SOUTHEAST TRUCKEE MEADOWS CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the Southeast Truckee Meadows Citizens Advisory Board (the Advisory Board) has been involved in the process involving the development of the Comprehensive Regional Plan for the Truckee Meadows;

WHEREAS, the Advisory Board is aware of the long-term effort on the part of Southwest Truckee Meadows Citizens Advisory Board and the County of Washoe to place into public hands the 1,000-1,100 acre Ballardini Ranch situated south of McCarran Boulevard (the Ballardini Ranch);

WHEREAS, the County of Washoe has made available $4,000,000 through a bond issue for the acquisition of the Ballardini Ranch and approved by the voters of the Truckee Meadows, and therefore it behooves all planning agencies to respect the decision of the voters in that regard;

WHEREAS, the draft Comprehensive Regional Plan suggests that the Ballardini Ranch should be entirely included in the sphere of influence of the City of Reno;

WHEREAS, the draft Comprehensive Regional Plan proposed by the County of Washoe, as a compromise, suggests that the Ballardini Ranch zoning and sphere of influence should remain outside the sphere of influence of the City of Reno;

WHEREAS, the County of Washoe has taken the exceptional step of requesting the removal of the Truckee Meadows Service Area from the Ballardini Ranch to alleviate any concern or issue with respect to any long-term possibility of the Washoe County Commission developing the Ballardini Ranch other than with current zoning or to do anything other than to retain the same for open space for public use, the Advisory Board commends the Washoe County Commission for its steadfast adherence to the long-term planning principal and strongly requests that the Regional Planning Commission and Regional Planning Governing Board respect the efforts of the County;

WHEREAS, the Washoe County citizens voted to provide federal funding for the acquisition of the entire Ballardini Ranch and inclusion of the Ballardini Ranch in the sphere of influence of the City of Reno increases the perceived value of the Ballardini Ranch and therefore has a negative impact on those who would seek acquisition of the Ballardini Ranch with public funds; it is

RESOLVED, the Advisory Board strongly urges, in strongest terms, that the Regional Planning Commission and the Regional Planning Governing Board (a) exclude the sphere of influence of the City of Reno from the entire Ballardini Ranch and (b) exclude the Truckee Meadows Service Area from the entire Ballardini Ranch and (c) reaffirm their collective support for the principal of placing the Ballardini Ranch in public hands partially utilizing the funds which have been generated through vote of the citizens of Reno, citizens of Sparks, and Washoe County, in the amount of Four Million Dollars ($4,000,000) as a result of a recent bond issue, to apply toward the acquisition of the Ballardini Ranch;

RESOLVED FURTHER, the Advisory Board stands ready to take whatever further steps may be necessary in connection with the planning process to assist in the long-term preservation of the Ballardini Ranch.

DATED this 19th day of April, 2002.

SOUTHEAST TRUCKEE MEADOWS
CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD

Cheryl Purvis
for the Southeast Truckee Meadows CAB ( by Judith E. Laing, Vice Chair ).