Planning commission approves Big George project

Staff Reports

The Douglas County Planning Commission voted 4-2 Tuesday to increase the number of units from 366 to 619 in a Big George Ventures project on the east side of Highway 395 along Topsy Lane.

Proponents of Georgetown said the project would provide Douglas County with much-needed affordable housing.

Planning Commissioner Mike Olson recused himself because the company and its president, Raymond Sidney, donated $10,000 to his campaign for county commissioner.

Planning commissioners voted 4-2 for a master plan amendment for the project, 5-1 for a specific plan amendment for the project and 4-2 for a zoning map amendment.

Commissioner Bob Conner voted against all three requests; Commissioner JoEtta Brown voted against the master plan amendment and the zoning map amendment.

Commission Chairwoman Margaret Pross and commissioners Rick Ross, Lawrence Howell and Jim Madsen voted for the proposal.

Sidney purchased the 101-acre property in 2004 at auction from the Bureau of Land Management.

In July 2007, county commissioners approved a plan for the property that included 254 patio homes, 27 duplexes, 56 four-unit townhomes and 18 common-area parcels.

Planning commissioners adjourned Tuesday after the Big George hearing, and said they would recovene at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday for a day-long hearing on a request from Park Cattle Co. for a master plan amendment on 4,495 acres of land. The project plan includes placing 4,995 dwellings on a 1,372-acre parcel along Minden and Gardnerville's northern boundary.