Developer of Villages of Silver Springs eager to get started

A 697-home development slated for Silver Springs has received final approval. The next step for the Villages of Silver Springs is to work out details with the Lyon County Planning Department before a builder can be chosen.

Greg Peek, vice president of ERGS Inc., and son of George Peek, developer of the project, said the company is ready to get the project under way.

"We're very eager, and I think most folks in Silver Springs are eager as well," he said. "The approval was a general approval, and we now have to work with staff to cross the rest of the 't's and dot the rest of the 'i's."

The development was first turned down by the Silver Springs Advisory Board and Lyon County Planning Commission last winter, but was later approved by those boards once changes were made regarding open space, parks and drainage.

"We have tremendous support from the business community and the chamber of commerce," Peek said. "There is a minority of folks that are not in favor. We recognized that and we've tried to work with them, but I guess we'll have to agree to disagree."

Peek said the market will determine when work on the lots will begin, but he thinks it will take about a year.

The commissioners' approved the tentative map for the development last week on a 3-2 vote, with Commissioners Bob Milz and Phyllis Hunewill voting no.

"There's questions on water and sewer as far as the impact to the community," Milz said of his objections to the project. "They made it into a planned-unit development which means there's a trade off on what they can do and what the county will allow. They get 10 percent higher density with a planned-unit development, and, in return, they were supposed to take care of the roads and other amenities. I didn't see them doing that."

Milz also questioned whether the Silver Springs General Improvement District would be able to serve the development.

Robin Harina, a trustee of the GID said ERGS Inc. already owns more than 250 units, more than enough to begin development.

"If he hooked up 697 homes tomorrow, I don't believe we could take care of it," she said. "We have 85 percent capacity sold, but not service, and he has 250 or more of that 85 percent and they can be transferred."

Harina added that the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection only requires that a plan be in place to service more than 85 percent and the GID is currently working on that.

Peek said ERGS Inc. was still talking to builders about developing homes on the lots, and added it may be more than one builder involved. He said some homes would be less than $200,000, and others more on the high end of the market.

"We'd like to be around less than $200,000," he said. "Certainly, there will be some greater than $200,000. Some of the lots are beautiful, have gorgeous views and would be state lots, but the entry-level homes we expect the price to be less than $200,000."

• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.