DEVA Dispatches March 2022

[DeathValleyDazed]

How could a developer get that far in building those housing units without being properly permitted?

I wondered that myself so I went searching for answers on Monday February 28, 2022 spending half a day discussing the situation in detail with five local source people and getting five different versions while enriching my limited knowledge of the wild west culture of Beatty, NV.  

1st Source: Dave, a retired Nevada Highway Patrolman now running the Death Valley Inn RV Park (which I learned provides public laundry and showers right next to the Death Valley Inn). He said the modular type development was started by a fellow from Texas who ran into trouble with Beatty City over water supply and rights and gave up on the project. Due to his vague awareness of the details Dave suggested i visit with officials at Beatty City Office. 

2nd Source: While waiting for the city office official to complete a phone call I chatted up a delightful and informative woman also waiting in line named Debbie, who claimed among other local credentials to be "Miss Rhyolite 1998" back when Rhyolite held annual celebrations. She backed up the Texan developer story who ceased construction but due to sewer problems of inadequate hookups. She believed the Texan had some local from Pahrump, NV as a partner. Debbie was under the impression that there was conflicting zoning and ordinance issues behind the stalled development. 

3rd Source: Beatty City employee who was cordial but business like who claimed that local residents of Beatty are not well informed about the stalled development and that in fact the City of Beatty, it's water district and Nye, County do have clear zoning and ordinance restrictions which are enforced thus leading to the modular residence development being stalled for nearly three years now. Reason: Out of state developer so far not paying for a major upgrade and engineering of the sewer system hook up. If all units were sold/rented as is the sewer system would be compromised. 
She, the employee, believed that the out of state developer might be willing to sell but has not seen any movement. She suggested that I stop by Betty Water and Sanitation so I proceeded to their office kitty corner to The Exchange Club. She also suggested that I stop by for an excellent lunch at The Beatty Senior Center where I'd get much more colorful history of Beatty. Lunch if open to the public for a reasonable fee but this did not work out for me this trip. 

BTW: click here to see some humorous problems sewer problems (funny for me but not for their system)
https://www.beattywsd.net/sewer-information

4th Source: The Water office was closed but I happened to meet a local woman who was dropping off her water fee payment who was happy to twist my ear for fifteen minutes about local goings on mostly involving Mr Ed Ringle, the main property owner within Beatty. See link below as to why Mr. Ringle is so prominent. She said he lives in CA but comes to Beatty often and has a lovely wife. She wondered if Mr. Ringle might purchase the modular home development from the Texan developer or wondered if the rich Texan was just using it as a tax write off? Here's the link: https://pvtimes.com/news/ringle-holds-me...re-105561/

5th Source: Wayne, a retied Nellis AFB Bombing Range employee was friendly when I met him at The Happy Burro across Main Street from The Exchange Club. Wayne had the same basic idea that the modular home site was stalled for water reasons and thought it a shame since the mining boom has created sever housing shortages in Beatty. He said that the mining company exploratory drillers were mostly done with their work and that the town was waiting to see if a new lithium mine north of Beatty, a few new gold and mineral mines would soon be producing. He wrote all of this off as typical "boom and bust" of mining history in the West. 

There was an entertainment factor in meeting up with these delightful locals and hearing all of the gossip which seemed very typical of small town USA. However, my true passion for exploring the wonders of Death Valley was tugging at my heart so I departed Beatty heading for Chloride City via the dirt road cutting off south of Daylight Pass Road at the DEVA NP entrance sign. 

Heading out of town I was pleased to see that the home that burned down in December 2021 had been cleaned up and was not such an eye sore. They may start building again? Oh, I asked the man at the ice cream section of Eddie's World about the Beatty Hot Springs (Bailey Hot Springs north of town) re-opening. He knew the owner but said he talks about reopening but said not to bet on it in the near future.