In October of 2016 the City annexed Highland Ranch Park, a 67.4 acre property with Washoe County Assessor Parcel Numbers of 083-011-12 and 083-11-13 located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Highland Ranch Parkway and the Pyramid Highway.  During consideration of the annexation request, the City Council expressed concerns regarding their inability to consider the potential use – the project to be developed on the site – as part of their deliberations.  Infrastructure requirements, as well as the City’s responsibilities to provide services to this property, could only be nominally considered without more advanced plans for development of the property.  Subsequent discussions between City staff and American Recess LLC, the prospective developer of the property have sought to identify a path or mechanism to process the various land use approvals and infrastructure plans the project will need in a coordinated manner that best balances the interests of the developer, public and City.

This agenda item asks the City Council to direct staff to proceed with negotiating and preparing, for future consideration by the City Council, a NRS 278.0201 development agreement concerning the development of Highland Ranch Park.  American Recess LLC is contemplating land uses that will require various approvals from the City and Truckee Meadows Regional Planning.  Development of the property will also require extension of City infrastructure into an area that, until the October 2016 annexation, was not served by City infrastructure.

City staff and the developer believe that a NRS 278.0201 development agreement would provide greater predictability and facilitate better planning for development of this property.  The proposed development agreement would cover the conditions precedent to the City changing the Comprehensive Plan land use designation and zoning, and approval of other land use entitlements such as conditional use permits.  It would also address the timing and any phasing of development as well as the terms and requirements for, and financing of, public infrastructure, including the property’s possible inclusion in Impact Fee Service Area Number 1.  Finally, NRS 278.0201 development agreements permit the project applicant to waive certain NRS statutory timeframes so that various land use approvals can be considered concurrently by the Planning Commission and the City Council.

Alternatives include choosing to not direct staff to prepare a NRS 278.0201 development agreement or providing other direction to staff.

I move to direct staff to negotiate and prepare for future consideration by the City Council a NRS 278.0201 development agreement for the Highland Ranch Park property.