We barely escaped driving around Reno today (saw the results of 3 accidents) and were driving south through Pleasant Valley and saw a surprise. As you pass the trailer sales place, look halfway up the hillside on the south side (left side) of the valley. You can see where a road is being cut up the side of the steep hill and other roads are cut across the hill from that one. A huge new “cliff-dwelling” subdivision? If you know something about this one, let me know.
I’ve been hearing on the news about the “new” Winnemucca Ranch (they’ve changed the name) north of Reno that will be thousands of homes. A new mega-development just over the hill in Storey County was just “shut down” by the county commissioners but they can re-apply in a year.
Maybe if these mega-developments that blur the line between a subdivision and a city get built, maybe, just maybe, that will increase pressure to preserve the natural, “lush” recreation areas such as Washoe Valley. Maybe we should be pushing for the rest of the region to be developed so that we can increase our importance as an area that is “unspoiled” or at least retains a little natural goodness that should be retained.
If we can just fight to retain our “autonomy” and water rights, maybe we will come out ahead in the future- all of us, even to the point where our “special” status translates into a little more money for our properties.
We all have a stake in hoping Washoe Valley “drags its heels” and remains the same as the rest of the region changes.
