This tentative map is for a proposed subdivision located north of Rolling Meadows Drive and west of Fen Way in the Pioneer Meadows Planned Development (Exhibit 1 – Vicinity Map). The proposed subdivision covers 41.86 acres of an 80.83-acre site and will create 161 single-family residential lots ranging in size from 6,622 square feet to 14,243 square feet, resulting in a density of 3.85 dwelling units per acre.

The Pioneer Meadows Development Standards Handbook (“The Handbook”) was approved by the Sparks City Council in 2000 and has since been amended four times, including most recently in March 2019. The Handbook covers 640 acres and includes a total of 2,756 single-family lots.

The City of Sparks Comprehensive Plan designates the site as LDR (Low Density Residential), which permits residential densities ranging from 3 to less than 6 dwelling units per acre. The Handbook designates the proposed site as SFR4 (Single Family Residential – 4 dwelling units per acre). The proposed subdivision complies with the maximum density of 4 dwelling units per acre permitted by the Handbook.

The applicant is requesting a tentative map for 161 single-family lots (Exhibit 2 – Tentative Map).

The proposed subdivision will have one point of access from Fen Way and one point of access from Rolling Meadows Drive. These roads are designed to handle traffic generated by this project. The loop road within the subdivision will be a public street maintained by the City of Sparks.

The Planning Commission has reviewed the application, including the estimated demand for sanitary sewer and storm drain conveyance, and determined there is adequate capacity to serve this development. Final designs for this infrastructure are required prior to the approval of any final maps associated with this development.

Planning Commission determined the following twelve findings for a tentative map can be made (Exhibit 4 – Report of Action).

Findings for Approval of a Tentative Map

FINDING T1:

The request conforms to the Comprehensive Plan and zoning ordinances.

RELATIONSHIP TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

The gross density for the proposed tentative map is 3.85 dwelling units per acre. The Comprehensive Plan Land Use designation for this site is LDR, which calls for residential development in the range of 3 to less than 6 dwelling units per acre. The Handbook, which functions as the zoning document for Pioneer Meadows, classifies the 41.86-acre parcel as SFR4, which permits a density of up to 4 dwelling units per acre. 

The LDR land use designation was applied to this site with the adoption of the City of Sparks Comprehensive Plan in late 2016. At that time, the approved land uses in planned development handbooks were translated into the most closely matching Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map designations. The proposed density of 3.85 units per acre conforms with the zoning document as well as the Comprehensive Plan.  

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

POLICY C4:         Require sidewalks for pedestrians on all street networks within the City.

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

POLICY H1:         Ensure there are sufficient appropriately zoned areas with the infrastructure, public facilities and services necessary for the production of new housing.

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 CC8:      Foster neighborhood diversity and design by permitting varied lot sizes, building materials, building styles, and color.

The street cross sections and tentative map plans show sidewalks on both sides of all streets, complying with Policy C4. The City’s infrastructure modeling has accounted for the development of this parcel as a single-family subdivision and the existing and planned infrastructure and utilities are sufficient to provide adequate services to the 161 homes. The proposed Conditions of Approval specify the additional infrastructure improvements the Planning Commission determined are needed for this subdivision, complying with Goal CF1.

The Planning Commission concluded that the development of the 161 residential lots will further the goals outlined in policies H1, H2, and CC8 by establishing a subdivision that will contain a mix of lot and home sizes.

FINDING T2:

General conformity with the City's master plan of streets and highways has been considered.

The tentative map is consistent with the City’s master plan for streets and highways. Access to the project will be from Fen Way and Rolling Meadows Drive.

FINDING T3:

Environmental and health laws and regulations concerning water and air pollution, the disposal of solid waste, facilities to supply water, community or public sewage disposal and, where applicable, individual systems for sewage disposal were considered.

This application was distributed to the agencies that provide basic services and administer environmental and health laws. While the City has not received comments from any of those agencies, the developer must comply with the requirements of outside agencies with regulatory authority over tentative maps, including the Washoe County Health District, prior to recordation of a final map (Condition 4).

FINDING T4:

The availability of water which meets applicable health standards and is sufficient in quantity for the reasonably foreseeable needs of the subdivision has been considered.

The developer has estimated the water requirement for the development at 75.07 acre-feet per year for domestic water. The property will be served by the Truckee Meadows Water Authority. The water rights needed to serve the project are in place or will be dedicated with the final map (Condition 5).

FINDING T5:

The availability and accessibility of utilities has been considered.

The developer has estimated the sewer demand generated by this development at 52,325 gallons of sewage per day. The applicant will be required to provide evidence that there is adequate sewer capacity to serve the project prior to the recordation of a final map (Condition 9). The storm water and drainage plan for the development shall be reviewed and approved by the City Engineer prior to the recordation of the final map for the project (Condition 7).

FINDING T6:

The availability and accessibility of public services such as schools, police protection, transportation, recreation and parks has been considered.

SCHOOLS

This tentative map request was distributed to the Washoe County School District (WCSD) as required by NRS 278.346. The attached letter from WCSD indicates that this area is currently zoned for Spanish Springs Elementary School, Shaw Middle School, and Spanish Springs High School (Exhibit 4 – WCSD Letter).

As stated in the letter from WCSD, the development will add 33 new students to Spanish Springs Elementary, 14 students to Shaw Middle, and 15 students to Spanish Springs High School. 

Spanish Spring Elementary School’s enrollment for 2017-2018 was at 116% of base capacity; adding 33 new students from this proposed subdivision would increase enrollment to approximately 121% of the school’s base capacity. WCSD has stated that this overcrowding will be remedied in the Fall of 2020 with the opening of Bohach Elementary School, adjacent to the new Sky Ranch Middle School, currently under construction.

Shaw Middle School’s enrollment for 2017-2018 was at 95% of base capacity; adding 14 new students from this subdivision would increase enrollment to approximately 96% of the school’s base capacity.

Enrollment during the 2017-2018 school year at Spanish Springs High School was at 112% of base capacity. The addition of 15 new students from this subdivision would maintain this school’s enrollment at 112% of base capacity. WCSD is currently researching remedies for overcrowding at Spanish Springs High School. The proposed Wildcreek High School, if constructed, would allow WCSD to relieve overcrowding at Spanish Springs High School through modification of high school attendance zones.

POLICE PROTECTION

The Sparks Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency for this site.

TRANSPORTATION

The applicant estimates this development will generate 1,610 trips per day with 161 peak-hour trips. The road network to serve this proposed subdivision was considered with the approval of the development pattern and densities approved in the Handbook. This project will contribute to the Regional Road Impact Fee program, which provides funding for regional roadway improvements in accordance with the Regional Transportation Plan.

FIRE 

Fire and emergency medical services will be provided by the Sparks Fire Department. While the development is currently located outside the City’s six-minute response area, the Sparks Fire Department has a mutual aid agreement with the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District to serve the area. As such, sprinklers will not be required in the homes. The Fire Department requires two means of access to the project site and the installation of fire hydrants prior to the storage of any combustible materials on the site (Condition 15).

UTILITIES

NV Energy will provide electric and natural gas services. Electric, telephone, and cable services will be extended underground within the roadway right-of-way to serve this development.

FINDING T7:

The effect of the proposed subdivision on existing public streets and the need for new streets or highways to serve the subdivision has been considered.

This tentative map does not change the traffic patterns or generate trips in excess of the planned capacity of the surrounding streets. The Planning Commission determined that the volume of new traffic can be served by the existing and planned road network without additional mitigation measures, though general improvements will be necessary as part of any final map for this project.

FINDING T8:

The physical characteristics of the land such as floodplain, slope and soil have been considered.

FLOOD PLAIN

The subject property is located within FEMA Zone X. A final hydrological report in compliance with the Truckee Meadows Regional Drainage Manual must be provided prior to recordation of a final map (Condition 7).

SLOPE

The project does not meet the threshold triggering application of the City’s hillside development ordinance as the site is relatively flat.

SOILS

A final geotechnical report will be required prior to recordation of any final map (Condition 8).

FINDING T9

The recommendations and comments of those entities reviewing the tentative map pursuant to NRS 278.330 to 278.348, inclusive, have been considered.

The City has received a comment letter from WCSD, which is attached to this staff report. WCSD’s comments are addressed in Finding T6 above. The City has not received comments regarding this development from any other agencies.

FINDING T10

The availability and accessibility of fire protection, including, but not limited to, the availability and accessibility of water and services for the prevention and containment of fires, including fires in wild lands has been considered.

Through the mutual aid agreement, the Sparks Fire Department and the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District share responsibility for fire and emergency medical response for this location. See discussion under Finding T6.

FINDING T11:

The application, as submitted and conditioned, will address identified impacts.

The Planning Commission views the proposed tentative map as compatible with previously approved villages in Pioneer Meadows and finds no additional impacts beyond those addressed in the 12 required findings for this tentative map. The Handbook guides the overall development of the subdivision, including landscaping for the entrances to the subdivision, fencing, and lighting. The tentative map includes conceptual plans for the common areas, pedestrian access, and preliminary landscape plans along the streets. Common areas within the subdivision will be maintained by a sub-association of the Pioneer Meadows homeowners association. A condition of the tentative map requires that final landscape plans be submitted with the final map and approved prior to recordation of the final map (Condition 11). The tentative map includes links to the regional trail system, which will be located on the western side of the site (Condition 14). Finally, architectural designs must comply with Handbook standards (Condition 10).

FINDING T12:

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

Public notice for tentative maps is accomplished through the posting of the agenda for public meetings of the Planning Commission and City Council. Neither the Sparks Municipal Code nor Nevada Revised Statutes require a public hearing for a tentative map.

1. The City Council can approve the tentative map as presented.
2. The City Council can approve the tentative map with additional or different Conditions of Approval.
3. The City Council can deny the tentative map.    

I move to approve the tentative map request for a 161-lot single-family subdivision on a site 80.83 acres in size associated with PCN19-0003 and located in the Pioneer Meadows planned development, adopting Findings T1 through T12 and the facts supporting these findings as set forth in the staff report and subject to Conditions of Approval 1 through 15.