Development planned for Nevada ranch

CARSON CITY, Nev. - A developer is seeking approval to build 300 homes and a golf course on a ranch recently considered for acquisition by the federal government.

Jeff Dingman said his proposed Clear Creek Ranch and Golf Club would cover 1,600 forested acres on the Schneider Ranch west of Carson City. He plans to work with property owners John Serpa and Wayne Prim on it.

''We believe this is a good, responsible way of developing this property,'' he told Gardnerville's Record-Courier newspaper. ''We're going to cluster the housing in the trees and protect as many viewsheds as possible.''

Dingman, who developed the Genoa Lakes subdivision in nearby Genoa, said a proposal to put the ranch in public hands through a land swap failed to materialize.

The ranch is located in Clear Creek Canyon, which is popular with hikers and mountain bikers. Old U.S. Highway 50 traversed the canyon and the current highway now parallels it.

''We think we are presenting a plan that addresses a lot of the objectives of public ownership with the needs of private development,'' Dingman said.

''We're thinking of creating permanent open space, trailheads and view corridors. Those are the types of things we think we've addressed responsibly.''

The project would be accessed from the highway and Carson Valley residents would not notice it, Dingman said.

A Douglas County planner said a master plan amendment has been submitted for the project, but the documents were not yet available for public review.

The first round of hearings on the proposal could start in February, the planner said.

If approved, Dingman hopes to begin work on the 18-hole golf course later next year, with no more than 300 houses to follow.

Dingman said the golf course could be on a par with the Montreux Golf and Country Club near Reno. That course is home of the Reno-Tahoe Open, the newest stop on the PGA Tour.