From the left: Commissioner Bus Scharmann, Rachel Dahl, Jarrod Mesloh, chair Pete Olsen and vice-chair Carl Erquiaga stand for a photo with Nevada Tannery's Microenterprise Small Business of the Year Award.
The Churchill County commissioners approved one of the most controversial motions of 2016, an application for a zone change of parcels in the Rural Residental (RR-20) district to an Industrial District (Industrial Zoning) northwest of Lahontan Reservoir and north of the Carson Highway/U.S. Highway 50.
The motion followed the first public hearing of the commissioner’s first meeting of April meeting on Thursday and was met with debate among members of the community as well as among the commissioners.
The application was submitted by developer Tim Tucker (via SBT 10 LLC) who controls the bulk of the property, having achieved ownership over several parcels in the past year.
The property — including parcels 006, 132, 13, 14, 15, 38 and 39 — spans 183.67 acres of non water-righted property west of the Lahontan Reservoir and North of US Highway 50. The zone change application has been the cause of public concern for its proximity to the reservoir as well as the stipulations behind the Industrial Zoning permit.
After three public comments and a long discussion with Tucker, the motion was passed 2:1 with commissioners Carl Erquiaga and Bus Scharmann in favor and chair Pete Olsen opposed due to concerns with the project’s proximity to the reservoir and the commission’s ability to adequately protect the community’s best interests. Further details of the zone change will be discussed in Friday’s edition.
In new business, commissioners approved an application for a Sending Site and Transfer of Development Rights calculation for property at 6227 Stillwater Road. Floyd and Gayle Goins submitted the TDR application as owners of Stillwater Ranch in response to noise complaints against Naval Air Station Fallon for jets flying over their property in the early morning.
“The Navy has turned our ranch into a war zone,” Floyd Goins said clarifying anywhere from 14 to 17 jets fly over his home as early as 7:30 a.m. onward. “When I first got this ranch, it was peaceful. Then when I had the governor talk to the Navy, they said they’d been flying over our home for 40 years. They’re running us out of our home. There’s no peace there.”
Gayle Goins said this was why she and her husband decided not to parcel the plots they own in the area since the Goins believe they cannot sell the homes they would build with the jets flying over.
While sympathizing with the Goins, Olsen said he was sure the Navy would be happier if they were located elsewhere, but the base also started in a different time and era and NAS Fallon has since tried to be responsible citizens, shown in the TDR program as a way to mitigate and prevent becoming bad neighbors to more people.
Lastly, the commissioners recognized Lattin Farms and Nevada Tannery as recipients of the 2016 Nevada Small Business awards. Commissioners presented Rick and B. Ann Lattin, owners of Lattin Farms, as the Rural Small Business of the Year, and also recognized Jarrod Mesloh, owner of the Nevada Tannery, as Microenterprise Small Business of the Year.
The winners were presented with plaques and will be sent to ceremonies in Washington, D.C. and Las Vegas this year along with winners from other states across the county, said Rachel Dahl, the executive director of the Churchill Economic Development Authority who presented the awards
Dahl commended both Lattin and Mesloh, saying Lattin was seen as the go-to farmer for Northern Nevada and Mesloh, like many small business people, is incredibly resourceful and a model of what entrepreneurial spirit is.
Commissioners also discussed or took action on the following items:
Approved an Emergency Solutions Grant in the amount of $21,060.
Approved the Welfare Set-Aside funding from the State of Nevada Housing Division for $11,000 as submitted by Social Services Director Shannon Ernst for fiscal year 2017.
Approved the Agreement with NV Energy’s Special Assistance Fund for the Energy Program.
Approved a contract with the State of Nevada. Division of Health Clinical Services for the Community Health Nursing Office for fiscal year 2017.
Approved an FTA 5311 Grant in the amount of $410,700 for the Churchill Area Regional Transportation (CART) for fiscal year 2016-17.
Approved funding in support of the Lahontan Valley Claybreakers for the 2016 shooting season for $1,000.
Authorized the sale of property held in trust by the Churchill County Clerk/Treasurer Kelly G. Helton for unpaid taxes and directing publication as provided by statues.
Established June 20 as the date to canvass the votes of the 2016 Churchill County official primary election.