Obtaining control key to Carson City land-swap plan

A plan to use a parcel a mile east of Sedge and South Deer Run roads for a shooting range was criticized Monday evening by residents attending a land-management meeting.

The 305-acre site proposed for use by rifle, skeet, pistol, trap and archery shooting is owned by the Bureau of Land Management, and the city is considering seeking ownership to control it.

It is among dozens of sites around Carson City being considered for changes in ownership or management by members of the Carson City Open Space Advisory Committee.

If a shooting range were to be put in the area, it would "impact our quality of life," said Eddie Mayo, who lives near the proposed site. "And our property values."

Another nearby resident, Merilyn Paine, was concerned about the number of people who walk around the area and about potential fire dangers of ricocheting bullets.

Many of the areas highlighted are fire-prone, and the goal is to reduce the city's liability for combating wildfires in areas that are particularly vulnerable.

The federal government is shouldering less of the cost to fight wildfires than it has in the past, said Juan Guzman, the city's open-space manager.

Another big wildfire "could wipe us out," he told the committee.

"Who can devote more resources in a timely manner?" Guzman asked.

Other concerns include preserving watershed, ensuring drainage, and providing recreational and open space.

Locations on the list such as a three-acre parcel next to Costco and seven-acre site south of Highway 50 East near Drako Way have been referred to as "economic development" sites.

Though the city would obtain more than 400 acres total if all of the proposals are realized, more than 2,700 acres would be transferred to the U.S. Forest Service.

The plan will be brought back to the committee and be reviewed by other groups, such as the Parks and Recreation Commission, before the Board of Supervisors approves it. The city will also meet with residents,

Eventual changes will be achieved through Congress, a federal lands bill or discussions with the landowners. Many of the parcels are owned by the BLM or Forest Service.

City officials seek to resolve the matter by December.

In other business, committee members recommended a conservation easement agreement for the Horse Creek meadow property.

The committee also recommended the use of up to $50,000 of open-space funds as a match for grants to build an equestrian overpass above the Carson City freeway to allow riders access to Prison Hill and nearby open-space areas.

• Contact reporter Terri Harber at tharber @nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111, ext. 215.