Councilmember Paul McKenzie said that developers met all requirements to develop StoneGate in Cold Springs. Most of the City Council agreed, and now the massive development may proceed.

The council voted today in a 6 to 1 vote to approve the StoneGate master plan, essentially giving the first approval for the project that will bring 5,000 residential units to the area over the next 20 years.

Councilmember Jenny Brekhus was the lone no vote. She called the project irresponsible, an affront to regional planning, and said it will put Reno on the path to becoming like Riverside County in Southern California.

Numerous North Valleys residents testified against the development while real estate professionals and construction trade representatives supported StoneGate.

Before houses are built at the former Heinz Ranch, developers will have to make road improvements to increase traffic capacity, address water supplies, create recreational amenities, and they will be donating land for schools. McKenzie praised the developers for bending over backwards to meet objections to the project.

“Traffic generated by StoneGate will be substantially less than the traffic generated by the existing industrial land use,” the developers said, indicating that industrial development could go in place of the StoneGate project.

Brekhus also apologized to Reno police and fire for increasing their service area without gaining more resources.

Developers “offered to construct and donate to the city a temporary fire, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and police station … and a permanent fire and police station” subject to some conditions, according to a city staff report.