Lyon County outgrowing its borders

Lyon County is getting too big for its boundaries.

Last week Lyon County Commissioner LeRoy Goodman told the Washoe County Commission that Lyon County would like to push its border into Washoe County, and take over about 4,000 acres of uninhabited land near Fernley.

"The city of Fernley is growing very quickly," said Goodman.

The city's population grew 12.3 percent in 2003, he said, and up to 1,000 new homes will be built there this year.

"We're overbludgeoned with growth," said Goodman.

Currently, there's nothing there, he said.

"It's flatter than a desktop and looks the same."

The land, Goodman argued, is of little use to Washoe County, and, in fact, could become burdensome to the county if it is developed.

Washoe County staff agreed, if homes, not businesses, go up there.

In a recommendation prepared for the commission, county staff said that if the area is developed for residential purposes, it would cost the county more to provide services such as water and police to the area than it would generate in tax revenues.

Joe Wade, chairman and CEO of Wade Development Co.

Inc., which owns about 1,500 acres of the land, said his company's long-term plan is to build homes on its property.

Residential development, said Wade, "is good for Lyon County because it balances out the tax base with the industrial development there." Wade Development owns the Nevada Pacific Industrial Park in Fernley, home to Amazon.com,Trex Co.

LLC and others.

About half of the 4,000 acres Lyon would like to absorb is Bureau of Land Management land.

Another 800 acres is owned by the Ceresole family trust and a couple hundred acres belong to Nevada Cement Co.

The area now garners Washoe County about $45,000 in property taxes, based on county assessor records, Goodman said.

Only the Nevada Legislature can change county lines, so Washoe and Lyon would have to present their case to the legislature next year and request a bill to redraw the boundaries.

The Washoe County commission at last week's meeting agreed to work with Lyon County to explore the possibility of moving the county line.

And when asked by Commissioner Jim Galloway if the two counties might share any revenue generated there for a certain time period after the area changes hands, Goodman said that could be worked out during the legislative process.

But the commission could still nix the plan if it finds out Washoe County would be losing more than it might gain.

Said commission Chairman Jim Shaw: "You're aware without letting the cats out of the bag that there are some projects being proposed in that area that would bring revenue to Washoe County."