Douglas County community considers move to incorporate

Saturday, Aug. 21, 2004 | 10:15 a.m.

MINDEN, Nev. - A board is considering a plan to turn the Indian Hills neighborhood of northern Douglas County into Nevada's newest city.

Members of the Indian Hills General Improvement District board discussed the proposal at a meeting last week.

Jim Bentley, the district's general manager, said incorporation would give the area local control. The plan would have to go before Indian Hills residents for a vote.

"The decisions are being made 15 miles away" by county officials, Bentley said.

Board member Riley Evans said the plan also would give the area's 6,000 residents more control over growth.

"I had some objections to a subdivision built near my home. So I like the idea," Evans said.

Board member Diane Humble-Fournier said she wants to ensure the area has enough revenues to meet future needs.

"I want more police officers around, to watch our parks and streets," she said. "All the board members have lived here for years. We want to preserve what we have."

According to a study, incorporation would lead to lower taxes. But the plan hinges on revenues from proposed commercial and residential projects in areas now outside the district.

The city's boundaries also would include Wal-Mart and the Carson Valley Plaza in northern Douglas County, officials said.

Bentley acknowledged county officials probably would protest the proposal.

A small group of Indian Hills residents opposed incorporation at the meeting.

Brian Nelson said he doesn't want to live in a city and he can't afford to move. He thinks salary estimates in the proposed city budget were too low.

"Why not overestimate rather than use low-ball figures?" he asked.

Barbara Semens questioned whether incorporation would give the area better control over growth.

"Being a city won't give us control over what a developer wants to do with his land," she said, adding challenges can lead to lawsuits.

The study cost about $20,000 and took nine months to complete, the Nevada Appeal reported.

In 2000, Fernley residents voted 56 percent to 44 percent to incorporate their community of more than 8,000. The town 30 miles east of Reno became Nevada's 19th city the following year.

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Information from: Nevada Appeal