Q: The plans seem very vague. We have only lived here for one year. I thought it was Heaven! Peaceful and quiet and cows that are so delightful! I talked my husband into buying here so that I could be near the cows. I had no idea of the plans to develop the land. I couldn’t be more disappointed! I thought this would be our forever home and now I’m not so sure. Can you convince me that we will still have our big sky views and our peace and quiet? And will the cows be gone for good? I thought that we moved away from all of the over development when we moved away from Tahoe. Now, here we go again! I’d like to hear what you have to say.
A: I understand your desire to live where open space and views seem endless. As a lifelong resident and rancher, and as a member of one of the founding families of Douglas County, I share your vision. It’s why we are working hard at smart, sustainable growth in infill areas that are already built up. Aside from county growth ordinances and the Minden Gardnerville Plan for Prosperity to build where local businesses can thrive, we are preserving 97% – nearly all of our holdings – as open space in conservation easements, while planning for smart growth. It’s going to happen – as a county, we have done everything possible to plan for and allow slow growth. This project will occur over decades, and only as the county allows or has a need for at each stage of the development. Why sprinkle random neighborhoods across our open spaces when we can concentrate our neighborhoods in infill areas and keep vast stretches of our agricultural landscapes free from development? And yes, we will still run our cows on the hundreds of acres at Buckeye Farms still reserved for ranching!
