Lyon County has adopted a new, updated and consolidated Land Use and Development Code. The new Code, Title 15 replaces the County’s previous zoning (Title 10), land division (Title 11), floodplain management (Title 12), and mobile home and recreational vehicle provisions (Title 13).

Over the past several years the Lyon County Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners have made revisions and improvements to the initial working draft. At their December 17, 2015 and January 21, 2016 meetings the Board of Commissioners directed staff to prepare a further revised draft Title 15 for possible ordinance adoption. The further revised draft was not to include transfer of development rights, mining regulations or sign regulations. On February 15, 2018, the Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution to no include concentrated animal feeding operations (" CAFO") from the revised draft as well. These items will be dealt with at a later date.

Approved Ordinance to Enact Title 15

On November 1, 2018, the Board of Commissioners, approved the ordinance adopting Title 15. The ordinance and its Exhibit A, Zoning Consistency Matrix, are available for download below.

• Ordinance to Enact Title 15
• Exhibit A, Zoning Consistency Matrix

Current Title 15 

Title 15, Land Use and Development Code is available for download below.

• Title 15 - Land Use and Development Code

Further Review and Revision

The Board of County Commissioners will continue reviewing additional provisions such as CAFOs, transfer of development rights, mining regulations and sign regulations. It is anticipated that the Board and Planning Commission will hold a workshop or workshops regarding CAFOs, transfer of development rights, mining regulations and sign regulations.

This review process may take several more months. All of the Board of Commissioners and Planning Commission meetings are open to the public and comments are welcomed.

Goals of the New Land Use and Development Code

The goals of the Land Use and Development Code project are to:

• Conform Zoning and Development Regulations to the Goals and Policies of the 2010 Lyon County Master Plan.
• Create a vehicle for implementation of the Master Plan.
• Consolidate all development codes into a single code document containing a consistent format and the following components:
  • Administrative requirement and procedures.
  • Development Regulations, Incentives, and Implementation requirements and procedures.
  • Zoning Regulations including establishing uses and specific performance requirements based on location and use.
  • Land Division policies, requirements, and procedures.
  • Consolidated definitions, development standards and specifications, fee schedule, and application submission and review policies, procedures and schedules.
• Structure the development code to allow and encourage flexibility in the design and location of a diversity of development projects. (Not one size fits all approach)
• Limit the number and types of uses requiring conditional use/special use permit reviews by establishing specific performance standards based on location and intensity of use.
• Achieve desired commercial and mixed-use development patterns utilizing a combination of form-based standards and performance requirements, design review, and density incentives that vary by character districts.
  • Develop minimum development standards for such topics as: signs, landscaping, commercial site and structural design, non-residential lighting, and parking/Loading.