Storm water rate hikes, recreation marijuana return to Carson City Board of Supervisors

The Carson City Board of Supervisors on Thursday will consider several options for raising storm water rates.

The rates came before the Utility Finance Oversight Committee in March, which voted to recommend to the board a three-year series of increases, starting with 25 percent in July and 35 percent in each of the following two years.

In May, the board declined to vote on the recommendation and instead directed Public Works staff to come up with other options, including conducting a rate study.

According to the agenda materials, staff is going to outline three options: keep the existing rates, raise rates as recommended by the utility committee or hire a consultant to conduct analysis of the rates.

The latter could be done to varying degrees of depth that would cost an estimated $50,000, $100,000 or $250,000.

Staff is recommending the board approve the rate increases suggested earlier by the utility committee.

The board approved bumps in water and sewer rates starting in 2013, but storm water rates were left alone.

The goal is to enable each fund to meet certain financial standards and for storm water rates to pay for capital improvements rather than fund them through borrowing.

The supervisors will also take up a few items on recreational marijuana.

First, the board will hear about the public workshop on the topic held last week attended by about two dozen people, including a panel of representatives from the marijuana industry, law enforcement and health and counseling services, who weighed in on whether the city should allow sales of recreational pot.

Then it will consider three items on creating a separate business license for businesses that cultivate, manufacture and distribute recreational marijuana.

One is a business impact statement, another is to carve those businesses out of the existing moratorium on recreational pot and the third is a first reading of an ordinance to create the new business license.

That leaves the dispensaries, or the retail point-of-sale, still banned at least until Sept. 19 under the current moratorium.

While possession and use of recreational marijuana is legal anywhere in the state, local municipalities do have the authority to essentially ban local sales by zoning out dispensaries.

The board will also vote whether to approve a tentative subdivision map for 16 attached single-family homes in the Brown Street Specific Plan Area between Edmonds and Fairview drives; appoint two members to the Library Board of Trustees; and hear on first reading an ordinance on hangar use at the Carson City Airport.

The Board of Supervisors meets at 8:30 a.m. in the Sierra Room, Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William St.