History of IVGID
The Incline Village General Improvement District (IVGID) was created by Washoe County under State law (Nevada Revised Statute 318), effective June 1, 1961 (Washoe County Ordinance No. 97, Bill No. 57). NRS 318 authorized the newly-created District to levy taxes to pay for improvements and for five elected Trustees to set up and run the District. The initial Board was appointed by Washoe County and consisted of Robert L. McDonald, Raymond Plunkett, Raymond M. Smith, Harold B. Tiller, and John H. Uhalde.
Since its beginning in 1961, IVGID has had many general managers. John Uhalde, the project manager for Crystal Bay Development Company, served as an unsalaried general manager of the District from 1961 to 1967. Subsequent General Managers included Wallace W. White, Kermit McMillin, Larry Rihl, Mike McHugh, Robert Hunt, Pat Finnigan, John Danielson, William Horn, Steve Pinkerton, Indra Winquest and Bobby Magee.
In 1961 Incline Village was being developed by Crystal Bay Development Company with Arthur L. Wood as its President. IVGID issued bonds to pay the cost of building water, sewer and road improvements, and the bonds were repaid through assessments levied against the properties that benefited from the improvements. Administration of the District was paid for by ad valorem taxes. IVGID’s tax rate at that time was $.50 per $100 of assessed valuation.
The District’s first job was to construct, maintain and operate the District’s sewer and water systems. The District was also authorized to build roads within the District to Washoe County specifications, and when the roads were completed they were dedicated to Washoe County for maintenance and were no longer a District responsibility.
In 1965 Washoe County amended IVGID’s enabling ordinance to add recreation facilities to its responsibilities. After extensive public hearings, in June 1968 IVGID purchased Burnt Cedar Beach and Incline Beach from Crystal Bay Development Company for $2.1 million. IVGID instituted a $50 per year recreation fee (collected at the same time as property taxes) to pay for bonds to finance the purchase and make improvements. The deed to the beaches contains a restriction that limits access to the beaches to the District as it was constituted at the time of the purchase.
In the late 1960s, IVGID began planning to expand its sewage collection and treatment facilities to serve the entire District and export the treated effluent out of the Tahoe Basin. This was necessary because of state and federal mandate that the use of septic tanks in the Tahoe Basin be discontinued and that all treated effluent be exported out of the Basin. The cost of this major project was funded by a Federal grant and by assessments against the benefited properties.
The properties along Lakeshore Drive that were not part of the original District annexed to IVGID in order to obtain sewer service and the area between the District and the California and export. Washoe County Sewer Improvement District No. 1 (the club area and a small residential area in Crystal Bay), and Crystal Bay General Improvement District (the area between IVGID and Washoe 1) obtained sewer service through merger agreements with IVGID. The merger of Washoe County Sewer Improvement District No. 1 was completed in 1978. However, IVGID served the Crystal Bay General Improvement District with sewer service through an agreement until 1996. IVGID was not willing to merge with CBGID until their water system was brought up to IVGID standards, and that was finally done in 1996, at which time the merger with CBGID was completed.
In 1976 IVGID purchased the Championship Golf Course and Executive Golf Course (now called the Mountain Golf Course) for $1.2 million, and Ski Incline for $1.5 million. IVGID purchased these recreation properties from Japan Golf who had purchased them from Boise Cascade in 1973. IVGID’s Recreation Fee was raised to $100 per year to cover the debt service of this purchase. Included in the purchase of the golf courses was Bowl Incline, which IVGID sold for $400,000 in 1978.
In 1977 IVGID acquired from Boise Cascade the 58-acre “core area” parcel which extends from Tahoe Boulevard to Incline Way. IVGID’s original seven-court tennis complex was constructed on this site in 1978. Six acres of this parcel were sold to the Washoe County School District for the Middle School site at its appraised value of $284,628. The playing fields at the Middle School are on IVGID property and were jointly developed by Washoe County and IVGID, with funding provided by District 9 (now 4B) construction taxes, Washoe County School District and IVGID. The Middle School fields were opened for use in 1981.
In 1983 IVGID completed the purchase of 900 acres in Douglas County to be used for development of a disposal site for its treated effluent. New regulations on the disposal of wastewater required IVGID to either upgrade its treatment facility in order to continue disposing of the treated effluent in the Carson River or to have a year-round, land-based disposal system. IVGID’s treated effluent was being used for irrigation on a ranch in Douglas County in the summer and was being discharged into the Carson River in the winter. Construction of the Wetlands Enhancement Facility was completed in 1984.
In 1986 the Ski Lodge was renovated, the Ski Incline Master Plan was completed, and planning began for expanding Ski Incline. In 1988, Ski Incline was also renamed Diamond Peak, the new Diamond Peak quad chairlift was completed, the Crystal Ridge run was opened, along with a new Child Ski Development Center, and a new maintenance shop.
After nearly twelve years of discussions and planning regarding an indoor swimming pool/community center for Incline Village, construction of the Recreation Center began in 1991. District 9 (now 4B) residential construction tax funds were used to help finance the cost of construction of the Recreation Center, which opened in December of 1992. The parcel on which the Recreation Center was constructed was purchased by Washoe County and deeded to IVGID after the Recreation Center was constructed.
Construction of IVGID’s Burnt Cedar Water Disinfection Plant was completed in 1995. The plant uses ozone to disinfect IVGID’s drinking water and allowed IVGID to receive an exemption from the filtration requirements of the federal Surface Water Treatment Rule.
With community input, a Strategic Plan entitled “Creating Our Future – a Shared Vision” was developed in 1999.
Construction of the new Burnt Cedar Pavilion was completed in 2000. The facility received Washoe County’s Award of Distinction in 2000 and TRPA’s Best in the Basin Award in 2002.
After many community meetings and much public input, the Recreation Facilities Master Plan was completed in 2000.
In 2001, the skateboard park was constructed at the corner of Tahoe and Southwood Boulevards, and Snowflake Lodge at Diamond Peak was remodeled.
Major projects in 2003 included construction of a new $3.2 million Public Works facility, planning for and beginning construction of the new Chateau building, the Championship Golf Course renovation, construction of a new high speed quad chairlift at Diamond Peak, the construction of four new tennis courts, and the finalization of a program for the sale of potential surplus land coverage.
The year 2004 saw the opening of the new Chateau in the fall. The Championship Golf Course renovation continued and the renovated course reopened in the spring of 2005.
Late 2006 saw the completion of Phase 1 of Effluent Export Pipeline Project.
During the summer of 2008, the District undertook two major construction projects, in addition to their continuing Effluent Export Pipeline project; the renovation of the Diamond Peak Ski Resort Lodge and the new construction of a Parks Storage Building. In September 2008, the District added to its real estate holdings with the purchase of five acres near Incline Lake.
May 2010 saw the District undertake a very large construction project – Phase 2 at the Diamond Peak Ski Resort which consists of demolishing the existing ticketing booth and Administration building and then building new. The District proudly opened its new Skier Services Building for the 2010-2011 ski season.
Preston Field was renovated, in 2012, and opened with wonderful support from our community. The project team worked very closely with an involved community group and through this collaboration, the District realized an outstanding project. The Burnt Cedar Water Disinfection Plant Improvements Project, also undertaken in 2012, added ultraviolet disinfection to your drinking water to meet the federally mandated compliance requirements of the EPA’s Long Term 2 Surface Water Treatment Rule.
In May of 2021, the District began the reconstruction of the Burnt Cedar Pool and the surrounding area.
In May of 2023, the District began Phase 2 of the Effluent Export Pipeline Project. Work is expected to continue on this project through the 2026 construction season as different segments of the pipeline running underneath State Route 28 are dug up and replaced.
