The subject property is located at the southwest corner of Sullivan Lane and Kelly Ranch Drive (Exhibit 1 – Vicinity Map). According to the Washoe County Assessor’s records, there are three residential units and two detached garages, constructed in 1955, on this property. The property is part of the P J Kelly’s Ranch subdivision.

The City Council approved the annexation of the subject property on July 23, 2018. The annexation became effective on July 25, 2018.

On October 4, 2018, the Sparks Planning Commission approved a Comprehensive Plan amendment to change the land use designation for this property from Large Lot Residential (LLR) to Commercial (C). At that same meeting the Planning Commission also voted to forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council for this rezoning request. (Refer to Planning Commission Report of Action)

On December 12, 2018, the Regional Planning Commission (RPC) reviewed the requested Comprehensive Plan amendment for this property and conducted a public hearing. The RPC determined that the Comprehensive Plan amendment conforms with the Truckee Meadows Regional Plan.

The subject site consists of one parcel totaling 1.9 acres in size. The property is designated on the Sparks Land Use Map in the Comprehensive Plan as Large Lot Residential (LLR) (Exhibit 2 – Existing Land Use). The applicant is requesting a land use designation of Commercial (C) for the parcel to allow redevelopment of the property as a recreational vehicle storage facility (Exhibit 3 – Proposed Land Use). This intended use will require a Conditional Use Permit.

Comprehensive Plan Amendment Findings

Finding CP1:

The proposed Comprehensive 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 subject property is located within the City of Sparks portion of the TMSA.

Goal 3.5 The Regional Plan will coordinate the master plans, facilities plan, 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).

Regionally, Goal 3.5 has been interpreted to mean that necessary public facilities and services must be in place, or there must be a plan and a funding mechanism to provide them, concurrently with new development. The City of Sparks has generally sought to provide for concurrency when entitlements such as land use and zoning approvals are granted. The subject property is currently served by City infrastructure and services (sanitary sewer, storm drain, fire, and police). The approval of the requested land use change to Commercial will not impact the City’s ability to provide public facilities and services to this site. 

Finding CP2:

The Comprehensive Plan amendment would implement the goals listed within the Sparks Comprehensive Plan as listed in the staff report.

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

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

Policy MG4:    Facilitate infill and redevelopment.

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 request to change the land use designation on the property was submitted so that the property owner can redevelop the property with a commercial use, which supports Goal MG1 and Policy MG4. The subject property is already served by City utilities and services, complying with Policy CF1.

Finding CP3:

The Comprehensive Plan Amendment would be compatible with surrounding land uses.

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

The subject property is located west of Sparks Middle School and Risley Elementary School. To the north and west are single family homes within the City of Sparks. To the south are large single family lots within an unincorporated pocket of Washoe County. There are existing commercial land uses to the south along Sullivan Lane and Greenbrae Drive. With the two schools to the east and the commercial properties to the south, the area is very active, so a commercial land use on this property is a reasonable request.

FINDING CP4:

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

Public notice was published in the Reno Gazette Journal on September 20, 2018. The Planning Commission and City Council meetings function as public hearings for this matter as required by the Nevada Revised Statutes and Sparks Municipal Code.

The neighborhood meeting required by NRS 278.210(2) for the proposed Comprehensive Plan land use amendment was conducted by the applicant’s representative on September 25, 2018 (Refer to Certificate of Verification for Neighborhood Meeting). Three people attended the meeting. The discussion centered on the proposed project of recreational vehicle storage and the other uses permitted in the C2 zoning district.

1. The City Council can certify the Comprehensive Plan amendment.
2. The City Council can remand the Comprehensive Plan amendment to the Planning Commission with comments.

I move, based on Findings CP1 through CP4 as set forth in the staff report, to certify the Comprehensive Plan land use amendment (MPA18-0003) associated with PCN18-042 to change the land use designation on a site approximately 1.9 acres in size located at 2101 Sullivan Lane, Sparks, Nevada from Large Lot Residential (LLR) to Commercial (C).