The purpose of the Storey County Master Plan is to provide goals and objectives for the development of Storey County. The majority of the land developed over the past 40 years has been on the perimeter of the county, primarily in the level areas adjacent to Lyon county and along the riparian zone of Truckee River.

Storey County’s Master Plan examines the development of four primary population areas:

• Virginia City/Gold Hill: This area is located in the mountainous southwest section of the county. The development of this area can be directly attributed to the discovery of the Comstock Lode and is a major tourist attraction in the State of Nevada.
• Virginia Highlands: Located 5 miles north of Virginia City, this is a mountainous residential subdivision of 1, 10, and 40 acre parcels with primarily upscale housing. There is currently no commercial development in this area.
• Mark Twain: Located 6 miles due east of Virginia City, this is a residential subdivision consisting primarily of mobile homes. The terrain is relatively level.
• The River District: This district stretches about 25 miles along the south bank of the Truckee River and makes up the northern boundary of the county. It has a mixed land use of residential, agricultural, recreational, industrial, and commercial development.

All of these districts are within a mile or two of the county boundary; none are in the interior. With few exceptions, all of the population of the county is located within these 4 districts.

Unlike most of Nevada--87% of which is managed by federal agencies--over 90% of Storey County is privately owned. Without the active support of a federal land management agency or sufficient revenues necessary to develop a county Planning Department, land management efforts in the interior have been minimal and the resources available are largely unknown.