This request pertains to two properties which are both addressed as 1040 El Rancho Drive. The northern parcel is the parking for the office building located on the southern parcel. Each parcel is 0.2 acres in size for a total of 0.4 acres. The 3,504 square foot office building was constructed in 1987.                 

In addition to the master plan amendment request, the applicant is requesting a rezoning to add the parcels to the MUD zoning District in order to gain greater flexibility in the allowed uses. There are no plans to redevelop the properties at this time. Any redevelopment of the site will have to conform to the MUD standards.

The neighborhood meeting for the master plan amendment was held July 29, 2015.  Three people attended the neighborhood meeting. They asked if the master plan amendment and zone change would have any effect on their properties. It was explained that this request is only for the applicant’s two properties and would not change the zoning for any other properties. 

On September 3, 2015, the Planning Commission reviewed the master plan amendment and rezone requests. The Planning Commission approved the master plan amendment and recommends that the City Council certify the master plan amendment and approve the zone change. On October 21, 2015, Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Commission found the master plan amendment conforms to the goals and policies of the 2012 Truckee Meadows Regional Plan. 

1040 El Rancho Drive is a 0.4 acre property that has an existing office on the southern parcel and a parking lot on the northern parcel. The property is designated on the Sparks Land Use Plan as Medium Density Residential.  The applicant is requesting the master plan amendment to change the land use to Transit Oriented Development - Mixed Residential (TOD-MR). The parcel is currently zoned PO (Professional Office).

MASTER PLAN:

Finding M1. The proposed Master Plan amendment would be in conformance with the Regional Plan land use/intensity designation.

The Truckee Meadows Regional Plan Goals and Policies relevant to this project are:

Goal 1.1 Between 2007 and 2030, at least 99% of the region’s population growth and 99% of the region’s jobs growth will be located in the Truckee Meadows Service Areas (TMSA).

The properties are located within the City of Sparks Truckee Meadows Service Area (TMSA) and are for an existing office building and parking lot. The TOD-MR designation could provide new use opportunities while allowing for continued use of the property.

Goal 3.5 The Regional Plan will coordinate the master plans, facilities plans, and other similar plans of local governments and affected entities to ensure that necessary public facilities and services to support new development are or will be available and adequate at the time the impacts of new development occur (i.e. concurrency).

If this master plan amendment is approved, the applicant’s intent is to continue the current use of the property while allowing a wider variety of permitted uses. The property is located within an older section of the City. Public facilities and services are already provided to the property. Redevelopment of the property could require improvements to the existing infrastructure.

Finding M2. The Master Plan amendment would implement the goals listed within the Sparks Master Plan as listed in the staff report.

The Land Use Plan Goals and Policies including Transit Oriented Development Goals that are relevant to this proposal include:

GOAL LU1:       To create a growth pattern which assures flexible, feasible and efficient developments and which includes natural and cultural amenities.

POLICIES

LU1a.    The City will support a preferred growth pattern which applies consistent and uniform standards to areas planned for similar uses.  

ACTION STRATEGIES

Allow only developments which meet the proper land use designation of the City’s Master Plan and the Regional Master Plan.

TOD Goal 2.2: Support and Integrate Existing Neighborhoods and Commercial areas.

The intent of the above goals is to encourage redevelopment and/or continued use of the existing building, especially in the City’s older neighborhoods. This master plan amendment supports these goals by allowing the applicant to broaden the permitted uses on the subject property.

Finding M3. The Master Plan Amendment would be compatible with surrounding land uses.

The surrounding land uses and zoning are summarized in the table below:

The 1040 El Rancho site is located in an area of mixed residential types and a City of Reno park. There are multi-family developments to the north. To the east are single family homes. To the west is Teglia’s Paradise Park. A mixed residential designation for this property is consistent with the other developments in the area and provides a transition between the park to the west and the commercial uses farther north along the Oddie Boulevard corridor. 

FINDING M4: Public notice was given and a public hearing held per the requirements of Nevada Revised Statutes and Sparks Municipal Code.

Public notice was given.  The Planning Commission and City Council meetings function as public hearings for this matter.  The Nevada Revised Statutes and Sparks Municipal Code public hearing requirements have been met. The Neighborhood Meeting required by NRS 278.210 was held on July 29, 2015. 

City Council could choose to not certify the master plan amendment request and remand it back to Planning Commission with direction. 

I move to certify the master plan amendment associated with PCN15029 based on the findings M1 through M4, and the facts supporting these findings as set forth in the staff report.