Sierra Reflections development approved, neighbors say their feedback was ignored

The Sierra Reflections project is moving forward, much to the chagrin of neighbors.

"It's horrible,” said Lou Allard, a 40-year resident of Pleasant Valley. “It takes away our whole livelihood here."

Commission Chair Clara Andriola said community feedback factored into the County Commission’s decision on Tuesday. After three hours of public comment and a 1,600-signature petition against the project, Allard said he doesn't believe the County Commission considered neighbors’ best interests. He's not alone in this feeling.

“The pleasant valley people down here put a lot of time into [public comment], and there's a lot of professionals in there, and [the Commission] kind of just dismissed them after they came up with factual data and just washed them away,” said John Protain, another 40-year resident.

“Our councilman from out here, he voted no, and someone else did. And the other three, they were there because they really don't have a concern out here,” Allard said, “where the people that live out here, they have a big concern."

Washoe County says it is actively reviewing the project. The county’s planning manager said the developers must meet over 100 conditions before submitting a final map.

"It still has to go on to regional planning for conformance review, as this is a project of regional significance,” said Trevor Lloyd, Planning Manager, Washoe County Community Services.

Sierra Reflections is set to be built within the Carson River Mercury Superfund Site (CRMS). During public comment at Tuesday’s meeting, Gayle Bowers said the development would disturb CRMS.

“If the already existing beaver population is allowed to do its natural job instead of us destroying them, which is what’s been happening for the last few years,“ Bowers said, “the mercury will continue to become stable and will then be able to settle out into restored wetlands.”

Washoe County said comprehensive mercury remediation is one of its conditions for the developers. It said the developer will be required to create a Draft Remedial Action Plan in coordination with Northern Nevada Public Health. The plan has over a half-dozen requirements, including site characterization, beneficial reuse of materials, excavation of contaminated soils, and an eight-foot clean fill cap on top of mercury-impacted soils. The county said the cap is over double the requirement on similar projects.

The conditions also include endangered species and wildlife surveys, noxious weed prevention, a prohibition on building over potentially active fault lines, and construction of new infrastructure including a fire station.

Protain said he harbors concerns about the future of that station.

"Truckee Meadows [Fire & Rescue] is going to be down here in their new home, and then all these homes are going to be built,” he said. “[The''] City of Reno is going to come down and annex it because that's what they do. We've seen it in the past. So, they're going to take the tax dollars from the annexation while Truckee Meadows provides the service.”

Washoe County said other notable requirements include solid waste collection, motorized vehicle restrictions in common areas, and fencing regulations. There are also conditions for protecting identified archaeological sites within the development area.

Another big concern is two proposed roundabouts along U.S. 395 Alt — one just south of Pagni Lane, and the other at Eastlake Boulevard. Protain said the builders should look to the south for a solution that would work better with highway speeds.

“Down at Clear Creek in Carson, when they put in a subdivision, they had a new on and off ramp right off the highway,” he said.

Protain said there’s plenty of room for these ramps in the development area.

When asked what neighbors should keep in mind as the project moves along, Lloyd said the community’s concerns are taken into consideration and Washoe County will address potential issues with the project accordingly.