development
The BLM and the State of Nevada have released an interactive map of public lands they feel are disposable. Apparently the land would be transferred to state, county or local agencies to then be sold to private developers. The map is here.
On the map below, the dark blotches are the lands in Western Nevada. The stated purpose is to provide for "affordable housing". How low income people would find work, commute to work, shop and save money is not explained.
From the interactive map: "LAND USE ALLOCATIONS Within the Reno Planning Area covered by the Management Framework Plan 6. Identify the following tracts as available for transfer out of federal ownership to state, county, or local government agencies, or to non-profit corporations."
There is little information available on the criteria used for the decisions or the purpose. Although "Fox5vegas.com had this take: "Lombardo said the new tool ensures communities, businesses and local governments have the information they need to plan for future development. The tool is available through a data sharing agreement between the governor’s office via the Nevada Division of Minerals and BLM Nevada."
In the same post fox 5 has this from Jacky Rosen: "Sen. Jacky Rosen argued for the need to release federal land for affordable housing last year, saying it could “tackle our housing crisis by… making appropriate federal land available for housing.”
So while it's been generally Republicans that have pushed for privatization, our Democratic Representative feels the need to advocate for more affordable housing through "appropriate" public land.
The Sierra Reflections proposal states it this way (paraphrased): Building upscale rural homes allows homeowners to move up and make their cheaper homes available for those entering home ownership. The problem with that theory is that there is a 35 year old home bordering BLM property in Washoe Valley currently for sale for $1 million. Still not affordable housing.
Plans to Sell Have Been Around For Years
It has been long been a contention in Washington that the federal government has no business owning land and that all federal land should be sold off to private interests. Military needs, utility needs, energy needs, industrial needs, affordable housing seem to be ways to justify this liquidation of America's public lands legacy.
Supposedly, National Parks would be retained for public use.
There is even a trend where Americas billionaires are buying large tracts of land for private enclaves.
Olivia Tanager, executive director of the Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter, qouted in a post on KOLOTV, says that "Lawmakers have proposed using federal lands to create more affordable housing. Several areas at the edges of the Vegas Valley have been identified for potential development on the mapping tool. Tanager said she does not see that as a viable solution.
“The areas on the outskirts or far outside of existing urban areas are wholly inappropriate for affordable housing. Housing that is located that far away from services will never be truly affordable,” Tanager said. “As folks have to live further and further away from resources like schools and grocery stores, transportation costs go up substantially.”
Developers want maximum profits and that means upscale homes in desirable areas. In-fill and verticle building of truly more affordable homes and condiminiums in urban areas has much smaller margins.
What Does It Mean For The South County?
Zooming in on the map reveals this hilly area popular with off-roaders and target shooters. It is abutting Washoe Lake State Park and hopefully it could be absorbed into the State Park system. But will the state want to take on that responsibility and expense? Otherwise the hills above the park may end up with massive roadcuts and large homes perched on the ridges above the park.
The other area in the Washoe Valley/Pleasant Valley area is here. This area of hills and canyons including Galena Creek would also be challenging and expensive to develop so no affordable housing there either.
The last area designated for disposal in the South County are some parcels in the Toll Road area. We have seen where the Envision Master Plan and the Truckee Meadows Regional Plan values open space but these proposals seem to work against that value.
We have had time to see how our states push for business development in Western Nevada has played out. The state has recruited hundreds of businesses with tax breaks and other incentives bringing in thousands of new residents. This has created a housing construction boom and developers are profiting handsomely.
For average Nevada residents though, housing costs have gone through the roof while they bear the costs of the increased road, fire, police, medical, social services and other infrastructure. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for the last 25 years continues to hover around 5%, mostly unchanged.
Maybe its time for Washoe County residents who actually like living here to get together and say enough. We need a Regional Citizen Planning Board to counter the Regional Planning Commission.
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