SPARKS, Nev. (News 4 & Fox 11) — A proposal to convert a large portion of the Sparks Red Hawk Golf Course in Spanish Springs into housing is drawing early concern from nearby residents, even as city officials say the project is still in its preliminary stages.
The Red Hawk Golf Course spans east Sparks and includes two 18-hole courses — the Hills Course and the Lakes Course. The potential development would affect the Lakes Course, a stretch of green space surrounded by residential neighborhoods.
“Think we need open space. I think we’re overpopulated, too much traffic. I don’t know where they get the water from. It changes the community. It’s not what we purchased,” said Sparks resident Joe Raabe.
The Wingfield Nevada Group, the real estate development company representing the Red Hawk Golf Course, confirmed that it plans to pursue housing on the property. When asked about the proposed development for the Lakes Course, the company’s chief operating officer and General Counsel, Emilia Cargill said, “the golf course losses cannot continue to be sustained; we will be filing applications soon for a housing development.”
Some residents say continued development in the area feels relentless.
“It’s just sort of the nature of the beast every time we turn around they’re building something houses and apartments here And it is part of growth, but it might be getting to be a bit much,” said Sparks resident Pat Galloway.
The City of Sparks said it is too early in the process to conduct interviews but confirmed that representatives for the golf course held a pre-application meeting with city officials on Nov. 12 to discuss preliminary development concepts. Staff scheduled a follow-up meeting to discuss their concept of adding 764 residential units to the Wingfield/Foothills area.
Before any development could move forward, amendments would be required to both the Wingfield Springs and Foothills handbooks, which guide development in the area. The Wingfield Springs handbook currently allows for a maximum of 2,595 residential units, with 230 units remaining. The Foothills handbook is already built out at 2,145 units.
City officials also said the additional units could exceed existing wastewater treatment capacity, an issue that would need to be addressed. Increased traffic is another concern residents say is already affecting the area.
“We don’t need more cars, we are, our infrastructure is obsolete and what they’ve done to pyramid, it’s already obsolete, waste of money. And so we can’t, in the last four years since I’ve lived here, we’ve watched the traffic just build and build and built and build,” said Sparks resident Andrea Kiesel.
A city spokeswoman said if developers submit a formal application — which the city expects could happen this month — staff anticipates being able to respond to the inquiry by the end of January.
If the process moves forward, the proposal would require at least two public hearings — one before the Sparks Planning Commission and another before the Sparks City Council — to allow public input.
City officials emphasized the project remains in the early stages, and no final decisions have been made.