Public Works & Planning incorporates county building department

With the upcoming move into the South Maine Street building, changes are afoot in the county’s Public Works & Planning department.

Namely, the re-incorporation of the Building Department under the umbrella of Public Works and Planning as it was in the early 2000s with an updated department name: Public Works, Planning & Building.

With a wide scope of work, the Public Works, Planning & Building Department’s responsibilities include administering building permits and inspections, Federal Emergency Management Act regulations, agriculture protection, assigning street addresses, business license administration, code enforcement of zoning and development standards, GIS coordination, implementation of the master plan, land division, land use and development, conservation programs to protect agriculture and water resources protection.

The Public Works, Planning & Building Department also supports the County’s Planning Commission and Sending Site Committee.

Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Transfer of Development Rights

One of the county’s tools for protecting agriculture and natural resources is the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program. This program provides a voluntary, incentive-based process for permanently preserving rural resources that provide community benefits such as agriculture preservation, open spaces, aquifer recharge for water supply, and a buffer area around Naval Air Station Fallon.

The program primarily provides farmers near NAS Fallon the opportunity to work with the Navy and county to sell their development rights and establish a conservation easement on the property that ensures continued agricultural use. The Sending Site Committee primarily review TDR applications.

Building permits and inspections

This office reviews construction plans, issues building permits, and performs field inspections for residential, commercial, and industrial construction projects (including manufactured homes) in the unincorporated areas of the county. It also permits and inspects the construction of residential septic systems - both new systems and repairs to existing systems. Information on building codes and design criteria is available in the building office.

Business licenses

Churchill County Code requires a person, firm, corporation, or association that engages in any business, trade, calling, industry, occupation, or profession in the county to obtain the necessary licenses and permits. Please contact the department prior to conducting business to verify that the proposed business is permitted in the zoning district in which the property is located. A county business license is required for businesses that don’t have a physical location in the county but perform work in the county. For businesses located inside the City of Fallon city limits, please obtain a city business license first at City Hall, 55 West Williams Avenue.

Code enforcement

The Churchill County Code is a large reference document available online and is a good place to start when embarking on a land use project. Staff in the Public Works, Planning & Zoning department can also help with finding relevant code sections for your project.

The goal of the Code Enforcement office is to educate the citizens of Churchill County so that there is an understanding of the codes that may affect their lives. The Code Enforcement office strives to gain voluntary compliance through the education of the citizens on zoning, health, safety, and other designated, applicable codes.

Failure to comply with the county code to correct violations may result in code enforcement action including administrative fines and fees, as well as referral to the District Attorney for prosecution.

The office works to protect the health and safety of the citizens of Churchill County and to promote the maintenance of property and buildings to enhance the livability; community appearance; and the safe, social, and economic conditions of the community.

The office primarily handles complaints on zoning and land use violations, health and safety, business licenses and regulation violations, and provides enforcement support to other Churchill County departments by enforcing building and permitting violations, streets and sidewalk violations and so on.

GIS

Churchill County has an in-house Geographic Information System (GIS). The GIS is a database that stores depictions of property lines, roads, addresses, and zoning, plus water and sewer locations. The system shows this information on maps to help make informed decisions about development and other government actions. Addresses are assigned for properties in the county from this system. A variety of maps are available for purchase, including custom maps. The GIS Coordinator also accepts applications for address and road name requests. He is also responsible for updating data for land divisions, combinations, modifications, and zone changes. Web maps, created with the GIS data, are available for viewing on the county’s website.

Land divisions

Property may be subdivided according to the zoning designation of the parcel. Lots of a certain size will trigger increased infrastructure requirements, such as road surfacing or providing sewer or water facilities. All new lots must meet the impact fee requirements, which may include dedication of water rights.

The land division procedure that must be followed is dependent upon the number of parcels/lots that will be created. For parcels that are 40 acres or more, divisions creating any number of lots are reviewed through a division of land into large parcels permit. For parcels that are less than 40 acres, divisions creating up to 4 lots are reviewed through a parcel map permit, while those of five or more are reviewed through the subdivision or serial parcel map process. There are also many parcel modification permits.

Land use and zoning

The 2020 Churchill County Master Plan provides the framework for decision making on matters relating to growth and development. The Master Plan focuses on land use and development issues facing Churchill County and establishes goals and policies that address countywide issues and concerns.

The land use element of the Master Plan establishes a planned pattern for the development of Churchill County. The Master Land Use Plan/Growth Management Plan is a map that describes general locations appropriate for different land uses, such as agriculture and low-density residential uses, and it designates an urbanizing area for more intensive mixed uses.

All land in Churchill County is assigned one of five zoning districts: agriculture, residential, commercial, industrial, or rural resources. Agriculture is permitted in all land use districts in the county. Those listed with an agriculture heading are also residential. Within these groups, there are a total of 10 zoning districts. To see how your property is zoned, use the Zone Map App on the county’s web maps page.

Permits and variances

The zoning district of the property determines the allowed uses as shown in the Land Use Table. This table also indicates the type of permit that is required. Some permits are approved by staff, and some are approved by the Planning Commission.

Many uses do not need a special permit, but rather can be allowed through a zoning review, which is a quick review of the plans by staff to make sure the code requirements will be met. For some simple projects, this happens with the building permit review.

A Special Use Permit is an authorization for a property owner to develop a use that is only allowed when developed under certain specific conditions. Specially permitted uses are those which are generally compatible with other land uses in the zoning district, but may need consideration of location, design, and configuration to deal with particular issues. A special use permit is discretionary, and approval is usually made by the Planning Commission. Projects need to be implemented within 12 months of granting the special use permit, or the permit expires.

 A Temporary Use Permit is for the placement of temporary living quarters or business office that is not normally allowed, but it can be requested for specific situations listed in the County Code. A temporary use permit is required for anyone to reside in a temporary residence (i.e., RV, camper, travel trailer) for more than 90 days in a year on residential, private property outside of a legal RV park. Some temporary use permits are approved by staff, and some are approved by the Planning Commission. Temporary use permits are temporary in nature and subject to annual renewal.

Variances provide an exception from standards or regulations in County Code, though they cannot be used to allow a prohibited use, to change the review or permit type, nor to waive the minimum access road standard. If more than one standard needs to be adjusted, then multiple variances may be required – for example, a setback encroachment on two different property lines would require two variances. There are two types: administrative variances approved by staff and standard variances approved by the Planning Commission. Each has separate requirements, approval criteria, and notifications.

Water resources

Water is a limited and invaluable resource, particularly in a desert environment where average annual precipitation is less than five inches. The primary source of water for Churchill County’s largest population is drawn from an underground aquifer beneath the Lahontan Valley, known as hydrographic Basin 101. The State of Nevada has designated our aquifer as over-appropriated, so no new water rights are being issued. Aquifer recharge relies on precipitation, seepage from the Carson River, leakage from the network of canals and drains within the Newlands Project, and irrigation.

The protection of this precious resource is of paramount importance, and retention of surface-water rights to sustain recharge is vital. Therefore, the County requires that all new developments dedicate water rights to the County so that a healthy aquifer will be maintained,

Water and wastewater systems

In 2005, Churchill County took over ownership and operation of the Pine Grove Wastewater Treatment Facility to accommodate rapid development in the area and prepare for the construction of larger more efficient wastewater treatment facilities.

Churchill County's first water treatment facility, the Sand Creek Water Treatment Plant, began operation in September 2007. The treatment facility was designed to meet water quality standards as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act and has replaced water systems that were becoming obsolete in several subdivisions, mobile home parks, and commercial businesses along the westward corridor of Highway 50. Sand Creek currently services several hundred homes and businesses, with the ability to expand to 1,000 to 1,500 customers.

In 2009, the Moody Lane Regional Water Reclamation Facility was completed, and it is sufficient to meet the demands within the county's service area for 20 to 30 years.

Contact Public Works, Planning & Building

Randy Hines, a longtime Churchill County resident, leads the Public Works Planning & Building department. Hines is a veteran of the construction industry who came to the county from Lumos and Associates, a local civil engineering firm, where he worked for 20 years in civil design, project coordination, and assisted in construction management roles. Relatively new to the role, Hines is assisted by a staff of six.

The department is currently located in the county administration building, 155 N. Taylor St., but will be moving to 270 South Maine Street later this summer.

Open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Public Works, Planning & Building staff can be reached at 775-423-7627. The department’s webpage has many valuable resources on it for the public to use.

Anne McMillin is public information officer for Churchill County.