Carson City Board of Supervisors make changes to Facade Improvement Program

Carson City Board of Supervisors on Thursday amended the city’s Facade Improvement Program designed to encourage owners of buildings in redevelopment areas to keep up the exteriors of their properties.

The program was established in March, 2016, and provides up to $25,000 in matching funds to rehab building exteriors.

The program proved to be popular and nearly all of the $200,000 in funds allocated to it through fiscal year 2017 have been awarded to 11 projects.

But with the construction industry getting busier, applicants have had trouble finding contractors to give bids and to do the work in the required time.

Four of the projects have been completed and four of the applications would have expired Friday without changes to the deadlines.

Applicants now must obtain a building permit within 180 days of application approval or by the start of the fiscal year from which the funds are being made available, whichever occurs later. Improvements must be completed within 180 days of getting the permit. If not, one 180-day extension can be granted at RACC’s discretion.

The program is overseen by the Redevelopment Authority Citizens Committee, which approves applications.

Previously, projects that were already under construction were ineligible, but the board added a change, allowing applicants to start construction after applying but before approval and remain eligible, although property owners do so at their own risk with no guarantee the project will be approved.

Several land leases at the Carson City Airport came before the board again after the supervisors last month directed Steve Tackes, airport counsel, to try to renegotiate better terms.

Tackes said he was able to renegotiate the leases to include provisions giving the airport the option to reset the lease rates, now at 12 cents per square foot, every 10 years based on a new appraisal; for tenants to spend a total of 3 cents per square foot annually on improvements, monitored every 10 years so the assessment can accumulate and be spent on major projects; and that the lease rate automatically jumps to the fixed-base operator rate, currently 36 cents per square foot, if the tenants used the property for anything other than aircraft storage.

During public comment, Jerry Vaccaro said he opposed the leases.

“The leases are too long and too cheap,” said Vaccaro. “You’re not treating citizens fairly by taking property and not getting fair market value for it.”

Supervisor Brad Bonkowski said the airport land leases are restricted while industrial land in Mound House, which can be used for a variety of purposes, was currently available for 4 cents per square foot.

Vaccaro said those industrial land lease rates were not comparable because they were monthly rates. The leases at the airport are charged annually.

The negotiation on the airport leases also include a one-time charge of $84,648.44, split between the tenants, to help defray the costs of renovating the airport terminal.

A representative from one of the tenants, Sierra Mountain Airpark North and Sierra Mountain Airpark South, spoke during public comment and said the tenants had added a lot of value over the years, making improvements in excess of $1.30 per square foot.

The supervisors voted unanimously to approve the leases.

The board also made their assignments to outside committees and commission.

New board member, Supervisor John Barrette, took the most spots, with appointments to the Airport Authority, Debt Management Commission, and RACC, as well as the Northern Nevada Development Authority and Western Nevada Development District.

Supervisor Karen Abowd was reappointed Mayor Pro Tem and Mayor Bob Crowell remained on the Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction of the V&T Railway as well as on the Nevada Association of Counties.

Crowell and Bonkowski were appointed to Western Nevada Legislative Coalition.

Supervisor Lori Bagwell was appointed to the Audit Committee, the Carson City Municipal Golf Corp. and to the Regional Transportation Commission to replace Crowell.

The supervisors also appointed Martin Green to the Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife, Ernie Mayhorn and Stephen Ferguson to the Audit Committee, and Kris Wickstead to RACC, and reappointed Terri McBride to the Cultural Commission and Ronni Hannaman to RACC.