City might hold Autumn Village owners to property taxes

Carson City might ask the owners of the city's low-income senior apartments to pay property taxes they agreed to pay but later opted out of.

The Seasons Limited Partnership, which runs the two Autumn Village complexes east of the Carson City Senior Citizens Center on Beverly Drive, hasn't paid the city $40,000 in property taxes because of an exemption it got under Nevada law, according to the assessor's office.

The Board of Supervisors will consider a recommendation today from the Carson City District Attorney's office to send the nonprofit a notice of default.

Though the nonprofit agreed to pay property taxes in a 2005 lease on land for the first building, the assessor's office had to grant an exemption when the partnership later requested one because state law takes precedent, said Assessor Dave Dawley.

The nonprofit pays the city $1 a year for use of the land where the first of two Autumn Village complexes is built.

The 47-unit building was finished in September 2006.

According to a draft letter to the nonprofit prepared by the Carson City District Attorney's office, the city would "exercise any and all rights and remedies" if the business doesn't start to pay, "including but not limited to, repossession of the leased property."

Senior Deputy District Attorney Joel Benton said the city has talked with the nonprofit but has not resolved the issue.

Carson City might be able to settle the issue without sending a notice of default, said City Manager Linda Ritter, but when the nonprofit got a property tax exemption, "it was a big surprise to us."

Calls to representatives from the nonprofit Wednesday were not immediately returned.

The Seasons Limited Partnership is part of Caldwell, Idaho-based Community Development Inc., which has developments in Fernley as well Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Montana and Alaska.

A division of Community Development Inc. and the Carson City Senior Citizens Center operate the Autumn Village complexes, which, according to Appeal records, cost about $12 million to build.

In December 2006, the city gave The Seasons Limited 18 months to pay $51,000 it mistakenly didn't pay in water fees. Ritter said the nonprofit is making scheduled payments.

• Contact reporter Dave Frank at dfrank@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.

If you go

WHAT: Carson City Board of Supervisors meeting

WHEN: 8:30 a.m. today

WHERE: Sierra Room of the Community Center, 851 E. William St.

On the Net

A copy of the agenda is at www.carson-city.nv.us. Go to the Board of Supervisors link under the City Government tab.

Other items for the board of supervisors' agenda today:

An appeal from North Carson Crossing shopping center for a special permit for 65-foot-tall sign, which would be the largest in the city.

The Carson City Planning Commission turned down the request in November saying the sign was larger than necessary and set a bad precedent. A few residents from the Northridge subdivision near the shopping center came to the commission meeting to protest the sign.

Rose Boyer, who was at the meeting, said Wednesday that she will bring letters from subdivision residents to the meeting asking supervisors to uphold the commission's decision.

Ken Witt, manager of the shopping center, has said the size of sign was necessary so that drivers on the freeway can see all stores being advertised, including Wal-Mart and Home Depot.

The sign would cost $200,000 to build and have 14 panels. The normal height for a sign allowed is 30 feet.

The planning commission will have a meeting Friday to consider a 120-day moratorium on special permits for signs. Officials want to develop standards for signs near the freeway.

•••

A review by the supervisors of City Manager Linda Ritter's job performance from December 2006 to December 2007.

The board turned down a proposal last month to have the public comment on her performance as well.

Ritter has received positive reviews in the past but some supervisors, particularly Mayor Marv Teixeira, have criticized her this year regarding her communication and professionalism. Teixeira asked her to resign in July do to "performance issues."

Ritter started in 2003 and has a contract through April 2009.

•••

Slight increases are expected for sewer, water and storm water rates.

The board asked the public works department to make recommendations to help pay for upgrades for the wastewater treatment facility.

Under the department's proposal, water rates would increase 6 percent - less than $1 a month for residents who use 14,000 gallons of water a month.

Customers most affected would be large commercial users. For instance, customers using 3,085,000 gallons of a water a month would see an increase from about $8,358 to $8,860.

The biggest increase for the average household would be with sewer rates, increasing about $2.50 a month. The rates of small commercial customers would increase about $20 a month.

Storm water monthly fees would increase about $1 a month for all users.