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Governing board approves Lazy 5 utility corridor and substation regional plan amendment
Summary
The board adopted a regional plan amendment to establish a utility site and corridor to accommodate a new substation and two 120 kV lines on BLM land; staff said the change conforms to the regional plan and that an older 120 kV line will be removed after construction.
The Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Governing Board on June 11 adopted a regional plan amendment to designate a regional utility site and corridor for the Lazy 5 substation and two new 120‑kilovolt transmission lines.
Policy analyst Nate Cusha briefed the board on the proposal, explaining the amendment establishes a regional utility corridor and site on parcels roughly at 500 Highland Ranch Parkway on Bureau of Land Management property. He said the Federal Bureau of Land Management issued a finding of no significant impact for the project’s environmental assessment and that, once built, an existing 120 kV line between the Sullivan and Spanish Springs substations will be removed.
Cusha told the board the Sparks Planning Commission and City Council previously reviewed and sponsored the amendment; the regional planning commission found the corridor and site conformed with the 2024 regional plan and set a public hearing. The staff assessment concluded that the amendment would not materially change growth projections, would not negatively affect natural resources or intergovernmental services, and is intended to serve anticipated regional electrical demand.
No members of the public requested to speak during the board’s public hearing on this item. Commissioners moved and seconded adoption of the proposed amendment; the motion carried by voice vote. The amendment establishes the corridor in the regional plan maps and preserves the procedural pathway required for the associated permit and project reviews.
Staff noted the Lazy 5 and Lemon Valley transmission work is part of a larger regional build‑out by MV Energy to meet future load requirements. The board’s action was limited to the plan map amendment; construction approvals and permits remain subject to subsequent review and permitting processes by the project proponents and affected agencies.
