Planning

This 226-acre site, located in the southeast area of Gardnerville, includes 715 single-family detached residential units, 304 multi-family dwelling units, a 10-acre school site, an 8-acre industrial site, and 23 acres of commercial zoning for a neighborhood shopping center.

This complex site presented multiple challenges on behalf of the developer. R.O. Anderson planned and proposed a traditional neighborhood-style community, primarily weighted towards small-lot single-family detached housing, with the entire project loaded from rear alleyways. The community was planned to include parkways along all streets and a combination of community and linear parks. Maintenance of these community facilities will be provided by the local municipality, satisfying the developers request to eliminate the requirement for a homeowners association. Furthermore, the developer requested the flexibility to sell “super pads” to individual builders who would design their own housing on those lots.

R.O. Anderson was engaged to assess the feasibility of the proposal and prepare a 20-year Specific Plan for Virginia Ranch. During the project feasibility stage, our analysis showed that the County’s existing transportation plan was inadequate and could not convey the traffic load generated by the proposed project and meet minimum level of service standards. Furthermore, pending growth control legislation presented a major risk to the developer by potentially drastically limiting cash flow to finance significant off-site improvement costs.

A detailed phasing plan was also prepared and included, which identified key roadway and intersection improvements to be constructed with specific phases. This phasing plan permits the owner to record a final map with minimal construction requirements that creates phases as individual, saleable parcels, which can be conveyed and financed separately. We identified and negotiated with off-site property owners for an alternative travel route to relieve potential traffic congestion points identified during the feasibility stage. This agreement also granted the developer vested development rights, which will allow the developer to make financial commitments for off-site improvements without the risk of subsequent growth control legislation.

R.O. Anderson was engaged by a private development company to entitle a 116-acre site located at a key focal point to the community of Minden, Nevada. After several meetings to program the client’s development interests for this property, members of our firm met with local officials to discuss the project and its overall importance to the community. We then prepared a Specific Plan and Master Plan Amendment, which created the vision and implementation measures for an integrated mixed-use commercial and residential community using New Urbanism principles. The plan includes 800,000 square feet of commercial floor area, including a casino and hotel, a specialty shopping mall, vertically- and horizontally-oriented mixed-use, in addition to affordable and market rate housing opportunities. A central feature of the planned community included the Martin Slough, a “Water of the U.S.”. Implementation of the plan required obtaining U.S. Army Corp of Engineers permits to create a functional wetland and joint-use facilities for walking trails, open space, and regional stormwater facilities that rely on biological treatment along Martin Slough.

The mixed-use project, designed to present new development in a traditional neighborhood setting, was complicated by a politically-charged anti-growth and anti-casino movement spearheaded by adjacent property owners. Further, the Town of Minden was simultaneously engaged in preparing a revision to its master plan when this project was submitted for review. The owner hoped to maximize density while remaining sensitive to legitimate issues raised by project opponents.
Working closely with the owner and local officials, our firm conducted community workshops to obtain community feedback, revised plans to reflect legitimate concerns, and presented the plans for public review a second time prior to submitting them for official review. Because this exhaustive public review process was used, the project was ultimately approved and adopted by Douglas County.

Subsequent to the planning approvals, our firm was retained to perform street, drainage and utility design; hydraulic analysis of the Martin Slough floodplain to support infrastructure design of the Monte Vista Avenue crossing; boundary and topographic surveys; and construction stakeout.