of Jacks Valley Road and south of Old Clear Creek Road, west of Highway 395. Several projects have been proposed and denied for the site in the past few years.

Developers say the 1,576-acre project includes 384 million-dollar homes, a 221-acre golf course, and 360 acres of open space within residential areas.

A previous project approved for the property permitted 91 homes.

Development rights are being used to increase the density on the property to 384 homes. The rights are included in the Douglas County master plan to foster orderly growth and preserve open space by giving building bonuses to rural land owners who sell development rights to owners of other properties to use for new development.

Planning commissioners say this transfer is an inappropriate transfer of development rights, is not consistent with the county's master plan and there are receiving areas in the county that should be used before Schneider Ranch is rezoned as a receiving area.

Representatives from the Nature Conservancy and the Carson Valley Trails Association were adamantly against the project because of possible environmental impacts. Members of the Sustainable Growth Initiative Committee, which is fighting in Nevada Supreme Court to have voter-approved building limits enacted, are concerned about the water the project will need.

The Clear Creek project also includes a seven-mile water and sewer connection to Douglas County systems, an interchange off Highway 50, and emergency access for fire protection.