The Lakeridge Golf Course is in Danger from Development
Developers want to build a hotel and hundreds of homes on open space
The Reno City Council & Developers are Moving to Re-Zone the Lakeridge Golf Course. Many are concerned about the rapid pace of overdevelopment and the unwillingness of our city leaders to preserve any remaining open spaces that are vital to the character, health, and sustainability of our community.
Residents are tired of the overdevelopment, loss of natural habitat, increased traffic congestion, strain on infrastructure, and a diminishing sense of connection to any happy human spaces. The other day over 200 residents attended a protest at Bartley Park.
Once these spaces are lost, they are gone forever. Preserving what few open spaces remain would be a wise investment in our city's future. We urge City Council members to consider a development process to ensure that growth does not come at the cost of livability.
The headlines paint a picture: a new hotel and spa is proposed at the former Lakeridge driving range, promising luxury amenities and minimal disruption. But dig deeper, and you'll find a very different story—one that could transform 155 acres of open space into dense, mixed-use development.
Here’s what you need to know:
A Golf Course in Jeopardy
The Lakeridge Golf Course isn’t just a collection of fairways. It's the heart of a 900-acre master-planned community, surrounded by neighborhoods that were built with the expectation of open space and unobstructed views.
Duncan Golf Management has submitted Application LDC25-00061 to rezone all 155 acres of the Lakeridge Golf Course—not just the 12 acres of the former driving range—to a Special Planning District (SPD).
This zoning change would allow far more than a hotel. It could pave the way for:
High-density residential housing
Retail centers
Office complexes
And more—subject to future plan updates and City Council approval
All without guaranteeing that the golf course, as it exists today, will remain intact.
Why This Matters
Duncan Golf says:
“The golf course will not undergo significant changes.”
But if that’s true, why include all four parcels in the rezoning application?
Unlike standard zoning, SPD zoning:
Stays with the land, even if sold
Allows sweeping changes based on a "handbook" that can be updated later
Sidesteps traditional land-use planning oversight
It’s effectively a blank slate—and once it's approved, there’s no going back.
A Familiar Pattern: The Tennis Club Bait and Switch
This isn’t the first time a developer made big promises, only to reverse course.
In 2019, Reno Land promised to preserve parts of the Lakeridge Tennis Club while seeking rezoning. But after the zoning was approved, they demolished the club and sold the land to Lyon Living, who now plan to build four 5-story apartment buildings next to single-family homes.
Residents were misled. And it could happen again.
Important History
In 2006, the Reno City Council proactively zoned the Lakeridge Golf Course as Parks, Greenways, and Open Space (PGOS) to prevent precisely this kind of intensive development.
From the 2005 staff report:
“Infrastructure in the immediate area such as storm water facilities and the traffic network were not planned for this intensity of development.”
The rezoning was done in good faith to preserve open space and protect neighborhoods. Why reverse it now?
What You Can Do
Oppose Application LDC25-00061
The Planning Commission meeting is tentatively scheduled for July 16th. It may be your only chance to stop this development. Since planning commission decisions are not binding on the City Council you’ll want to contact them too.
Here’s how you can help:
Attend the Planning Commission hearing and provide public comment.
Contact the Planning Commissioners and City Council Members – ask them to vote NO.
Visit https://savelakeridge.com/what-you-can-do to get their email addresses.
Share this issue with your neighbors and Duncan Golf members.
Forward this email newletters to your friends.
Join the Facebook for Save Lakeridge, https://www.facebook.com/groups/749825356004765
This Is About More Than a Golf Course
Lakeridge represents more than just real estate. It’s a commitment to open space, responsible planning, and community values. If we allow this rezoning to pass quietly, we risk setting a precedent that undermines every neighborhood in Reno.
Let’s not let that happen again.