Residents attend Mountain View Pond open house

The current master plan for Mountain View Park in Gardnerville includes several amenities that neighbors would prefer were never installed.

The current master plan for Mountain View Park in Gardnerville includes several amenities that neighbors would prefer were never installed.

Share this: Email | Facebook | X

The future of Mountain View Pond in Gardnerville was the subject of an open house 6 p.m. June 24 at the Douglas County Community & Senior Center.

Around 45 residents turned out for the discussion of the master plan for the pond and surrounding park.

The pond and property located behind Carson Valley Middle School in Gardnerville backs up to the yards of 11 homes along Lasso Lane.

Tuesday’s session is to discuss what should happen with the Gardnerville Parks & Open Space Master Plan, which envisions several amenities that neighbors are concerned will draw big crowds. The meeting will allow residents to learn about the history of the pond including the current master plan and to provide their input on future amenities.

“Some residents have expressed the opinion that the open space should remain ‘passive’ with little to no public improvements,” the town posted on its social media regarding the session. “Other residents have indicated a desire that the open space be more ‘active’ with additional amenities for the public to use.

In February, the town board approved conducting an $18,445 update of the master plan by Wood Rogers, which produced the prior plan during the pandemic.

A proposal by Minden Rotarians to set up a $5,000 pergola in the park met with opposition from neighbors and resulted in the town board tabling the issue on June 6, 2023.

In April 2024, neighbors opposing any structures on areas of the park they say are deed restricted presented requests to remove several amenities included the park’s original master plan, including any turf, a floating dock, remote control boats.

Gardnerville Town Attorney David Rigdon said he disagreed that the deed restriction would affect the improvements included in the park plan, pointing out that the current park benches on the property would have already violated it if that were the case.

An online component would be included with both meetings.

The 25-foot-deep pond at the center of the park was excavated in the winter of 2018 as part of the construction of the neighboring homes and filled with water on its own.