Lyon County Board of County Commissioners Meeting Summary: September 19, 2024

News Release                    

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 23, 2024                                   

Lyon County Board of County Commissioners Meeting Summary ― September 19, 2024

Yerington, Nevada – The Lyon County Board of County Commissioners convened on Thursday, September 19, 2024, to hear presentations and approve several significant agenda items.

BLM Western-Solar Plan Protest

County Commissioners directed the County Manager and Resource Concepts, Inc. (RCI) to draft and submit a formal protest letter to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regarding the proposed Utility-Scale Solar Energy Development Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. The proposed BLM Western-Solar plan has significant acreage in Lyon County for solar projects. The Lyon County protest letter will include concerns with the scope of the planning area, the request for a water exclusion for over-allocated basins, and the need to keep a variance process to allow for local input on locating solar projects.

Stagecoach Area Drainage Master Plan

The Board unanimously approved a Stagecoach Area Drainage Master Plan (ADMP) following a presentation from Mike Kellog with JE Fuller on the study’s findings related to community flood risks and proposed mitigation alternatives. The study’s results were also presented in a public forum Tuesday, September 17^th at the Silver Springs Senior Center where drainage experts addressed questions and heard feedback from Stagecoach residents and community members. For those unable to attend, the adopted plan and presentation will be made available online no later than one week after the meeting on the drainage master plans page of the Lyon County website.

Amended Lyon County Drainage Guidelines

Chuck Reno, County Engineer with DOWL, proposed to amend the current Lyon County Drainage Guidelines (2018) to include new requirements for projects within Area Drainage Master Plan (ADMP) designated areas. The addition of an ADMP standard sets existing hydrologic and hydraulic runoff characteristics (such as flow, depth, and velocity) within the limits of each ADMP boundary and defines the application, design, and reporting requirements for future land development projects. The Board approved the amended Drainage Guidelines 5-0.

Other Board Action Items

• Awards & Recognitions: Community Development Director Gavin Henderson presented Lyon County Plans Examiner Ray Brown with a recognition of achievement for obtaining his Master Code Professional Certification.
• Human Services Grants and Contracts: Approved a contract between Lyon County and American Eagle Property Management for $4,682 to provide handyman services to individuals within the Senior Services Case Management Program.
• Bi-State Sage Grouse Action Plan: Commissioners heard a presentation on the comment letter submitted to the Bi-State Sage Grouse Working group regarding the draft 2024 Bi-State Sage Grouse Action Plan.
• Public Defender and Indigent Defense Services: The Board approved agreements with Walther Law, PLLC extending public defender services from September 30, 2024 to October 21, 2024 and for Walther Law, PLLC to provide indigent defense conflict counsel for the Walker River Justice Court and Third Judicial Western regional Drug Court. In addition, Commissioners approved an agreement with Brock Law Ltd. For public defense services in the Walker River Justice Court from November 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027.

The complete agenda and back up materials are posted online at www.lyon-county.org/Agendacenter. Residents can view recordings of Board of County Commission meetings on the Lyon County YouTube Channel.