Carson City was recognized Thursday as a StormReady community
by the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration.
"Natural disasters will continue to occur. You will have flooding from the Carson River, you will have wildfires and you will have flash floods from Ash and Kings canyons," said Rhett Milne of the National Weather Service in Reno.
Milne singled out Fire Chief Stacey Giomi and City Manager Larry Werner for their involvement in achieving the StormReady status, but added that many people were involved.
"You've gone a long way toward protecting life and property in Carson City," he said.
"To achieve this distinction, Carson City met rigorous criteria, which included developing severe weather safety plans and communications infrastructure along with actively promoting weather safety through community awareness activities and training.
Nationally, 1,500 communities have received the StormReady distinction. Only three or four in Nevada have been recognized, Milne said.
In other matters Thursday, supervisors:
• Authorized the Public Works Department to submit an application for a Housing and Urban Development Community Challenge Planning Grant in the amount of $100,000 to create a specific plan and zoning for the Fairview Drive mixed use corridor from the freeway to Carson Street. The grant requires a 20 percent match, or $25,000, which may include in-kind services such as city staff time and materials. The match would be made within existing budgets.
Planning Director Lee Plemel said the Fairview Drive corridor is designated mixed-use commercial in the city's master plan, but is presently zoned limited industrial. Establishing a specific plan and mixed-use zoning for the area will help the area to transition into a more compatible neighborhood mix of commercial and residential uses along this main access corridor.
• Heard a census count presentation from David Byerman, the U.S. Census Bureau's chief government liaison for Nevada. Carson City had a 79 percent response rate compared to the statewide rate of 72 percent. Byerman said data will be presented Dec. 31, at which time Nevada will learn whether it receives an additional congressional seat. Reapportionment and redistricting information is expected to come out next summer.
• Awarded a contract for the city's Public Works Solar Photovoltaic System to Reliant electric for a bid amount of $559,730.