Churchill County Commissioners heard a presentation last week from Associate Planner Dean Patterson on the results of the Planning Department's work over the past year-and-a-half to revise the County Master Plan. They also set a public hearing on the proposed Master Plan update for April 21, at 1:15 p.m.
Patterson said the oldest Master Plan at the county was done in 1990 and is continually updated every five years or so. Under Nevada Revised Statutes, the Planning Department is required to hold several opportunities for public input into the plan update. Planning Commissioners held a variety of public workshops beginning in late 2019, inviting impacted stakeholders who could address specific issues by chapter.
Although there were several delays due to COVID, the Planning Commission approved the updated plan in March and forwarded it on to the County Commission for a public hearing and their approval. Changes were made to several sections, said Patterson, including the addition of an Introduction, a change in the way appendices are listed, updated language and content in several sections.
Chapter one addressed population and housing with the shortages projected as Fallon Naval Air Station continues to add 1,000 personnel by 2024. Patterson said the vacancy rate is one of the indicators of interest, being right at 8% before the recession and is now less than 4%.
Chapter two addressed education, showing a general decline in student enrollment, with private school enrollment over the past five years increasing. The data also showed a serious need to address childcare needs.
Conservation and Natural Resources are addressed in Chapter three, with sections on renewable energy, agriculture, mineral exploration, and water. It is this chapter that re-introduces the consistent use of the “Oasis of Nevada” and the special features to promote the community, weaving that theme throughout the document. He also said there are over 60 square miles of irrigated acres of agriculture in the valley, and Chapter six of the Master Plan focuses specifically on protecting agriculture, the Navy and economic development.
According to Patterson, the focus on protecting agriculture and the NAS Fallon installation is paramount. During the past year, through COVID as well as during the recession, agriculture continued to be recession resistant, providing a steady economic base for the community.
Other chapters include a focus on hazards and mitigation, historic preservation, recreation, transportation, and public services and facilities. Addressing the 2019 utilities plan, law enforcement, and the sewer and water systems, Patterson said this section was important because the goals and policies around infrastructure drive much of the rest of the plan along with land development decisions.
Wrapping up with open space, land use, and a policy plan for public lands – important because of federal law that requires Federal Land planning decisions be consistent with local plans - Patterson said Jeremy Drew with Resource Concepts Inc. will now work to update the 2010 Public Lands Plan.
Commissioners set the public hearing for April 21 which will give community members the opportunity to make comment and submit possible changes to the proposed update before the final approval by commissioners.
In other business, commissioners approved the priorities and funding requests for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program this year. Shannon Ernst, director of Social Services presented information on two projects, one that would provide for a direct allocation of $91,898 from the CDBG program to be used with a match for a generator for the Rafter 3C Civic Center building. The second request falls under Round three of the CDBG program this year and would be a $672,335 request to pay for the HVAC system for the Civic Center. “Our goal is to have a place that can be used for sheltering in case of another public health emergency,” said Ernst. This request will go to the public hearing on April 21, during which time a two-week public comment period will begin. If commissioners approve the request at the public hearing, the request will be forward to the governor’s office for possible funding.
County Manager Jim Barbee reported that he and several county managers are working on language to address the potential legislation regarding innovation zones that would allow technology companies to create their own communities. He is also working on testimony to address potential legislation that would do away with certain tax abatements for geothermal companies, allowing for geothermal taxes to go to the local counties where the facility is located. Currently geothermal companies can apply for tax abatements that cost local communities and school districts millions of dollars in revenue.
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