The subject property is located at 1855 N. McCarran Boulevard. (Refer to Exhibit 1 - Vicinity Map). According to the Washoe County Assessor’s records, the parcel has an existing house on it that was constructed in 1965. In 1991, this property was included in an application for a zone change and tentative map. Morgan Subdivision, which the subject parcel is within, is an eleven-parcel subdivision recorded October 8, 1999.

In addition to this request to rezone the subject parcel, ARC Health and Wellness submitted an application for a Comprehensive Plan amendment to change the land use from Intermediate Density Residential (IDR – 6 to less than 10 dwelling units) to Commercial (C).  The applicant has indicated they intend to convert the existing house on the property to an office building. This rezoning request cannot be approved unless the City Council first certifies the Comprehensive Plan amendment.

On January 4, 2018, the Sparks Planning Commission approved the Comprehensive Plan amendment to change the land use designation from Intermediate Density Residential (IDR – 6 to less than 10 dwelling units) to Commercial (C). The Planning Commission also voted to forward a recommendation of approval to the Sparks City Council of this rezoning request (Refer to Planning Commission Report of Action). 

This agenda item asks the City Council to rezone a property approximately 0.88 acres in size and located at 1855 N. McCarran Boulevard from SF-9 (Single Family Residential) to PO (Professional Office). (Refer to Exhibit 5 – Existing Sparks Zoning and Exhibit 6 – Proposed Sparks Zoning, respectively).

A separate agenda item asks the City Council to certify a Comprehensive Plan amendment. The property is currently designated on the Sparks Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map as Intermediate Density Residential (IDR – 6 to less than 10 dwelling units/acres). The applicant is requesting to change the land use designation to Commercial (C). The rezoning request cannot be approved unless the City Council first certifies the Comprehensive Plan amendment.

A comparison of the uses allowed in the SF9 and PO zoning districts is as follows:

REZONING FINDINGS:

FINDING Z1:    The request, as submitted, is consistent with the City of Sparks Comprehensive Plan.

This request is to rezone the site from SF9 (Single Family Residential) to PO (Professional Office).

The Comprehensive Plan Goals and Policies that are relevant to this request include:

Goal MG1       Support economic vitality by providing a non-residential land use base.  

Goal MG2       Foster diversity in the land use mix including residential, commercial, industrial, employment and recreational areas citywide.

Approval of the rezoning request would support Goals MG1 and MG2 by increasing the amount of land available for non-residential uses, including offices, and thus employment opportunities. The proposed zoning of PO would restrict the uses to those identified in the table above.

FINDING Z2:    The project is consistent with the surrounding existing land uses.

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

The subject parcel is located on the western side of N. McCarran Boulevard. Due to high traffic volumes, this site is not an ideal location for single-family homes. In 2016, the estimated traffic count at a point just north of the subject site was 18,000 average daily trips.

The properties to the north along McCarran Boulevard are designated on the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map as Commercial to allow professional office uses. Conversion of this property to an office would provide a transitional land use between a busy arterial road and the single-family homes to the west. The single-family residences to the east are separated from the site by N. McCarran Boulevard. To the south are single-family homes, five of which have backyards that share a property line with the subject property. A small office building should, however, be a low-impact neighbor.

Conversion of the structure on the subject property from a residence to an office building will be subject to the Administrative Review process. Staff can address any buffering that may be necessary between the office and adjacent residential uses at that time.

FINDING Z3:    Public notice was given and a public hearing held per the requirements of the Sparks Municipal Code.

Public notice was given per the requirements of the Sparks Municipal Code and Nevada Revised Statutes. The Planning Commission and City Council meetings function as the public hearings for this item. This rezoning request was noticed, at a minimum, to all property owners within 750 feet of the subject properties; 203 property owners were mailed notices. Public notice was published in the Reno Gazette-Journal on December 21, 2017. 

1. The City Council can adopt Bill No. 2731 rezoning the property located at 1855 N. McCarran Boulevard.
2. The City Council could remand the rezoning request back to Planning Commission with direction.
3. The City Council could deny the rezoning request. 

I move to adopt Bill No. 2731 rezoning real property approximately 0.878 acres in size and located at 1855 N. McCarran Blvd., Sparks, NV from SF9 to PO based on Findings Z1 through Z3 and the facts supporting these findings as set forth in the staff report.