The Carson City Planning Commission approved changes to plans for Lompa Ranch that could add apartments, condominiums and smaller lots for single-family homes to the development.
The commission passed resolutions to recommend the Board of Supervisors approve master plan and zoning map amendments for the 250-acre site located on the north side of East 5th Street between south Saliman and Airport roads.
The Board of Supervisors will hear the matter at its March 17 meeting.
If passed by the supervisors, the amendments would change the ranch’s Specific Plan Area to allow for a mix of medium-density residential, high-density residential, mixed-use residential, neighborhood commercial, mixed-use commercial and open space.
The current zoning of single-family one acre and agriculture would be converted to single-family 6,000, multi-family duplex, multi-family apartment, neighborhood business and general commercial.
“This is a major change from the existing SPA,” said Commissioner Paul Esswein. “The original map envisioned a much larger area of residential mixed use and commercial mixed use. This is moving to much more of a multi-family development with some single-family. Seems to me to be a major shift.”
Esswein emphasized this was the first step in a long process and the developer’s plans for specific projects, such as an apartment building, single-family neighborhood or commercial site, would come before the commission again, allowing it continued oversight of the development.
“When it moves forward with tentative maps we’ll see it again,” Esswein said. “This is just a general framework.”
Still, some nearby residents expressed concern the added density could snarl traffic, increase noise and raise taxes if additional services are required.
“I think we need to think about it before we start jamming everyone in there,” said Kathleen Flanagan, who said she lives close by on Appaloosa Court. “There’s going to be a lot of people living there. We don’t have the roads, the infrastructure. I know it’s the last piece of land in Carson City to develop, but we need to really think about it.”
Michael Railey, partner, Rubicon Design Group, the developer, said a minimum $1,000 impact fee will be charged per dwelling unit to help fund a new fire station if and when its needed.
Railey said analysis studies are being conducted for traffic, water and sewer impacts that would have to be mitigated before any single project on the property can gain approval.
After working on drainage systems, the developer is now awaiting approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that would take the development out of a floodplain zone.
Railey said designs call for the development to include a 10-acre park on the west side, a 3-acre park on the east side, a dog park, connected trails and a mix of single-family, townhouses, condos and apartments.
Railey said he hopes to be back to the commission by early fall to get approval of tentative maps.
He said the entire project will likely take five to 10 years to develop.
The property is owned by MTK Properties, LLC; Arraiz Family Trust and Tom and Martha Keating Family Trust.