Douglas County Manager's Office

1594 Esmeralda Ave, Minden, NV 89423

775-782-9821 • douglascountynv.gov

August 1, 2024 Board Meeting

The Douglas County Board

of County Commissioners

Post-Meeting

Board Buzz

Welcome to our recap of the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners meeting! It's always a busy time as we work to make our county a great place to live, work, and play and there’s a lot to cover this week. So, let's dive into the August 1 meeting and see what's happening around Douglas County!

August 1, 2024 "Hot Topics" Administrative Agenda Items

These items received the most attention and feedback via

public comment.

Consent Agenda Item R

Consent Agenda Item R- Resolution 2024-R-080 authorizing distribution of transient occupancy taxes to the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce and the Lake Tahoe Visitor’s Authority

The Board pulled three items (H, Q, and R) from the consent agenda, with Item R sparking the most debate. This item proposed giving five eighths of one percent of transient occupancy taxes (TOT) from Lake Tahoe—$75,000—to the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce (Tahoe Chamber), with the rest going to the Lake Tahoe Visitor’s Authority (LTVA).

Commissioner Tarkanian pulled the item to clarify how TOT funding is used. “The only reason why I pulled this [Item R] is because I had a request from one of the constituents that said we should look into not providing this amount of money…this is basically for the Tahoe Chamber… because there is not enough money for their road maintenance down here in the valley,” Tarkanian said. “I just thought it would be nice if we clarified to the constituents that one, this is a statutory requirement and two, that the money that is earned has to be used at the lake.”

The funding for both entities was previously approved for Fiscal Year 2024-2025. Discussions centered on the County’s obligation to pass on TOT funds and their intended uses. CFO Kathy Lewis noted, “per state law… this five eighths is to be used to advertise the resources in the county related to tourism including available accommodations, transportation, entertainment, natural resources, and climate and to promote special events related thereto.”

Tarkanian questioned if the funds must go to the Tahoe Chamber or could be directed elsewhere.

Assistant County Manager Scott Morgan clarified, “the discretionary five eighths of one percent.. is discretionary by the board but has to go to promotion… there are options… but on that list of options is not road maintenance.”

Following questions about spending and funding sources, the Board voted 4-1 (Commissioner Rice dissenting) to continue the discussion to a future meeting and requested representatives from the Tahoe Chamber and LTVA attend for further details.

Background information starts on Board Packet page 317.

Item 2

Reorganization of the Douglas County Juvenile Detention Center

The Board discussed the reorganization of the Douglas County Juvenile Detention Center, including the elimination of three Youth Counselor positions and replacing two of the positions with Youth Detention Counselor Senior positions, and one with a newly created Youth Detention Supervisor position.

Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Tammy Morris explained the proposed reorganization will increase internal controls, create additional training opportunities, ensure training and compliance standards are adhered, and ensure the safety of the youth and staff.

"How many counselors or senior counselors are on a particular shift?" Commissioner Gardner asked.

"There's [currently] a minimum of two youth counselors on every shift...My proposal would include having a supervisor there five days a week throughout the bulk of the daytime shifts, and then my seniors would be the leads on the graveyard shifts."

Unanimously Approved.

Additional information regarding this reorganization can be found beginning on Board Packet page 406.

Item 3

Transfer of Douglas County's Unused 2024 Private Activity Bond Volume Cap to the Nevada Rural Housing Authority

The Board of County Commissioners took action (unanimously approved) to allocate its share of the Private Activity Bond Volume Cap (PABC) to the Nevada Rural Housing Authority (NHRA) to assist low-and moderate-income home buyers to finance the purchase of single-family residential housing at affordable prices. Once combined with the bond caps of other Nevada cities and counties, the Nevada Rural Housing Authority will use Douglas County’s bond cap ($3,346,667.73) to help fund the NRHA’s Single-Family Housing program.

Bill Brewer, the Executive Director of the NHRA stated, “What we do is issue a mortgage revenue bond, a $25 million bond, using this bond cap that provides a very low interest rate mortgage loan with four percent down payment assistance… we also have a mortgage credit certification program that uses the bond cap, that is a direct tax credit to an eligible home buyer that saves them a great deal on their taxes, so it’s a very good program that we do with the bond cap money.” Click here for more information regarding Nevada Rural Housing.

This action does not incur any debt or legal obligation for Douglas County, and a transfer of the County's Private Activity Bond Cap is separate from, and has no effect on, the County's debt limit.

Additional information can be found beginning on Board Packet page 426.

Item 4

Public Art Advisory Organization

To set the vision for the County’s growing public art interests, in 2023, the Douglas County Art in Public Places Program Plan was approved by the Board. This plan identified a need to create a Public Art Advisory Organization (PAAO). Public art as it relates to this plan includes, but is not limited to, paintings, sculptures, engravings, murals, fountains, and monuments (the visual arts).

In 2012, the Board of County Commissioners designated the Carson Valley Arts Council as the local arts agency in Douglas County. Since that time, both organizations have benefited from collaborating on arts-related goals adopted in the Minden and Gardnerville Plan for Prosperity, the Master Plan, and the Douglas County Strategic Plan. Building on this momentum, the Board discussed entering into a Memorandum of Understanding between the Carson Valley Arts Council and Douglas County to establish the Arts Council as the Public Art Advisory Organization for Douglas County. This Art in Public Places Program is a five-year pilot program.

Approved unanimously. Through this agreement, the Arts Council will now take on the important role of advising and assisting with the administration of the Art in Public Places Program.

Community Services Director Brooke Adie noted, “The Arts Council will be subject to open meeting law when discussing the public art and acting as the public art advisory organization, and will report to the Community Services Director. Any art project proposed must then be approved either by the county, town, or GID where they will be located.”

Additional information, along with the MOU, can be found beginning on Board Packet page 440.

Item 5

Discussion of a Tentative Subdivision Map near Stephanie Way

The Board discussed a Tentative Subdivision Map (TSM) Application DP 24-0040. The subject parcel is located on the north side of Stephanie Way, just east of the intersection of Kayne Avenue in the SFR-1 (Single Family Residential- 1-acre minimum net parcel size) zoning district, within the Johnson Lane Community Plan area. The applicant is Armil Properties, LLC, and the applicant’s representative is Michael Stanka, Stanka Consulting, LTD.

A version of this development was initially proposed and approved in 2004 and subsequently modified through a settlement agreement. While the tentative subdivision map approval first expired in 2015, the development agreement remains in effect today. A new TSM with conditions consistent with the development agreement was adopted in 2018 and also expired in 2022. This is a vested development that is not subject to the county’s growth management ordinance. On July 9, 2024, the Planning Commission voted 6-1 to recommend approval to the Board of County Commissioners.

This applicant requested to subdivide 28.55 acres into: (a) 25 single-family residential lots, the smallest being .84 acres and the largest being 1.01 acres in size; and (b) two drainage and access parcels of 1.20 and .58-acres respectively. Approved unanimously.

Additional information can be found beginning on Board Packet page 446.

Item 6

Discussion on a Tentative Subdivision Application near Indian Hills

Next up, the Board discussed Tentative Subdivision Application DP 24-0087. The subject parcel is located at 3282 Plymouth Drive in the SFR-1 (Single Family Residential- 1-acre minimum net parcel size) zoning district, within the Indian Hills/Jacks Valley Community Plan area. The applicant is Peter Beekhof, Westridge Homes, Inc., and the applicant’s representative is Michael Stanka, Stanka Consulting, LTD.

In 2021a serial parcel map to subdivide two five-acre parcels was approved by the county’s Administrative Hearing Panel. Since that time the applicant installed water and sewer laterals to the parcels but did not continue with the additional conditions placed on the project. The previously approved maps then expired and the procedure for approval changed. The applicant subsequently decided to redesign the project.

The applicant is now requesting to subdivide 7.59 acres into 6 single-family residential lots, the smallest being 1.0 acre and the largest being 1.58 acres in size.

This project is subject to the county’s growth management ordinance. On June 26^th the Indian Hills General Improvement District voted to approve the project as well as accept responsibility for maintenance of the roads, water, and sewer to the subdivision. July 9, 2024, the Planning Commission voted 7-0 to recommend approval to the Board of County Commissioners. Approved unanimously.

Additional information can be found beginning on Board Packet page 492.

Item 7

24-Month Review of Adopted Development Agreements

In accordance with NRS 278.0205 the Board of County Commissioners, with the assistance of Community Development Staff, conducted a 24-month review of the adopted development agreements between Douglas County and the following entities: (a) Drayton Trust (Pleasantview); (b) Aloha/Rain Shadow Ranch (Phase 1); (c) Maryanne Road LLC (Rain Shadow Ranch Phases 2 and 3); and (d) Valley Vista Estates. Approved unanimously.

Under NRS 278.0205 and Douglas County Code provisions, the County is responsible for reviewing development agreements every 24 months and determining whether the parties to the agreements are in good standing.

Additional information regarding these development agreements can be found beginning on Board Packet page 524.