13-acre zone change proposed in east Carson

Residential developer Nevada West Land is seeking a zone change for 13 acres off Lepire and Edmonds drives from general industrial to commercial to build duplexes on five acres.

The Carson City Planning Commission will review the application at its Wednesday meeting and then make a recommendation to the board of supervisors. If the request is approved, Nevada West Land would also have to secure a special-use permit to build duplexes or a subdivision in a commercial zone.

PEAK Consulting Engineers Project Manager Keith Shaffer said his client owns 4.8 acres and is in escrow with another half an acre. Nevada West Land is owned by Christian Funk, Mark Funk and Sherry Funk of Gardnerville.

"They are seeking a zone change and a master plan amendment to help assist possible future development that more closely matches the existing development in that area," Shaffer said Monday.

The area - which has eight vacant parcels, two with buildings - is called a friction zone because the industrial zoning abuts residential. He said Nevada West Land requested commercial zoning rather than residential for its proposed project after an agreement was made with the city. He said obtaining a special-use permit to build the duplexes would give the city more control over what they will look like.

The 13-acre area includes FitzHenry's Funeral Home on North Edmonds Drive, a recreational vehicle storage and manufacturing on the corner of North Edmonds and Lepire drives. The Sundance Ridge subdivision, also a Nevada West Land project, is located northeast of the subject parcels.

"Their property would be a transition between," Shaffer said about the five acres that his client plans to develop.

He said designs have not been drawn, pending the city's approval of the zone and master plan changes, and the number of homes has not been determined.

Carson City Principal Planner Lee Plemel said allowing the area to remain as industrial wouldn't solve the conflict with the neighboring residences.

"As a part of the master plan process we were planning on evaluating this area and looking at it and seeing the appropriate land use for the area," he said. "This application from the Funks and PEAK engineers brought the issue to the forefront ahead of time."

According to the city, industrial uses should be in areas where there is little interaction with the general public because of their association with noise, odors and the use of chemicals.

Plemel said if the zone change is granted the industrial businesses located in the area would be allowed to remain there, but any new business would have to be commercial, or residential with a special-use permit.

n Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.

If you go

What: Carson City Planning Commission

When: 3:30 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Carson City Community Center, Sierra Room, 851 E. William St.