Senate bill would change rules for growth control

A hearing on a bill that would alter the way local governments are allowed to implement growth controls is 1:30 p.m. Wednesday before the Government Affairs Committee of the Nevada Legislature.

Senate Bill 510 would establish a list of requirements before a local government could implement a growth control measure as is contemplated by Douglas County.

Introduced in the Senate on Thursday, the bill was referred to the committee chaired by Sen. William Raggio.

In addition to setting rules, the bill also calls for the state's committee on local government finance to analyze the impact of a growth control and refer that impact to the Nevada Tax Commission. The bill would require local governments to mitigate any fiscal impacts determined by the tax commission.

The bill also reduces the amount of supplemental city-county relief tax provided to a county which enacts a growth control.

According to the bill, alterations to Chapter 278 of the state law would require a county to prepare a conservation plan, an economic plan, a housing plan, a population plan and a school facilities plan. Findings required to establish a plan would include an assessment of the number of homes needed in the region.

Besides the plans, an assessment of how the growth control will affect financial resources not only of the county, but also the state and surrounding local governments. Growth controls under the bill would have to be coordinated with master plans of other cities and counties in the region.

Once the requirements are met any growth control measure would require a two-third's vote of the commissioners to approve it.

The hearing on SB 510 is scheduled to take place in Room 2149 of the Legislative Building in Carson City.