Supervisors could swap Pyzel for Loyd on planning commission

As part of the consent agenda, the Carson City Board of Supervisors will review an appointment to the Planning Commission after Planning Commission Vice Chair Sena Loyd announced her resignation effective Sept. 30.

Supervisors meet 8:30 a.m. Thursday in the community center board room, 851 E. William St. The appointment would be for a partial term expiring Jan. 1, 2025.

“This decision was not made lightly, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have served the community in this capacity over the past almost four years,” Loyd wrote to Planning Commission Chair Teri Preston. “During my tenure, I have had the privilege of working alongside a dedicated group of individuals committed to the growth and future of Carson City. I deeply appreciate the collaborative efforts of the commission, supervisors and especially the dedicated staff in making informed decisions that benefit the residents and foster responsible development.”

The Planning Commission reviews zoning and development items, often the first board to review a project. Master plan and zoning map amendments must be approved by supervisors but go to the Planning Commission first. And planning commissioners also decide on special use permits for projects that need a higher level of review than other permitted uses.

Loyd was Carson City library director from 2014 to 2019. She ran for the Nevada Assembly as a Democrat in 2020, losing to Republican P.K. O’Neill. Appointed to the Planning Commission in 2021, Loyd was part of the recent update to Title 18 in city code, which supervisors are in the process of approving. During her tenure on the commission, she advocated for issues like affordable housing and child care.

“While I will no longer be involved as a commissioner, I remain fully supportive of the important work being done by the Planning Commission and the city's continued progress,” reads her resignation letter. “I am confident the commission will continue to promote thoughtful and effective planning for the community. Thank you for the trust and support the community has extended to me throughout my service. I look forward to witnessing the continued positive impact the Commission will have in shaping Carson City's future.”

According to next week’s agenda, “five of the commissioners are recommended for appointment by each member of the Board of Supervisors and the remaining two commissioners are appointed from the community at-large.”

“Each commissioner is appointed by the mayor with the approval of the board. Currently, there is one vacancy for a member who is recommended by Supervisor (Lisa) Schuette. Supervisor Schuette is recommending Robert Pyzel for appointment to the Planning Commission,” reads the agenda.

When asked why the item was on the consent agenda, Carson City Public Information Officer Cameron Gresh clarified: “for the two at-large positions on the commission, public interviews are, in fact, required, but not for appointees, which is the position being filled by this agenda item.”

Gresh confirmed supervisors may pull the item off the consent agenda at their discretion.

Pyzel, a Carson resident, has worked as a land use planner for more than 30 years, according to his application.

“I spent the majority of those years working for local jurisdictions in Nevada, but I also managed to include a seven-year stint in Colorado,” reads the application. “I recently retired (October 2022). As a part of my previous work experiences, I worked with the general public, property owners, developers and the various local jurisdictions' planning and community development staff on a variety of development projects and planning efforts ranging from large mixed-use planned unit developments to major master plan amendments and updates to applying for variance requests from property lines.”

Asked to describe his vision for the city in 10 years, Pyzel wrote in the application: “If the nation's economy continues to rebound from the aftereffects of the recent pandemic, I would hope to see a variety of attainable housing options that meet the needs of a wide range of citizens throughout the city. I would hope that the city retains its focus on having development remain within the urban service boundary, seeks to concentrate on infill development located on vacant or under-utilized parcels. I would hope that the city limits the expansion of development outside of the urban service boundary in order to maintain the surrounding open spaces (including public lands).”