School site back in district’s court

A 10.5-acre school site reserved in the Virginia Ranch development agreement will go back to school officials to negotiate a proposal for eight homes for teachers.

The 1,020-unit project wants the acreage to redesign the northwestern part of the development. Under a development agreement that has been in place since 2004, the site was proposed to be dedicated to the school district after the parcel is created in the final phasing map.

The site is located within a mile of Gardnerville Elementary School, and last year the Douglas County School Board of Trustees voted to negotiate with the developer to obtain affordable homes for teachers in exchange for relinquishing the property.

But as Commissioner Danny Tarkanian pointed out, there is no signed agreement as yet between the district and the developer.

While Manhard Consulting representative Chris Baker indicated that the owner would be fine with a condition providing the eight homes, commissioners decided to approve the project with the requirement that the parties either sign an agreement for the property or retain it as part of the plan.

According to county planners, Nevada State law requires that if a school district says it needs a site that the subdivider and school board must negotiate a price for the site that must not exceed fair market value.

Any school construction would likely require a bond issue. An elementary school approved last year in Tonopah is estimated to cost $15.2 million, according to the Pahrump Valley Times.

Declining school enrollment over the 19 years since the Virginia Ranch Plan was approved and increased housing costs were factors in the school board’s decision.

However, a new majority took office at the beginning of the year and might decide to choose a new route.

According to the development agreement 134 acres of the parcel would have 715 single-family homes, and 54 acres would see 305 multi-family homes.

The site was the subject of a legal settlement between the owners and the county that extended the life of the agreement.

The developer is required to build four lanes of Muller Lane Parkway from Grant Avenue to Toler Lane.