Title
Public Hearing: Appeal of the Washoe County Planning Commission’s denial of Orni 36, LLC’s Special Use Permit Case Number WSUP20-0013 (Ormat Geothermal) for 1) the establishment of an Energy Production, Renewable use type including two 24MW geothermal power plants, 2) the establishment of a Hazardous Materials use, in the form of 720,000 lbs of flammable pentane gas (a refrigerant) for use as a turbine working fluid, 3) major grading for 194.9 acres of ground disturbance, including 300,000 cy of excavation, for well pads and access roads, and 4) a 120kV power transmission line that extends ±21.6 miles over 20 parcels. The application also requests to vary landscaping, parking, and grading standards by waiving all landscaping requirements, waiving the paved parking requirement, and allowing grading height differentials of greater than 10ft from natural grade. This project meets the standard for a project of regional significance, because it will generate more than 5 MW of electricity, require construction of 2 substations, and require the construction of a new transmission line and will require approval by the regional planning authorities before any approval at the county level would take effect. The two substations will be located on APNs 071-070-13 and 071-030-06. The well pads will be located on APNs 071-030-07, 071-060-18, 071-070-09, 071-070-12, 071-070-16, 071-070-18, 071-070-19, 079-170-02. The Transmission line will be located on APNs 079-180-02, 079-180-12, 079-180-45, 079-570-01, 079-570-07, 079-570-13, 079-320-12, 079-320-18, 079-320-04, 079-170-39, 079-180-34, 079-180-37, 079-180-44, 079-320-42, 079-320-47, 079-320-52, 079-320-55, 079-570-02, 079-570-06, 079-570-12.
The Board of County Commissioners may review the record and take one of the following four actions:
1. Affirm the decision of the Planning Commission and deny Special Use Permit Case Number WSUP20-0013; or
2. Reverse the decision of the Planning Commission and approve Special Use P...
Click here for full text