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Thursday, July 10, 2025 at 8:02 PM
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Business Expansions Hot Topic at Planning Commission

Business Expansions Hot Topic at Planning Commission
Jake Steinmann of Ormat Technologies makes a presentation to the Planning Commission regarding the Ormat solar expansion project

Author: Rachel Dahl

The Frito Lay Company will expand the company footprint in Fallon after the Planning Commission approved the Special Use Permit for a Warehouse Storage and Distribution facility at 149 McLean Road, on the corner of McLean and Highway 50, west of town.

Matt Rasmussen, on behalf of Frito Lay, was on hand to answer questions from Commissioners and present the renderings of the expansion plan. “This is a smaller distribution facility for Frito Lay Pepsi and what happens in this facility is one large semi is brought in to supply and then deliveries are made using the smaller vehicles. The 5,900 square foot facility will house four employees and a manager on the 1.5-acre parcel. Although the application says a 24-hour operating schedule, deliveries come in and go out primarily once a day, but not at regular times.

Nevada Department of Transportation is requiring the facility driveway be located off McLean Road rather than Highway 50. Chris Spross, public works director, stated that NDOT will not require a traffic study.

Darwin Haffner, the nearest neighbor, and owner of Fallon Floors spoke in support of the project which is on schedule to open by the end of the year.

For several years Frito Lay has been running their local distribution out of a storage shed on Gummow Drive.

Commissioners also considered and approved an application for a Special Use Permit by Brady Power Partners, a geothermal plant located in western Churchill County near Interstate 80 and owned by Ormat Technologies. Ormat will build a 9.5-megawatt solar project on a 640-acre parcel that will generate power to run their existing Desert Peak geothermal power plant. The footprint of the solar field will be approximately 55 acres, and the electricity generated will not be sold on the grid. According to Jake Steinmann of Ormat, the purpose is to supplement power for operations of the Brady facility. “Essentially this will run the pumps and the facilities in the background, so we are able to put more geothermal energy onto the grid.”

The Commissioners tabled a Temporary Use Permit application by Chris and Alyssa Sowersby for temporary farm labor quarters on a property located on Carr Lane saying the applicants do not yet meet the definition of a farm and their application is premature.

A Special Use Permit for Paul Hampton for a gunsmithing and metal work business was approved, along with a Special Use permit for Carolyn Waddell who makes and sells items made from her alpaca wool.

The Planning Commission meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the County Administration building.

 

 


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Comment author: Mike HinzComment text: I knew Sam as a member of our church growing up. He always had a warm smile, a kind word, and a great sense of humor! He will be great missed!Comment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:57 AMComment source: Obituary -- Samuel Bruce WickizerComment author: Mike HinzComment text: Great teacher, great coach, but even a better person!!! Rest in peace Mr. BeachComment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:53 AMComment source: Obituary -- Jack Victor Beach, Jr.Comment author: Mike HinzComment text: I had Mrs Hedges for First Grade at Northside Elementary in 1969. I still, to this day, remember her as a wonderful teacher…one of my favorites!!Comment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:29 AMComment source: Obituary - Nancy Marie Hedges C Comment author: Carl C. HagenComment text: What are MFNs and PBMs ?? ............................ From the editor: This is a very good question and we apologize for not catching that wasn't in there. We reached out to the writer/submitter and got this info back...hope it's helpful. PBM: Pharmacy Benefit Managers are pharmacies that are owned by insurance companies. (CVS is one.) They negotiate with drug makers to get reduced pricing for medications, but they historically have not passed along those savings to patients. https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/pharmacy-benefit-managers-staff-report.pdf MFN: Most Favored Nation pricing is a policy that means a country agrees to offer the same trade concessions (like tariffs or price reductions) to all member nations of the World Trade Organization (WTO). When applied to pharmaceuticals, it could disrupt global access, deter innovation, and obscure the deeper systemic issues in American health care. https://petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2025/05/22/the-global-risks-of-americas-most-favored-nation-drug-pricing-policy/Comment publication date: 6/23/25, 7:47 AMComment source: L E T T E R TO THE EDITOR
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