The site of a project proposed in the northeastern corner of the Gardnerville Ranchos.
Photo by Kurt Hildebrand.
Much of the development residents are seeing being built now was first approved in the early years of the 21st Century.
One example is the 84-unit project that received its final approval, 5-0 from county commissioners on Thursday.
Originally approved in 2002, the project originally was approved for 95 lots, but that project was never begun, and its approvals expired, though the 8,000-square-foot single family residential zoning remained in place.
In March, county commissioners denied the project 3-2, citing increased traffic and density along the northern segment of the 33.2-acre property.
However, Ranchos LLC developers filed lawsuits against the county last spring and as a result of a settlement approved by commissioners in November, were able to modify the project slightly.
Gardnerville Ranchos General Improvement District Chairman Jim McKalip said that the district could serve this project.
However, he said that isn’t necessarily true of the rest of the 469 acres of receiving area owned by Ranchos LLC along the eastern flank of Douglas County’s largest community.
That receiving area could see up to 16 units per acre, though developers would have to purchase development rights from agricultural landowners to achieve that density.
On Tuesday, Douglas County planning commissioners heard an update on the growth management ordinance that was approved in 2007.
The 2-percent growth cap ended up being compounded, so that if development had proceeded as anticipated there would be around 66,000 people living in Carson Valley today and 101,550 people living here by 2056.
In reality, the county hasn’t grown nearly that fast with the U.S. Census estimating 49,428 residents, while the state demographer puts the number at closer to 55,000.
