Carson City rifle range may be open 6 days a week by March

The Carson Rifle and Pistol Range is on track to reopen six days a week before spring.

The Board of Supervisors on Thursday allocated an additional $432,039 and approved an $809,410 contract with Four Point Engineering for construction there that, barring weather delays, should be completed in March.

“It’s nice to be here today and have some good news on the rifle range,” said Jennifer Budge, director, Parks, Recreation and Open Space. “It will take 40 days to construct, weather permitting. Once complete then we can significantly increase operating hours and operate while the landfill is open.”

The range has been closed or its hours restricted for a year since stray bullets were reported at the Carson City landfill next door to it. The city commissioned two reports, both of which recommended safety improvements at the range, and assembled a citizens task force to look at both short- and long-term solutions.

The additional money approved for the project will allow it to completed at once, rather than in phases, and reopen the entire range to the public every day except Monday.

“I still see a lot of Facebook posts saying the city is not invested in the range or doesn’t plan to reopen it. I hope this lets people know we plan to have the range open as soon as possible,” said Supervisor Lori Bagwell, who with Supervisor Brad Bonkowski sat on the task force.

The supervisors had $2.5 million in undesignated funds to allocate. In addition to the range money, the board voted to set aside $1.1 million for new radios needed for a move to the Statewide Public Safety Radio Communications System, and just under $1 million to go to capital projects in fiscal year 2021.

The board also heard on first reading a new ordinance to allow tandem parking spaces to count toward the required minimum number of parking spaces in single-family residential developments.

The code change was recommended by the Planning Commission after an applicant, who is developing a project with garages for two cars parked in tandem, requested it.

The commission voted for it, but added the condition of a special use permit so that each project could be evaluated independently.

The board added more conditions: driveways must be 20 feet in length exclusive of sidewalks, to enable a car to be parked in the driveway, and that one of the two required parking spaces must be covered.

The supervisors made their annual committee assignments. Bonkowski, who is serving the last year of his term, was named mayor pro tempore after Bagwell, the current mayor pro tem, nominated him.

Bagwell is returning to the Audit Committee and the Parks and Recreation Commission, and she and Supervisor Stacey Giomi were appointed to the Western Nevada Legislative Commission, replacing Bonkowski and Mayor Bob Crowell, who will no longer be serving during the next legislative session. Giomi was appointed to represent the city at the Nevada Association of Counties.