I live on West Windloop and have for over 12 years. We have not been informed on meetings or updates on this. The first notice we received was for the last meeting a couple weeks ago. I went to the meeting and spoke out against this. At that meeting they stated they would have a road that came out at Maverick and one to the Jiggs highway for these houses and would not be using Corral Lane, Now looking at the map again it does not show either of those roads on it. Next they want to put a sewer plant at the end of West Windloop. I do not wish to have this by our property nor want the smell when the wind blows. What about my property value? With all these new homes what will happen to our water wells? What about snow melt and run off? They are wanting to build these homes where our snow melt runs off naturally and down to the creek. When at the meeting and we asked these questions we never received an answer. There are Wetlands and wild life in this area what about them? How is Spring Creek going to handle all the extra traffic? What about Police, fire ect??? Where are all the children going to go to School? What about buses or will they be told like we were when our child was in school, no buses just run across the highway to Corral Lane? Please do not pass this, it is not in the best interest of Spring Creek.

There is no need for a housing project ! This is a flood zone, a riparian area. You cannot change the course of a creek. Spring Creek cannot handle the traffic as it is. If there is a bad fire only one way in and one way out. Example Paradise fire in California. Spring Creek is overbuilt. If we wanted big subdivisions everyone would live in Elko. Water need I say more. Sewer plant odor. We did not buy out here for this. I have lived off Corral lane since 1982. This will destroy our way of life and property values. Low income housing and apartments will bring more crime out here. So we will need more officers out here. So much more to say but will end this here! We are not in California living like a bunch of rats! Just say no!!!

Has sufficient engineering been completed to prove the development is designed to minimize impacts to existing and neighboring properties, whether the character to the development fits into the long-term plans of the area, whether there is sufficient utility capacity (internet, power, cell phone, and water especially) to service the new homes?

I have several concerns regarding the above-mentioned items and more. The application available for review online does not include a specific map of these 159 lots. There is no mention of traffic and utilities impact studies. These studies should include the entire development, not just Phase 1. The Elko Daily Free Press article stated that lots proposed to be established within a Zone A floodplain, this is never a good idea. The floodplain should be studied and FEMA maps properly revised prior to construction.

I am greatly concerned that a single access to Spring Creek to Elko will be over-stressed and cause undo additional risk to those of us who already live in the Spring Creek area. I am concerned that GBWC has committed to serving this development, but have they proven that existing users will be un-impacted? Will the development have any night sky limitations on lighting? Please make sure these issues are addressed prior to approving the tentative map.

1. There is not a demand for this housing
2. Housing should be developed near existing infrastructure.
3. The traffic is already excessive.
4. The Commissioners were elected to represent the citizens of this County. This project will depress prices of current and already planned residencies and lessen Spring Creek residents’ quality of life - we don’t want this project - that alone should be sufficient for our elected leaders to not allow it. A majority of the citizens of Spring Creek oppose this development - the Commissioners as their elected representatives should not substitute their judgment for the judgment of the majority of Spring Creek residents that elected them into office and who will be affected by this decision.
5. Are the water resources, schools and other infrastructure adequate?

As a resident and homeowner in Spring Creek, I oppose the development until clarification on a couple of issues.

Is this a homeowners association? Who is giving advice and governance for homeowners? Is the county really prepared for this? With a development of this density, what is the long term leadership?

Any round table discussions with the state, city, county and school district? The City of Elko only has 3 structures over the Humboldt River to accommodate traffic now. Now, the traffic volume can double in 20 years-what are the plans now to alleviate this? Traffic at peak hours already back up in the city.

Travel over the summit. Is the county going to pave the county road from Lamoille to SR 229 for alternate access to Spring Creek?

Schools- with the high school and middle school reaching capacity, the school funding formula realigned for rural receiving less and the state in a budget crisis, who/how are the schools to be updated to accommodate?

Are these new residents employed by the mines? What increase to the bus parking lots? Increase at other stressed intersections?

Is commercial development incorporated with this high density? How is this going to affect traffic? More truck traffic? More slower moving vehicles over the summit? More traffic through Elko.

Water is always a concern especially with the current water company.

This development has a ripple effect. Evaluate on merit not just revenue for the county.

Respectively...

As a homeowner in the immediate vicinity, we oppose the Ruby Vista Development as currently proposed. While we are not opposed to development in general, we are opposed to the high density housing in this proposed development. As a homeowner on West Wind Loop, what drew us to the area was the open space of the agriculture land (and zoning), which will be lost if this subdivision goes forward as proposed. We have significant concerns about the availability of water to sustain the number of residences in the proposal as well as the strain it will put on the already full roads and schools in the area. Additionally, this development has the potential to cause property values in the surrounding area to plummet. This development, as proposed, would negate the rural lifestyle that have drawn so many people to the area as well as putting an overwhelming strain on the existing infrastructure.

I oppose the proposed Ruby Vista development. I’m a homeowner in Spring Creek and am concerned about how this development would affect our current water supply (SCA water rights) and cost. Additionally, I’m wondering how the already strained and unsafe existing roads infrastructure will accommodate a significant increase in traffic. Other items to consider are the loss of agricultural land, building site suitability (soils), the creation of residential lots that lie within a floodplain (10 Mile Creek), and if the proposed development would have a negative impact on downstream agricultural water rights. Please consider these items in the evaluation of this proposed development.

I am opposed to the development of a subdivision for many reasons, increased traffic, water and rural lifestyle. The current traffic situation needs to be reviewed. Traffic backs up now during peak hours making access in and out of all schools, bus lots and Maverick dangerous; adding additional traffic would back up traffic even more and could be deadly. Water has always been an issue here, in drought conditions where would the water come from to support these additional homes? People in this area moved here to get away from subdivisions and enjoy a rural lifestyle and purchased acreages not lots. Road maintenance on Corral Lane has always been a controversial issue, it will not be able to handle the increased traffic. There are numerous issues that will need to be addressed and more that will arise and none will be beneficial to our community. I hope they are all taken into consideration and a NO vote is cast for this proposal.

Hello, Commissioner,

I would like to express my opposition to the proposed development across from Spring Creek High School. As a homeowner in the Spring Creek Association, I am concerned about my water pressure (which is not great now), the high cost of water (I pay more than plenty now and do not want to subsidize someone else’s project), and traffic on Lamoille Highway (which is already scary near the high school and Maverik). A large development would have a negative impact on each of those things thereby decreasing the quality of life in Spring Creek and negate the reason we live in Spring Creek to begin with.

Please do not approve the proposed Ruby Vista Ranch development.

Thank you,

Jenni Kinsman

I oppose the proposal. We moved out to Spring Creek for less traffic, fewer neighbors, more quiet. We are currently a rural community and we would like to stay that way. The traffic in front of schools is already terrible at drop off and pick up. We DO NOT need more affordable housing at the expense of our community lifestyle. Please help us maintain our space and way of life.

I do support the addition of affordable houses in SC but I do think that the traffic issues need to be addressed prior to the houses being built. Moving Corral Lane to exit on Boyd-Kennedy prior to having a roundabout will be a major traffic and safety hazard. It is currently bad trying to enter the highway but by moving it, it will make it almost impossible because of all the traffic currently entering the highway from Boyd-Kennedy. This will end up causing more accidents.

Although this subdivision should not be held up because of the highway, another main road between Elko and SC needs to be addressed by the County/State. There are times every year that the current road is shutdown for hours from fire, storms or traffic accidents. As SC grows this situation is only going to get worse.

I strongly oppose this plan for several reasons:
1.) The location of the Waste Water Treatment plant is less than a mile upwind from my residence. I didn’t buy in rural Nevada to live next door to this. This will also severely diminish our property value for very good reason.
2.) Traffic- this area already cannot handle the traffic we have now let alone what will be proposed by this developer. The county spends a fortune trying to keep Corral Lane in decent enough shape for the current tax paying residence. That road will never be able to handle this additional traffic.
3.) Safety/Traffic-kids commuting to the schools already deal with immense traffic at that intersection and with the addition of the Maverik and the mine parking lot, it’s a massive traffic hazard. People have lost their lives there already.
4.) Water-there is already a major water shortage. How will this be supported without the current residence suffering.
5.) Property Value Loss-there is no housing shortage in Spring Creek. More abandoned or vacant houses will kill the property values out there.

I have extreme concerns about this development. Please do not allow this.

What percentage of lots in Spring Creek are still undeveloped? What obligation does Great Basin Utilities have to provide services to them when they are built on? Will they have priority over the new development?

They need to make sure the school system can support the additional students.

I am opposed to this development for several reasons that follow:
1. Water. For the 13 years we have lived in Spring Creek water fluctuation has been a problem and has been increasingly iffy. We repeatedly experience low water pressure which has it’s greatest effect on outdoor watering. This year we have had several days where there was no water for short periods of time. I’m concerned that this could worsen.

2. Traffic. Increased traffic on Lamoille Hwy would increase traffic into Elko. The infrastructure can’t handle the existing traffic already resulting in long waits at certain intersections.

3. Safety. In the event of an emergency getting onto the only road out of the area would be severely impacted by another roundabout.

4. Lifestyle. Spring Creek has the ambience of a rural area which, of course, has been impacted already by more and homes being built. I’m opposed to even more development impacting the beauty of the area and eroding what drew many of us to this area.

I share many of the same concerns as other residents of Spring Creek -
1. Adequate water is definitely a concern. For the 13+ years we have lived here we have had issues with lack of adequate water pressure. As the subdivision adds more homes the problem has only increased. I have discussed the issue with the local manager of our water company but would like further assurances that there is a VIABLE plan to ensure adequate water for all the homes.
2. As everyone is aware there is only one main road providing access to the community. It also is becoming more impacted as Spring Creek grows. I understand that an additional roundabout is planned but don’t see that as helping in the event of a natural disaster where mass evacuations are necessary. While the traffic on Lamoille Hwy. is currently no more than a minor irritation if thousands of people were trying to leave it could conceivably lead to many fatalities (as occurred in the Paradise, CA fire when many residents were killed while attempting to flee). And wildfires are not some “100 year flood” scenario - we live with it every summer! It’s only a matter of time before a wildfire becomes out of control in this area. And the problem with a roundabout is that the traffic on the highway is never paused (as would occur with a stoplight) so that if you are trying to enter the roundabout from a side road it would be almost impossible in the event of a mass evacuation.