Strategy 2: Reduce Emissions from Land-Use
How we use and manage our lands will largely determine our communities’ resilience against climate change. They can also contribute emissions or reduce them. The County has opportunities to improve carbon sequestration and ecological health on all County-managed lands (regional parks and open space, facilities grounds). To help community-wide emissions reductions, the County can implement GHG-reduction measures in Envision Washoe 2040. The County will maximize emissions-reductions from land use in the following ways:Implement Envision Washoe 2040 (EW2040) elements that maximize GHG reductions
Authorities within this action plan are in line with the policies adopted by the Washoe County Commission with the Envision Washoe 2040 Master Plan. Principles throughout the master plan in each element; Population and Housing, Regional Form and Coordination, Conservation of Natural and Cultural Resources, Adaptation and Resiliency, Land Use, Transportation, and Public Facilities include sustainability action items. The County will pursue implementation of the following Climate Action Plan promotes the adopted policies:- Population and Housing:
- Principle 2: Coordinate population growth with the availability of water, sanitary sewers, streets and highways, and other public facilities and services.
- Regional Form and Coordination:
- Principle 2: Utilize land use and transportation decisions to support a healthy economic base.
- Principle 3: Facilitate land exchanges, acquisitions, and disposals that are in the public interest.
- Principle 4: Sustain interagency and inter-jurisdictional working relationships to foster an integrated approach to resource management.
- Principle 5: Capitalize on our natural resources to promote the historic industry sectors in a sustainable manner.
- Principle 6: Maintain agricultural practices to support local food growth and distribution.
- Conservation of Natural and Cultural Resources:
- Principle 1: Maintain scenic resources within the County.
- Principle 2: Coordinate development and conservation goals with State, tribal, and federal agencies.
- Principle 3: Protect key wildlife and vegetation resources.
- Principle 4: Protect and improve water resources.
- Principle 5: Maintain air quality at levels necessary to protect public health and welfare and improve visual clarity.
- Adaptation and Resiliency:
- Principle 1: Limit development in the Development Constraints Area.
- Principle 3: Mitigate the impacts of climate change on residents.
- Land Use:
- Principle 2: Tier land use decisions from the Regional Land Designations and the Priority Hierarchy for development as described in the Regional Plan.
- Principle 3: Support development that respects natural resources.
- Principle 6: Direct Development into the TMSA.
- Transportation:
- Principle 1: Create an interconnected transportation network.
- Principle 2: Provide an efficient transportation network through coordinated operations, system management, technology, and targeted investments.
- Principle 3: Prioritize multi-modal transportation to support healthy communities.
- Principle 5: Reduce transportation-related emissions and pollutants.
- Public Facilities:
- Principle 1: Cooperatively manage water resources for long-term sustainability.
- Principle 2: Provide sufficient water to meet the current and future needs of County residents.
- Principle 4: Support the development and maintenance of adequate, safe, and resilient energy infrastructure and resources.
Envision Washoe 2040 contains numerous recommendations and requirements regarding land use and development in our community. Achieving these recommendations will be most successful when there is a dedicated staff person to focus on implementing them.
14. Create dashboard to track implementation of EW2040
A dashboard will help both County employees and members of the public understand and track the County’s progress in implementing our master plan.
Launch a Community Forestry Program
Washoe County is home to the fastest-warming metropolitan area in the country, and our air quality can create dangerous public health outcomes for our community. These impacts are too-often concentrated in low-income and disadvantaged communities. In the County’s outreach and feedback sessions in the development of our Climate Action Plan, planting trees stood out as the single-most popular solution to improve these outcomes. Washoe County is launching a Community Forestry Program to plant more trees and to improve the management of our community forests.
15. Hire Forester
Washoe County received grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Nevada Division of Forestry to hire a Community Forester to build the County’s Community Forestry Program and to work with County departments and community partners to accomplish the actions below.
16. Update GIS Inventory and Tree Canopy layers*
This action will update the County’s GIS inventory of trees we manage and improve our understanding of the health and actions needed to keep these trees healthy.
17. Adopt Forest Management Plan*
The 2024 Davis Fire was a tragic reminder that our forests need better management to reduce the threats they face from future fires and pests. Our Community Forester will lead the development of a Forest Management Plan to help our forested parks at Galena, Davis Creek and Bowers Mansion receive the management and restoration attention they need.
18. Plant trees at County Lands, Facilities, Community-Wide*
Conserve County Lands and Resources
19. Coordinate across relevant departments and regional partners to protect and enhance the Truckee River.
This action is not emissions related, but it is critical to the region's survival in a climate-uncertain future. Washoe County will coordinate internally and with regional stakeholders, such as the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, Truckee Meadows Water Authority, City of Reno, City of Sparks, State of Nevada, One Truckee River, and other organizations and agencies.