Storey County approves FY26–30 capital plan, directs ADU study and continues Gold Hill land talks; takes multiple contract and budget votes

The Storey County Board of County Commissioners on March 18 approved a five‑year capital improvement plan covering fiscal years 2026 through 2030, directed staff to draft countywide accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulations, authorized appraisals for potential purchase of parcels in Gold Hill to satisfy a 2016 Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) land‑conversion requirement, and approved a range of contracts and purchases for county and fire district operations.

The board approved the capital improvement plan (CIP) after a presentation from County Comptroller Jennifer McCain, who described FY2026 as a fluid budget year and walked commissioners through equipment, road, railroad and water‑and‑sewer project lines. “This actual CIP…was what was presumed to have happened for current projects as of 06/30/25,” McCain said as she summarized items commissioners should consider for FY26. The equipment request in the plan totals $1,825,000; the project list for FY26 is shown in the packet at $19,815,000 and includes a $4.6 million Highlands fiber project and $5,986,000 in water and sewer projects, among other line items.

Why it matters: The CIP sets priorities for county capital spending (roads, fiber, water and public safety) and places placeholder amounts for large projects such as a Station 71 build‑out. McCain warned that many projects are federal appropriation projects and that water and sewer projects will require grant/loan financing or infrastructure‑fund loans if federal dollars do not come through.

Key CIP details and clarifications: McCain said public works plans to procure three heavy trucks, a loader, a grader and other equipment; public works’ road projects for Mark Twain include Sam Clemens, Sutro and Territory and will include drainage work ahead of paving. McCain told the board the Mark Twain drainage planning line includes approximately $1.6 million now, with a larger $12 million placeholder shown in FY2028 for construction if needed. She also noted the county’s rail projects for FY26 — an ADA ramp for the Gold Hill Depot, reroofing of the Virginia City Freight Depot and a land survey for Gold Hill — totaling about $1.82 million, with the roofing likely to carry into FY27.

Land and rail: Gold Hill parcels, appraisals requested. County Administration Officer Lisa Massell said county staff met with the V&T Railway Commission and discussed possibly acquiring two 0.13‑acre parcels and surrounding vacant lots in Gold Hill to meet a 2016 LWCF land‑conversion requirement tied to playground equipment at Miners Park. Massell asked the board to authorize appraisals and limited outreach to adjacent owners, “not to exceed $10,000” for appraisals, and the board approved continuing discussions and appraisals up to that amount.

Planning items — special use permits and signs. The board approved a special use permit allowing more than four large domestic animals on a 3.69‑acre parcel in Mark Twain Estates after the Planning Commission recommended a condition set and a one‑year review. Planning Manager Kathy Canfield told commissioners the Planning Commission recommended a maximum of 14 large animals for the property — including newborns in that count — and added fencing and carcass‑disposal conditions after neighbors raised concerns about coyotes and attractants. Applicant Tia Temple told the board the limit allows the type of regenerative farming she described and that including young animals in the cap helps avoid accidental overstocking.

The board also approved a freestanding changeable message sign for the Mark Twain Community Center, with the Planning Commission and staff to assess solar versus trenching power, brightness controls, siting at the county line and remote messaging controls.

Contracts, purchases, and staffing decisions. The board approved a number of items from the agenda packet and staff presentations: - Authorization for the county manager to sign Exhibit A of the AC Talent services agreement for a revised funding amount (as read into the record) of $186,000 to provide temporary project management resources for federal appropriations projects; the motion passed unanimously. - Approval of a not‑to‑exceed $100,000 contract authorization for RCG Economics to provide on‑call economic and fiscal advice during the 2025 legislative session and related projects. - Approval of the Virginia City Senior Center restroom ADA remodel contract with Shakespeare Unlimited Construction in the base amount of $77,553 plus a 10% contingency for a total not to exceed $85,308.30; the project is partially funded by an Aging and Disability Services Division ARPA grant of $45,000. - Approval of a change request (CR‑8) for the Lockwood Senior Center site retaining wall in the corrected amount of $55,621.29 (this reflects a $55,096.56 construction change plus a required 1% bond fee of $524.73 as read into the record). - Approval for the county to accept a quick‑claim deed transferring the parcel associated with the Community Chest Community Center at Miners Park to Community Chest, reserving a nine‑foot maintenance/access easement for county use.

Fire district items and equipment gifts. The board recessed and convened as the Storey County Fire Protection District board for consent and business items. Assistant Fire Chief Jim Morgan reported updates to the fire district CIP and staffing plan and asked for purchases and approvals the board granted, including: - Approval to send outstanding unpaid ambulance bills (amount read into the record) to collections and to write off the amount as stated on the record. - Approval to purchase a Skeeter‑built Ford F‑550 Type 5 quick‑attack fire engine funded by Switch Inc.; the purchase is for $355,271 and the district will receive 100% reimbursement from Switch Inc. before signing the purchase contract. - Approval to purchase an unbudgeted emergency generator for Fire Station 72 for approximately $40,000 from Highlands Electric to power the Station 72 complex.

Legislative direction: SB 69 and staff/lobbyist authority. County staff, Will Adler (Silver State Government Relations) and Helen Foley (Foley Public Affairs) briefed the board on bills being tracked in Carson City. The board held an extended discussion of Senate Bill 69 — the county‑sponsored bill addressing tax‑abatement procedures for very large projects and a mechanism for counties and fire districts to be compensated for public‑service impacts. Staff described a conceptual amendment the county had shared with Senate staff that removes data‑center auditing language from SB 69, preserves three central elements (county and fire‑district participation at the largest abatement tiers, and a government‑services agreement mechanism to address impacts), and removes a proposal to seat the county automatically on the GOED board. After discussion the board directed staff and lobbyists to pursue amendments consistent with: removing the data‑center/auditing section, removing the sections the county flagged as problematic, preserving a binding government‑services agreement or equivalent that ensures county and fire‑district needs are addressed before an abatement proceeds, and limiting retroactive abatement applicability so the county is not required to reopen and re‑apportion an already‑closed fiscal year. The board also directed staff to continue representing Storey County on other bills and BDRs as discussed on the record.

What the record shows and what it does not: commissioners repeatedly emphasized they want protection from the service‑cost impacts of large abatements (fire, sheriff, roads) and want early notification of proposed abatements so the county can prepare. The comptroller, Jennifer McCain, warned that retroactive abatements that require refunding taxes for a closed fiscal year would create operational and audit complications for the county and for other local taxing entities.

Ending: The board conducted routine consent and ministerial business before adjourning the meeting at 12:57 p.m. The board scheduled further discussions — including planning‑process work on ADU regulations — and directed staff to return with proposed ordinance language and budget requests for FY26 work on ADU code drafting and public outreach.