Buckeye Farms plan, Muller Lane design up on Thursday

A specific plan for Buckeye Farms and a $1.1 million request for the design of Muller Lane Parkway go before Douglas County commissioners on Thursday.

Both actions are related to last year’s approval of a master plan amendment and development agreement with Park Ranch Holdings. Thursday’s meeting is the last scheduled one for commissioners Barry Penzel, Larry Walsh and Dave Nelson.

The county has until Dec. 3, 2025, to construct at least two lanes of the parkway, which has been on the books for decades.

The funding will pay a consultant to complete final design work on the road, which could eventually provide an alternative route to Highway 395 through Minden and Gardnerville.

Regional transportation commissioners are scheduled to meet 4 p.m. Friday to discuss awarding a $1.02 million contract with C.A. Group Inc. to design the parkway.

Before commissioners on Thursday is a plan to transfer the money to the Regional Transportation Fund.

Commissioners are also being asked to transfer $1.1 million to the county general fund for reimbursement for eligible CARES Act expenditures that occurred before June 30. The county didn’t receive the $8.9 million from the state until August.

“These two items are related, but not directly,” County Manager Patrick Cates said Tuesday about the reimbursement and the parkway’s design.

County staff is asking commissioners to approve using the

Cates said that this is just the first request for reimbursement from the grant and others will be coming next year.

“Once we pay back the general fund for CARES Act eligible expenditures … that money is now eligible for use in other general fund priorities,” he said. “The county has obligations to build two lanes of a substantial portion of the future Muller Parkway by 2025, and we need to keep the project on track.”

The specific plan sets forth a proposal for the 1,044 acres of land located on either side of Buckeye Road, mostly in Minden.

Its approval has been recommended by the town boards of Gardnerville, Minden and the Douglas County Planning Commission.

All of the housing and commercial development proposed for the property lies in Minden.

County commissioners have already approved Ashland Park, whose 190 units were part of the development agreement, though not the specific plan.

County ordinance requires large projects to submit a specific plan. Under the proposal before county commissioners, the plan contains 2,218 units.

Development of the project is expected to be built in six phases over 30 years.

Detailed plans have been provided for major infrastructure development and roads. The entire development is subject to the Douglas growth cap.

It requires the transfer of development rights, which will come from 9,000 acres in the south county and the 115 acres on the Klauber Ranch west of Ironwood.

Access to the project will be via Buckeye and Heybourne roads in addition to the parkway.

According to the plan, three farms are included in the agrihood concept, including one off Heybourne and two others on either side of Buckeye Road.

The project is located due east of Minden Elementary School.

The first phase of the project consists of 438 units off Buckeye Road.

Commissioners meet virtually 1 p.m. Thursday. To participate or listen, visit www.douglascountynv.gov and click on agendas and minutes.