Planning commissioners weigh zoning update, storage project

A draft ordinance updating Title 18, which contains the zoning laws of Carson City, and revised development standards (Title 18 appendix) are heading to the Carson City Planning Commission on Wednesday.

The meeting starts at 4 p.m. in the community center board room, 851 E. William St.

“For the past few years, the Planning Commission, Board of Supervisors, community, staff and District Attorney’s office have been working on an update of Title 18 and Title 18 appendix,” reads a staff report. “The objectives were: update citations of Nevada Revised Statute and applicable federal law; ensure consistency with state and federal law; formatting changes for consistency with the city’s Ordinance Drafting Manual; promoting clarity; updating regulations based on input from the Planning Commission, board, community and staff.

“The proposed draft is the result of numerous workshops with the community, Planning Commission and board. The draft reflects the substance of the proposed changes. There may be some formatting changes before the document is in final ordinance format.”

Supporting documents, including hundreds of pages of proposed revisions, can be found online: https://d2kbkoa27fdvtw.cloudfront.net/carsoncity/abe33751a6f5af2e456c4d296a85c4130.pdf.

Accessory dwelling units, child care facilities, storage uses, street vendors and manufactured homes are just some of the sections in the development standards proposed for revision.

The update to Title 18 itself is meant to reorganize, clarify and remove redundancies in legal definitions and administrative processes related to zoning and planning like zoning map amendments, special use permits and variances.

In other action, not to be heard before 5 p.m. Wednesday:

• Planning commissioners will consider a special use permit to establish a child care facility in a 1,670-square-foot section of a 45,909-square-foot building on general commercial property at 4600 Snyder Avenue, which also houses Homegrown Bowl and other tenants.

“Jennifer Millim (applicant) is proposing to re-establish a child care facility use within an existing tenant space previously occupied by a child care facility that went out of business March 10, 2020,” according to the agenda. “The requested child care facility will have a maximum of 40 children. A child care facility is allowed with the approval of an SUP.”

A staff report states the subject space affords office and care areas and a fenced outside play area.

“No additions are being proposed, the existing landscape area will remain, and there is sufficient parking on the overall subject site to accommodate this use,” reads the report. “Parking spaces dedicated to child pick up and drop off will be located outside of the primary entrance and there is ample onsite parking to accommodate spaces for the five anticipated staff members to park.”

• Commissioners will consider a SUP for outdoor storage and enclosed personal storage at 556 Airport Road, general commercial and public regional property within the Lompa Ranch North Specific Plan Area.

“Sierra Tahoe RV & Boat Storage (applicant) is proposing a storage facility with a 760-square-foot manager’s office, 54,400 square feet of enclosed personal storage, covered storage space for 180 recreational vehicles and a sanitary waste dump station,” according to the agenda.

“Outside storage and personal storage uses are allowed with a SUP in GC but not in PR,” the agenda states. “Under Carson City Municipal Code (CCMC) 18.04.020, a SUP is required where a use is allowed in one use district on the parcel but not the other use district.”

According to a staff report, a SUP for the project was approved in 2019, and developers obtained amendments and extensions for the project over the years, the last extension expiring July 27.

“The applicant was in the process of pursuing building permits for the site improvements and associated buildings at the time the SUP expired,” reads the report. “Permit applications have been reviewed by staff and further action requires approval of an SUP since the previously approved SUP has expired.”

In August, Carson City planning commissioners rejected a proposal for RV and boat storage near a residential area east of Emerson Drive after neighbors argued it would fundamentally change the neighborhood. Commissioners recommended to supervisors denial of a master plan amendment and a tentative commercial planned unit development (PUD) and an associated zoning change.

In July, commissioners approved a SUP (which doesn’t need supervisors’ approval) to convert the former K-Mart building at 3456 N. Carson St., into a personal storage/retail/office complex including RV and boat storage. The building had been sitting vacant for roughly two decades.