The Reno Planning Commission voted 6-1 Thursday night to recommend approval of Lakeridge Golf Course’s zoning change to allow the construction of a hotel-boutique resort.

The commission voted for the project despite the majority of residents at the meeting speaking against it. The project will now go to the City Council for approval.

Duncan Golf Management wants to transform the open space on the north side of Lakeridge Golf Course into a resort-style hub for guests. The golf course will be preserved and continue to operate as usual, according to Andy Durling, vice president of planning at Wood Rodgers, the engineering company representing the project.

“We believe adding a small boutique hotel, new dining options and modern recreational amenities will help sustain the golf course and enhance the experience for both members and the community,” TJ Duncan, president of Duncan Golf Management, said at the meeting.

The Planning Commission in 2021 denied rezoning. The application was withdrawn before being sent to the City Council.

This time, commissioners were concerned about increased traffic since the McCarran Boulevard and Plumas Street intersection has an overall “F” score — the lowest in the city’s scoring system — according to the developer’s traffic study.

The Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County is planning to expand McCarran Boulevard. However, Durling said if this doesn’t happen by the time the hotel receives its certificate of occupancy, the developer will modify the traffic signal, upon approval from the city and the Nevada Department of Transportation.

Planning Commission chair David Giacomin said with this plan, traffic delays will not increase, which was enough for him to approve the project.

“Will traffic continue to be a concern? Yes. However, we cannot task an applicant with mitigating a regional traffic impact. We can task them with mitigating their impact,” Giacomin said.

Planning commissioner Manny Becerra was the only “no” vote on the project. He told the commission he thought the project was thorough, but he was unsure about the public benefit it would bring.

“I don’t yet see the clear public benefit value. I see aspiration,” Becerra said.

Public raise concerns of traffic, loss of open space

In addition to over an hour of residents speaking in opposition to the project, the commission received nearly 200 pages of public comment, mostly in opposition to the expansion.

Most of the residents expressed concerns about traffic, loss of open space, neighborhood compatibility and noise.

“I think one thing that underlies all of the physical and quantifiable objections that people have is the ‘sleight of hand’ that we’ve had to deal with before,” said Reno resident Ed Upton.

Upton was referring to the changes of the former Lakeridge Tennis Club turning into 273 apartment units. Previously, the tennis club received an uproar from residents mostly concerned about traffic and neighborhood compatibility. The tennis club and golf course are neighbors, separated by Plumas Street.

Now, residents are worried there will be an increase in traffic with the hotel occupants, along with the already-expected increase of apartment residents across the street. Many added that the resort will disrupt their quality of life with noise.

“These are major disruptions for all of us that live there, and for me it’s not theoretical. It’s my real life,” Lakeridge resident Alex Waite said. “This is a permanent loss of the peaceful environment this neighborhood was built around.”

Another Lakeridge neighborhood resident, Katie Pace, said she understands the need for economic development, but the project would also replace the needed open space.

“This project represents a permanent loss of open space. Once rezoned, this land will never return to true recreational use. Open space is a vital community resource and its preservation is essential to Reno,” Pace said.

What will the project include?

The resort redevelopment project is expected to include:

  • Four-story, 100-room boutique hotel and event space
  • Two-story hotel lobby with a spa, restaurant and bar
  • 15 hotel villas
  • Main pool with a bar and a separate spa pool
  • Several sports courts
  • Putting green
  • Outdoor dining and patio seating
  • Garden
  • Parking and maintenance facilities

What’s next for the project?

According to Reno associate planner Leah Picotti, the City Council has to review and approve the recommended zoning change at two separate meetings before it can be adopted into the city’s code.

If the council approves it, the changes still have to be approved by the Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Commission and the Regional Governing Board before the project can start construction.

There is no official date for when the Lakeridge Golf Course’s resort project will return to the council.

Jaedyn Young covers local government for the Reno Gazette-Journal. Her wages are 100% funded by donations and grants; if you’d like to see more stories like this one, please consider donating at RGJ.com/donate. Send your story ideas and feedback to Jaedyn at jyoung@rgj.com.