The possibility of Carson City obtaining ownership of Buzzy's Ranch is on the table again.
The Robert Lorin Andersen and the Jimmie Pete Jarrard children's trusts, owners of 480-plus acres known as Buzzy's Ranch, have agreed to seriously consider selling the property to the city for use as open space, instead of developing it, the city announced Wednesday night during a Planning Commission meeting.
Also part of the deal is to not pursue development of the land for at least the next six months while the owners negotiate a purchase agreement with the city.
More than 100 residents jammed the meeting room of the Community Center and responded to the news with a large round of applause. One group, "Save Buzzy's Ranch," has been advocating public acquisition of the land, located near Riverview Park, by the city.
Concerns about development at the site still exist, said group member Marta Adams, such as the traffic it will cause, because the deal has yet to be brokered.
She was happy, however, that the families were "considering the public's interest in this matter," she said. "We do think the city has a unique opportunity to do something for the (community's) future."
"The owners would like Carson City to buy the land," said Juan Guzman, the city's open-space manager. "Hopefully, next time we'll be here is to tell you we're buying it."
Negotiations broke down last fall when co-owner Robert Andersen died.
A large portion of Buzzy's Ranch is within a floodway. It has proven itself marketable, however: The families have received many offers for the property from potential developers, who likely would focus on building within the most favorable section for habitation.
In promising to negotiate with the city, the owners likely will pass up higher profits because the city can't pay a sum higher than fair-market value, Guzman emphasized.
Attorneys for the Andersen and Jarrard trusts said they were happy for their clients that the issue has reached this point. But they also emphasized that reaching an agreement might take longer than six months because there are other estate-related issues left to resolve.
"It may not go as fast as everyone would like," warned attorney Wayne Chimarusti.
This east Carson City property is bordered on the south by the Silver Saddle Ranch. The ranch is owned by the Bureau of Land Management and serves as open space, allowing access to the Carson River and Prison Hill area. The northern boundary of Buzzy's Ranch is Carson's City Riverview Park. The property is bordered to the east by the river and west by Mexican Ditch.
The acquisition "has been one of the biggest priorities of the open-space program," Guzman said.
The ultimate goal of everyone involved - including the property owners - is "to work toward preservation of the flood plain and open space," he added.
Potential uses of two other properties as they would relate to the city's Comprehensive Master Plan also were on the agenda: a site near Highway 50 East, east of Drako Way and southwest of the preferred V&T Railroad site, and four parcels near Arrowhead Drive and Northgate Lane.
The site near V&T is now zoned as general industrial. The Planning Commission recommended that the master plan redesignate it as mixed-use commercial. The Arrowhead parcels are zoned as single-family, one-acre while the city seeks a low-density residential use. The commission wouldn't recommend the owner's idea of changing their designation to medium-density residential use.
n Contact reporter Terri Harber at tharber @nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111, ext. 215.