The Agricultural Exemption for Land Division application is the Washoe County Planning and Building Division packet used to divide agricultural land into parcels under the county's agricultural exemption. The packet requires proof that Washoe County property tax for the current quarter of the fiscal year has been paid, in the form of a written statement from the Washoe County Treasurer's Office. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF. Washoe County publishes the official PDF, and the application reaches the county only through the channels described below.
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What is Agricultural Exemption for Land Division – Washoe County, NV?
The Agricultural Exemption for Land Division application is the packet of the Washoe County Community Services Department, Planning and Building, that asks the county to approve dividing a property into parcels under the agricultural exemption, using proposed Deed(s) of Division for Agricultural Purposes.
The packet contains four parts: the Washoe County Development Application, the Property Owner Affidavit, the Agricultural Exemption Land Division Supplemental Information, and a Request to Reserve New Street Name(s) form for new streets. Its submittal requirements add a legal description with a graphic exhibit, proof of property tax payment and the proposed deeds.
Chapter 110 of the Washoe County Code, known as the Development Code, governs the process. The form points to Article 602 (General Subdivision Provisions), Article 606 (Parcel Maps), Article 608 (Tentative Subdivision Map), Article 612 (Division of Land into Large Parcels) and Article 618 (Boundary Line Adjustment) for references to exempt subdivisions. Applications must also comply with the Nevada Revised Statutes.
The Director of Planning and Building approves, conditionally approves or denies the application after staff review. The deeds are recorded once the appeal period ends, or after the Board of Adjustment acts if an appeal is filed.
Who needs to file Agricultural Exemption for Land Division – Washoe County, NV?
Owners of land in Washoe County who want to divide it under the agricultural exemption file this application with Planning and Building. The Supplemental Information asks whether the division meets these conditions:
- Each resulting parcel is at least ten (10) acres, or larger if the Washoe County Master Plan land use designation requires it.
- Each resulting parcel has regulatory zoning that permits agricultural uses or is consistent with the Master Plan designation.
- Each resulting parcel continues to qualify for the agricultural use assessment.
- Each resulting parcel has permanent, documented, code-compliant access, whether by public street, by adjacent property under the same ownership and covenanted for that purpose, or by an irrevocable easement.
Every owner of the property named in the title report must sign a separate, notarized Owner Affidavit. Someone other than the owner may sign if they mark the matching capacity on the affidavit and provide the document it names: a corporate officer or partner, a power of attorney, an owner agent, a property agent or a government agency with stewardship.
A professional consultant or an applicant/developer can be listed on the Development Application as a contact. The form says no fees are required of a governmental entity or agency, under section 110.90610 of the Washoe County Code.
When to file Agricultural Exemption for Land Division – Washoe County, NV
File the application when you are ready to divide the land. The form prints no calendar deadline, and its process chart shows the application can be submitted on any working day. The form encourages a pre-application review with county staff before you submit.
After submittal, the clock runs as follows:
- Staff decide within three (3) working days whether the packet is complete, under NRS 278.02327. Incomplete applications are not processed.
- Staff evaluation and the staff report to the Director may take up to two weeks.
- The Director must act on a tentative application within thirty (30) working days of application acceptance.
- An appeal to the Board of Adjustment must be filed within ten (10) calendar days after the signed written decision is filed and mailed to the applicant.
- The deeds are recorded after the appeal period ends if no appeal is filed.
Documents you need
- Washoe County Development Application: a completed form, which is part of the packet.
- Owner Affidavit: signed and notarized by all owners of the property; each owner named in the title report provides a separate affidavit.
- Proof of Property Tax Payment: a written statement from the Washoe County Treasurer's Office that all property taxes for the current quarter of the fiscal year on the land have been paid.
- Legal description: clear and complete, by reference to the standard subdivisions of the United States Public Land Survey System, with a graphic depiction on a separate exhibit.
- Request to Reserve New Street Name: the form included in the packet, if applicable; print all street names on the graphic depiction and note whether each is existing or proposed.
- Proposed Deed(s) of Division for Agricultural Purposes for the agricultural exemption land division.
- Supporting authority document, if someone other than the owner signs: a record document for a corporate officer, partner or property agent, a power of attorney, or a notarized letter from the owner for an owner agent.
- Letter from the government agency with stewardship, if that agency is the owner capacity marked on the affidavit.
- One (1) packet and a flash drive, with digital documents at 300 dpi resolution.
How to fill out Agricultural Exemption for Land Division – Washoe County, NV
Review the submittal requirements
Read the nine items on the Development Application Submittal Requirements page, including the fee, notarized affidavit, tax statement, legal description, deeds and packet requirements.
Enter the project information
On the Washoe County Development Application, fill in Project Name, Project Description, Project Address, Project Area (acres or square feet) and Project Location with major cross streets and area locator. Add each Assessor's Parcel No. with its Parcel Acreage, and any previous Washoe County case numbers.
Complete the applicant contact blocks
List the Property Owner, Professional Consultant, Applicant/Developer and Other Persons to be Contacted, each with name, address, zip, phone, fax, email, cell, other and contact person. Leave the Staff Assigned Case No. and the For Office Use Only box blank.
Complete the Property Owner Affidavit
Print the applicant name, owner's name, assessor parcel number(s) and address, and mark the box describing your capacity: Owner, Corporate Officer/Partner, Power of Attorney, Owner Agent, Property Agent or Letter from Government Agency with Stewardship. Sign it before a notary; each owner needs a separate affidavit.
Answer the Supplemental Information
Answer questions 1 to 7 for each resulting parcel: ten-acre minimum, zoning, legal description, agricultural use assessment, access, existing structures with minimum setbacks, and the deed provisions on property tax recapture. The answers may be attached separately.
Request new street names if needed
If new streets are involved, complete the Request to Reserve New Street Name(s) form with your contact details, project name, location, parcel numbers and the requested names. Keep each name to 14 letters, or 15 if it contains an "i".
Prepare the legal description and deeds
Write the legal description by reference to the USPLSS standard subdivisions, with a graphic depiction on a separate exhibit. Add the proposed Deed(s) of Division for Agricultural Purposes.
Obtain the property tax payment statement
Request the written statement from the Washoe County Treasurer's Office showing all property taxes for the current quarter of the fiscal year on the land have been paid.
Review, download and assemble
Check every entry, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Print and notarize the affidavit, add the attachments, and assemble the packet as described under How to submit.
How to submit Agricultural Exemption for Land Division – Washoe County, NV
You can submit the application online at OneNV.us, or bring the packet in person to the Community Services Department (CSD).
- Online: the form says that applications may be submitted through the OneNV.us portal, and most payments can be made there.
- In person: Community Services Department, Planning and Building, 1001 E. Ninth St., Bldg. A, Reno, NV 89512-2845. Bring one (1) packet and a flash drive. Digital documents need a resolution of 300 dpi. Include one 8.5" x 11" reduction of any site plan, development plan or application map, labeled no smaller than 8 point. Put large sheets in slide pockets and fold oversized maps and plans to 9" x 12".
- Fees: a fee applies under the Master Fee Schedule, and the amount is not repeated here. To pay by check, make it payable to Washoe County and bring it with the application. Application fees must be deposited the day of receipt, which does not mean the application is complete.
For questions, call Planning and Building at 775.328.6100. The form names no mailing address. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Signing the Owner Affidavit without a notary, or having only one owner sign when several owners are named in the title report.
- Leaving out the Treasurer's Office statement showing the current quarter's property taxes on the land are paid.
- Giving a legal description without a graphic depiction on a separate exhibit, or not by reference to the USPLSS standard subdivisions.
- Proposing resulting parcels under ten (10) acres when the Master Plan land use designation does not allow it, or that no longer qualify for the agricultural use assessment.
- Submitting digital documents below 300 dpi or leaving out the flash drive; unreadable materials lead to a request for a higher-quality copy.
- Turning in oversized maps and plans that are not folded to 9" x 12", or large sheets that are not in slide pockets.
- Requesting street names longer than 14 letters (15 if the name has an "i") on the Request to Reserve New Street Name form.
- Submitting an incomplete packet: staff may return it and reschedule the application on resubmittal, and it is not processed.
- Missing the ten (10) calendar day appeal window after the Director's written decision is mailed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Agricultural Exemption for Land Division application?
It is the Washoe County Planning and Building application for dividing a property into parcels under the agricultural exemption. The packet holds the Development Application, Owner Affidavit, Supplemental Information and, if needed, a street name request, plus the proposed deeds.
Do I need proof of Washoe County property tax payment?
Yes. Submittal item 4 requires a written statement from the Washoe County Treasurer's Office that all property taxes for the current quarter of the fiscal year on the land have been paid. Washoe County property tax proof must come with the application.
Do all property owners have to sign the Owner Affidavit?
Yes. The affidavit must be signed and notarized by all owners of the property subject to the request, and each owner named in the title report provides a separate affidavit. An agent or representative must mark the matching capacity and attach the document that capacity requires.
How large must the resulting parcels be?
Each resulting parcel must be at least ten (10) acres, or larger if the Washoe County Master Plan land use designation requires a larger parcel. Each must also continue to qualify for the agricultural use assessment.
How long does Washoe County take to review the application?
Staff decide within three working days whether the packet is complete. After acceptance, the Director of Planning and Building must act on a tentative application within thirty (30) working days. Staff evaluation may take up to two weeks of that period.
Can I appeal the Director's decision?
Yes. File a written appeal with the Board of Adjustment within ten (10) calendar days after the signed written decision is filed and mailed to you. The hearing must be scheduled within the next two regularly scheduled Board meetings after the appeal is deemed complete.
Where do I submit the application and pay the fee?
Submit online at OneNV.us, where most payments can also be made, or bring the packet to the Community Services Department at 1001 E. Ninth St., Bldg. A, Reno, NV 89512-2845. Checks are payable to Washoe County. See the Master Fee Schedule for the amount.
Can I fill out this application online on FillingPDF?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is independent of Washoe County and does not submit the application, notarize the affidavit or take payment; you submit through the county's channels.
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