The Stonebrook planned development (Stonebrook) is generally located at the southeast corner of La Posada Drive and Pyramid Way (Exhibit 1 – Vicinity Map).

On January 6, 2006, the City Council approved the annexation of and a Comprehensive Plan amendment for the Stonebrook property, which consists of approximately 610 acres. The City Council approved the final Stonebrook Design Standards and Regulations (Handbook) on April 24, 2006. The Handbook contemplated 2,135 dwelling units, 50.9 acres of commercial land uses, and 33.6 acres of business park uses.

On February 10, 2014, the City Council approved a Tentative Map for a 617-lot single-family residential subdivision located on 222 acres in the northeastern portion of Stonebrook. Currently, there are 218 lots recorded in two final maps and 145 lots being reviewed in two additional proposed final maps. On May 14, 2018, the City Council approved the Phase 2 Tentative Map for 459 single-family residential lots on 118.45 acres in the southeastern portion of Stonebrook.

On August 2, 2018, the Planning Commission reviewed and approved a Comprehensive Plan amendment for Stonebrook (PCN PCN17-0053). On October 10, 2018, the Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Commission (TMRPC) held a public hearing and reviewed the requested Comprehensive Plan amendment. The TMRPC determined that the Comprehensive Plan amendment conforms with the Truckee Meadows Regional Plan. The City Council certified the Comprehensive Plan Amendment on November 13, 2018. The Stonebrook Design Standards and Regulations must now be amended to reflect the approved land use map.

The Planning Commission reviewed the Stonebrook Design Standards and Regulations on December 6, 2018 and recommended that the City Council approve the proposed amendments.

The proposed Handbook reflecting the requested amendments is attached as Exhibit 2 and is entitled “Stonebrook Design Standards and Regulations.” Proposed deletions are stricken through in this manner. Proposed additions are in red text.

This request is to amend to the final approved Stonebrook Design Standards and Regulations. The proposed amendments include:

• Changing the land uses to match the approved Comprehensive Plan land use designations
• Updating the Land Use Summary and Densities Tables
• Removing references to the Northern Sparks Sphere of Influence Plan (NSSOI), which is no longer in effect
• Updating the phasing section
• Consolidating the two neighborhood parks into a community park in accordance with current Parks and Recreation Department policy
• Administrative changes throughout the Handbook

The proposed amendment includes moving and reallocating the acreage designated for various residential, commercial, and business park land uses in the western portion of Stonebrook in conformance with the recently approved Comprehensive Plan Amendment. The land use changes ripple throughout the text, tables, and graphics in the Handbook. The existing and proposed land use designations are as follows:

Other changes remove references to the NSSOI, which was the plan approved in 1991 for Spanish Springs development within the City of Sparks limits. The NSSOI was removed from the Comprehensive Plan in 2016, so the NSSOI is no longer pertinent.

In addition, the Phasing section in Chapter 1 of the Handbook has been updated to incorporate the development that has occurred to date and how future phasing is anticipated to occur.

In 2013, the City adopted its Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Plan, which included a policy (Policy Rec-2018-B) favoring community parks over neighborhood parks:

Community parks are medium-sized parks that include a mix of active and passive recreation facilities serving multiple neighborhoods and may attract people from throughout the city, as well as visitors to Sparks. Community parks include recreation facilities found in neighborhood parks and support large group activities, organized recreation and self-directed activities. They require more support amenities such as parking, and restrooms, than smaller, neighborhood parks.

Based on this policy, City staff met with the developers of Stonebrook and asked that rather than the two neighborhood parks identified in the Handbook there be a larger community park (+/- 20 acres). The amendment to the Handbook reflects this change by eliminating the two five-acre neighborhood parks and replacing with them a larger community park along La Posada Drive.

Findings for Modification of Final Approved Plan

SMC 20.02.012(G)(6) includes ten findings that the Planning Commission and City Council must consider when reviewing a proposed modification of a final approved plan for a planned development. The findings are as follows:

Finding A: The amendment is consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan and Truckee Meadows Regional Plan and otherwise consistent with Nevada and federal law.

The Comprehensive Plan Goals and Policies relevant to the Handbook amendment are:

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.

Policy MG1:  The Land Use Plan will provide for a diverse and integrated mix of residential and non-residential land uses which, in the aggregate, are fiscally positive.

Goal H2:       Promote a strong, diverse housing market that supports economic growth and vitality while ensuring environmental and fiscal sustainability.

Policy H2:     Promote a variety of housing types throughout Sparks, including within mixed-use settings, to expand the choices available to meet the financial and lifestyle needs of a diverse population and workforce.

Policy CF1:    When reviewing new development, the City will not approve an application unless the City services can be provided at acceptable service levels.

The recently approved Comprehensive Plan amendment for Stonebrook did not change the number or types of land uses. Rather, the Comprehensive Plan amendment relocated and changed acreage for various land uses. The Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Commission determined that the Comprehensive Plan amendment was in conformance with the Truckee Meadows Regional Plan. The proposed Handbook changes would bring the land use designations in Stonebrook into conformance with the Comprehensive Plan and, by extension, with the Truckee Meadows Regional Plan.

The proposed amendment supports economic vitality by providing for a non-residential land use base (Goal MG1) and diversity in the land use mix (Goal MG2). Supporting Policy MG1, Stonebrook provides for a mix of residential and non-residential land uses. There are three types of residential land uses in Stonebrook, supporting Goal H2 and Policy H2. 

The Stonebrook planned development was approved in 2006 and has been included in the utilities and facilities planning for the region since that time. Stonebrook is located within Impact Fee Service Area Number 1 (IFSA #1) and as development occurs, impact fees will be collected for sanitary sewer and storm drain improvements, a sixth fire station, and regional trails, supporting Policy CF1.

Finding B: The amendment is consistent with the surrounding land uses.

The following table summarizes the surrounding land uses.

Stonebrook is located at the southeast corner of La Posada Drive and Pyramid Way, encompassing approximately 610 acres. The lands to the north and west are under the jurisdiction of Washoe County. The intersection of La Posada Drive and Pyramid Way is a commercial node for the central part of the Spanish Springs Valley. To the south are the Tierra Del Sol planned development and Washoe County’s Lazy Five Regional Park.

The proposed amendments to the Handbook do not change type of land uses within the planned development. The majority of the single-family residential uses are in the eastern portion of the planned development while the multi-family residential, commercial, and business park uses are in the western portion of Stonebrook. As previously discussed, the amendment moves and reallocates the acreage designated for various residential, commercial, and business park uses on the west side of Stonebrook. These changes do not, however, materially alter the relationship between the western and eastern portions of Stonebrook or between Stonebrook and surrounding properties.

Finding C:  The amendment will be fiscally positive to the City for a period of at least 20 years if the site affected by the modification, removal or release is 20 or more acres and the modification, removal or release involves permitted uses, residential density, or nonresidential intensity.

A fiscal analysis was not required with this amendment. Fiscal impact was addressed as part of the review of the Comprehensive Plan amendment. The fiscal analysis concluded that the planned development will produce a positive fiscal impact over a 20-year period. Combining the net positive General Fund amount of $7,611,198 and the net negative Road Fund amount of $6,585,070 produces a projected positive fiscal impact of approximately $1,026,128 over the 20-year analysis period.  

Finding D:  The amendment furthers the mutual interest of the residents and owners of the planned unit development and of the public in the preservation of the integrity of the plan as finally approved.

There are single-family homes under construction in the eastern half of Stonebrook but at this time there are no residents or businesses in Stonebrook. The proposed amendment rearranges and reallocates the acreage dedicated to certain uses. These changes are confined to the west side of Stonebrook. The proposed changes are intended to facilitate and improve development of Stonebrook in a manner consistent with the original intent of the plan.

Finding E:  The amendment will not impair the reasonable reliance of the residents and owners upon the provisions of the plan.

There are currently no residents or businesses in Stonebrook, so the amendment would not impair any residents’ or owners’ reliance on the provisions of the Handbook. Because the proposed amendment primarily involves shuffling and reallocating the land uses on the western side of Stonebrook, the proposed amendment will not impair any reliance on the Handbook by prospective homeowners on the eastern section of Stonebrook.

Finding F:  The amendment will not result in changes that would adversely affect the public interest.

The proposed changes are intended to facilitate development of the multi-family, commercial, and business park uses in the western part of Stonebrook. The fiscal impact of these changes, based on the analysis prepared for the Comprehensive Plan amendment, is expected to be positive for the City. As discussed above under Finding B, the proposed changes are anticipated to have a limited impact on the future owners within or properties surrounding Stonebrook.

Finding G:  The amendment is consistent with the efficient development and preservation of the entire planned unit development.

The proposed Handbook amendments do not change the type of land uses or densities, nor increase the maximum number of residential units. The proposed amendments are intended to facilitate development of the non-single-family residential uses in Stonebrook while preserving the character of the approved planned development.

Finding H:  The amendment does not adversely affect the enjoyment of land abutting upon or across a street from the planned unit development or public interest.

The proposed amendments are anticipated to have minimal impacts on the surrounding residents and property owners. Stonebrook’s single-family residential land use remains on the eastern portion of the planned development while the multi-family residential, commercial, and business park remain adjacent to Pyramid Way on the western side of the planned development. The land use pattern and street network are generally the same as originally approved in 2006.

Finding I:  The amendment is not granted solely to confer a private benefit upon any person.

The proposed amendments primarily rearrange and reallocate the land uses on the west side of Stonebrook in a more logical fashion, aggregating commercial and employment center uses nearer to the commercial node at La Posada Drive and Pyramid Highway and placing residential uses nearer to each other. This logical reorganization is in the public interest and thus the proposed amendments will not solely confer a private benefit to any person. The amendment also brings the land uses in the Handbook into conformance with the recently approved Comprehensive Plan amendment.

Finding J:  Public notice was given, and a public hearing held as required by the Sparks Municipal Code and Nevada Revised Statutes.

Public notice was given as required by the Sparks Municipal Code and Nevada Revised Statutes. The Planning Commission and City Council meetings function as the public hearings for this item. This request was noticed, at a minimum, to all property owners within the Stonebrook planned development and within 750 feet of Stonebrook for a total of 534 property owners’ notices. Public notice was also published in the Reno Gazette Journal on November 21, 2018. 

1. The City Council can approve the amendment as presented in the Stonebrook Design Standards and Regulations.
2. The City Council may deny the request to amend the Stonebrook Design Standards and Regulations.
3. The City Council could remand the amendment back to Planning Commission with direction.   

I move to amend the Stonebrook Final Design Standards and Regulations to move and reallocate the acreage designated for various residential, commercial and business park land use categories and modify associated development standards for an approximately 610-acre site in the NUD (New Urban District – Stonebrook) zoning district generally located south of La Posada Drive and east of Pyramid Way in Sparks, Nevada, based on the information and findings set forth in the staff report.