The Carson City Planning Commission will meet today to discuss an ordinance change that would clarify the distinctions between personal vehicles and pickup trucks versus other commercial-type vehicles parked or stored in residential neighborhoods.
Planners expect to recommend the amendment to the Board of Supervisors at a future meeting.
Earlier this year, supervisors made changes to development standards addressing commercial vehicles, for businesses such as deliveries or service calls, parked in neighborhoods.
During the discussion, residents expressed concern specifically about what constituted a commercial pickup truck or panel van.
Supervisors adopted the amendment regarding deliveries, but directed planning staff to return with an ordinance that addressed the allowable size of vehicles that could be parked in residentially zoned areas.
According to the proposal:
• A panel van means a van no more than 8 feet high and 20 feet long and weighing 9,500 pounds or less.
• A pickup truck means a truck no more than 8 feet high and 22 feet long and the capacity to carry a maximum of six passengers. The definition does not include dump trucks, flat-beds, tow trucks or wreckers.
Vehicles that do not meet these definitions are prohibited from parking in residential neighborhoods.
In other words, panel vans and pickup trucks that meet the size and weight requirements for parking are exempt from the parking prohibition in residential areas - even though they may be used for commercial purposes by the resident for activities such as landscaping, painting or construction contracting.
Also exempted are vehicles being restored for historic significance or oversized vehicles being used for loading or unloading or in performance of a service or construction project.
The meeting is at 5 p.m. today in the Sierra Room of the Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William St.
A complete agenda is available at www.carson-city.nv.us. (What's Happening - Meeting Information - Agendas).