Planners recommend Genoa project

While denser than the neighbors would like, zoning for a project in the middle of a golf course development in northwestern Carson Valley was recommended by Douglas County Planning Commissioners on Tuesday.

Genoa Lakes Resort Homeowners Association President Ted Throndson said the board reluctantly supported the proposal for 8,000 square foot lots on a 10-acre parcel in the middle of the Genoa Lakes Ranch Course development.

He said the conversion of the property from tourist commercial to single family residential swayed the board in favor of the project.

“The currently proposed (8,000 square foot lots) is not appealing to us because it is still several times more dense than our homes located in close proximity to the proposed project,” he said.

However, the prospect someone might try to move ahead with condos or a casino, or any of the other possibilities under the current zoning, convinced the association to support the proposal.

When planning commissioners inquired whether owner Rick Gardner might consider a less dense project, he said the family would be better off selling the project and letting someone else develop under commercial zoning.

“We’re surrounded by acres and acres of golf course,” he said. “We already went from a project at 74 units and dropped 20 plus units. To drop another 20 will make the project economically unfeasible.”

A previous project converting the tourist commercial to multi-family failed to get the required five votes on the planning commission for a master plan amendment.

Gardner asked Douglas County commissioners to remand the project back to the planning commission with revisions.

The vote to recommend converting the property to single family residential was unanimous among planning commissioners.

The zone change didn’t require a super majority and passed 4-3, with JoEtta Brown, Jim Madsen and Margaret Pross voting against.

Master plan and zone changes go to Douglas County commissioners for a final vote.

No tentative map was presented with the application, because Gardner said he spent $100,000 the last time only to face denial. He wanted to make sure there would be an approval before having the new map done.