March 20, 2008
Tuffy Ranch Properties Seeking Annexation by City of Caliente

Photo by Dave Maxwell Doug Carriger talking about Tuffy Ranch Properties Annexation into the City of Caliente.

By Dave Maxwell, Staff Writer

Tuffy Ranch Properties LLC, owners of property north of Caliente along U.S. Highway 93, have asked to be annexed by the City of Caliente. A petition has been submitted to the City Council and a public hearing on the matter will be held during the March 20 City Council meeting.

Doug Carriger, Vice President of Community Development for Coyote Springs owner of Tuffy Ranch Properties (the old Brackenbury Ranch), said they have requested 2400 acres of their property be annexed by the City. He said Tuffy Properties is willing to do this in order to offer an alternative site to Southern Nevada Water Authority to purchase for a contract pipe manufacturing plant, and possibly, an additional pipe coating facility to provide materials for the proposed SNWA water pipeline through Lincoln County.

SNWA is currently considering two areas for building a pipe mill: the land at the Meadow Valley Industrial Park in Caliente and another spot near Moapa. Both have rail access, but Carriger said SNWA is leaning toward the Caliente site. However, Carriger said the land at the Industrial Park is not all one contiguous piece of about 100 acres, which SNWA feels would be the best layout so the plants could be adjacent and have railroad access. “We’re hoping to provide an optional industrial site that might meet the needs for the manufacturer so the plant can be located in Caliente. We want to support the County and the City of Caliente by locating the facility and the jobs in Caliente.”

If SNWA decides they do want to build their own pipe facilities, it could involve about 50 full time jobs when completed and between 80-100 jobs during construction, with an expected payroll of $3 million annually….“And we believe in supporting our neighbors” stated Carriger.

A 3000-foot or longer railroad spur would need to be brought from the UPRR main line to the manufacturing facility. It might use the existing rail bed that runs parallel along U.S. Highway 93 from Caliente north to Meadow Valley.

There is a small section of land near what is called “The Cove” that is managed by the Bureau of Land Management, and is not owned by Tuffy Properties. Commission Chairwoman Ronda Hornbeck expressed concern about how Caliente was going to annex two pieces of land since they are not directly connected? She also wanted to make sure everything was being done lawfully, and she felt the Commissioners had not been given enough advance notice regarding the City’s decision to consider the request from Tuffy Ranch Properties at the City Council meeting March 6.

District Attorney Greg Barlow said the BLM can issue a “Letter of No Objection” which could clear the way for that piece of land also being annexed into the City. “It’s not purchased, it’s not transferred, it’s still BLM ground, it’s just within the boundaries of the City of Caliente,” he said.

Caliente Mayor Kevin Phillips, who was not at the Commission meeting, spoke later with the Lincoln County Record, and explained the BLM has been contacted in regards to the small strip of land and he expects to soon receive a Letter of No Objection.

In this case, Mayor Phillips said, the private landowner, Tuffy Ranches, submitted a petition to the City requesting to be annexed. If the land is owned by the state of Nevada or the federal government, like the BLM, “You request from those entities a Letter of No Objection stating that they do not object to the annexation of this government public land into the borders of the City of Caliente.

Commissioners noted that some of the annexed land could also at some time later, go out for sale by competitive bid. Buyers, however, would need to be aware that the land would be within the city limits and the developer would be responsible himself/herself for putting in the infrastructure. The City of Caliente would be responsible for providing fire protection to any developers in the annexed portion.

Carriger said, “While it (the land) will be in Caliente, we feel the County will realize additional property tax revenue because our lands now are in AG (zoning)….and when the plant goes in, the County receives their property tax and on top of that goes the City of Caliente tax. It will be an economic benefit. We felt that it is in the best interest of the County’s economy to have the plant located in the Caliente area rather than in Clark County.”

The majority of the 2400 acres would remain zoned for agriculture. It’s possible, he said, that other portions of the land could be used for residential development later on. “The employees will need a place to live, those that provide services for those that work there will also need places to live and we might be able to provide some additional housing that could fit right into the City of Caliente today,” Carriger said.

Bredero-Shaw, a company based in Houston, Texas, has a lease on 62-acres at the Meadow Valley Industrial Park with the City of Caliente, with hopes of getting a contract with SNWA to do the pipe coating work, but SNWA might be interested in building at the north end of town, after the Tuffy Ranch property is annexed. Bredero-Shaw’s lease expires March 31, 2008 and they have requested an extension from the City Council. A decision on the lease extension is expected at the next City Council meeting March 20.