State lands staff urge retaining SLU PAC executive council as a last‑resort mediator
February 07, 2026 | 2026 Legislature NV, Nevada
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State lands staff and planning professionals told the Sunset Committee that Nevada’s State Land Use Planning Advisory Council (SLU PAC) executive council should remain on the books as a statutorily prescribed, nimble forum to resolve local land‑use plan inconsistencies.
Ellery Staller, deputy administrator of the Division of State Lands, and Charlie Donahue, administrator, explained the executive council (EC) consists of the Division of State Lands administrator and four members selected by SLU PAC, and that—by statute—the EC can research, mediate, hold hearings and, if an inconsistency remains, issue a binding decision to resolve conflicting local land‑use plans. Staller and Donahue said the EC has never been called upon and that SLU PAC last met in January 2024; they said the division plans to reconvene SLU PAC in March and expect the council to appoint EC members then.
Public testimony came from planning professionals: Sammie Bridal (Clark County comprehensive planning director) and Scott Carey (Nevada chapter of the American Planning Association) both urged continuation of the EC, describing it as a neutral, expert forum that local governments can request only after local efforts and division mediation have failed. Donahue said the executive council’s small membership (a subset of SLU PAC) would make it more responsive than convening the larger body and that Division of State Lands could likely absorb modest travel or hearing costs within its existing administrative budget if the EC were required to meet.
Committee members asked whether the EC could be folded into SLU PAC, whether the state lands administrator should be a voting member on the EC (to avoid tie votes), and whether the statute should better clarify term dates and which entity covers hearing costs. Donahue and Staller said they prefer retaining the EC because it is designed to be a geographically diverse, peer‑selected, and more nimble decision body.
Provenance: presentation by Division of State Lands and supporting public comment from planning organizations.
Ellery Staller, deputy administrator of the Division of State Lands, and Charlie Donahue, administrator, explained the executive council (EC) consists of the Division of State Lands administrator and four members selected by SLU PAC, and that—by statute—the EC can research, mediate, hold hearings and, if an inconsistency remains, issue a binding decision to resolve conflicting local land‑use plans. Staller and Donahue said the EC has never been called upon and that SLU PAC last met in January 2024; they said the division plans to reconvene SLU PAC in March and expect the council to appoint EC members then.
Public testimony came from planning professionals: Sammie Bridal (Clark County comprehensive planning director) and Scott Carey (Nevada chapter of the American Planning Association) both urged continuation of the EC, describing it as a neutral, expert forum that local governments can request only after local efforts and division mediation have failed. Donahue said the executive council’s small membership (a subset of SLU PAC) would make it more responsive than convening the larger body and that Division of State Lands could likely absorb modest travel or hearing costs within its existing administrative budget if the EC were required to meet.
Committee members asked whether the EC could be folded into SLU PAC, whether the state lands administrator should be a voting member on the EC (to avoid tie votes), and whether the statute should better clarify term dates and which entity covers hearing costs. Donahue and Staller said they prefer retaining the EC because it is designed to be a geographically diverse, peer‑selected, and more nimble decision body.
Provenance: presentation by Division of State Lands and supporting public comment from planning organizations.
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