The Sparks Town Center Redevelopment Plan was originally adopted on February 27, 1978 and amended in 1987, 1993, and 2000. In 2005, the plan was again amended to add the Victorian Square Development Plan, which covers six blocks of the downtown area bounded by Victorian Avenue on the south, D Street/Victorian Plaza Circle on the north, 15^th Street on the west, and Victorian Plaza Circle on the east. The Victorian Square Development Plan modified the provisions of the 2000 Redevelopment Plan emphasizing large scale retail development. It shifted the plan’s focus for the Victorian Square area from a predominantly retail orientation to producing a mixed-use project. The Victorian Square Development Plan was amended in 2015 to update the mixed-use development program and implementation strategy to reflect, in part, the projects Silverwing Development had proposed.

In the period since the 2015 amendment to the Victorian Square Development Plan, three multi-family or mixed-use projects (Fountainhouse, Square 1, and The Bridges) were completed and two additional apartment communities (The Deco, The Atrium) are under construction. These five projects are adding over 880 residential units and more than 20,000 square feet of retail space to the Victorian Square area. This development has absorbed the majority of downtown’s vacant land, which was previously used as surface parking.

Most of the remaining vacant land in the area covered by the Victorian Square Development Plan are parcels adjacent to the east and west sides of the Victorian Square Plaza (“Plaza”). These parcels are owned by Silverwing Development, which is planning a mixed-use project that would include ground-floor commercial uses (primarily retail/food and beverage), structured parking and apartments. Silverwing’s plans, which will require City and Redevelopment Agency approvals, contemplate two structures that would substantially exceed the three to four-story scale of buildings envisioned for these parcels in the adopted Victorian Square Development Plan. In addition, the growing population of downtown Sparks indicates a need to consider changes to the design and features of the Plaza. Possible changes could include adding features (e.g., public art, natural or synthetic lawn, dog park, children’s play structure, new water feature, vendor kiosks) to provide recreational amenities for downtown residents and increase everyday use of the Plaza, as well as enhancing elements of the Plaza for its continued use during special events.

If provided Agency Board direction to do so, Community Services staff will begin developing one or more options for revising the development program and plan for the six block area covered by the Victorian Square Development Plan. Staff will seek stakeholder input from Silverwing Development, 39 North, downtown businesses and property owners including the Nugget, other City departments, residents, and other interested parties. The proposed changes are anticipated to focus on the height of structures on parcels adjacent to the Plaza and the Plaza’s design and functional features. Staff will obtain design assistance from Nate Cherry, now with the Gensler architecture and urban design firm, with which the City has an existing on-call services contract. Mr. Cherry’s previous work for Sparks includes assisting the Redevelopment Agency with preparation of the Victorian Square Development Plan in 2005 and the 2015 amendment.

Upon completion of a draft program and plan, staff will seek formal input, review and approval of the plan. Staff will present the draft plan for public comment at two or more neighborhood meetings and to the Sparks Planning Commission for its review and endorsement. Following these steps, NRS 279.608 requires that should the Redevelopment Agency desire to take an action that constitutes a material deviation from the adopted redevelopment plan or otherwise determines that it would be necessary or desirable to amend the plan it must:

• Hold a public hearing on the proposed amendment.  At least 10 days in advance of the hearing, notice of the hearing must be published as well as sent to each owner of real property whom the Redevelopment Agency determines is likely to be directly affected by the proposed amendment. 
• Recommend approval of the amendment to the City Council.

After receiving the recommendations of the Redevelopment Agency regarding the amendment, the City Council must hold a public hearing on the proposed amendment.  If the City Council concurs with the proposed amendment as necessary or desirable, the Council must amend the redevelopment plan by ordinance. 

Staff anticipates the process of preparing and seeking approval of amendments to the Victorian Square Development Plan will require a minimum of four months.

1. The Redevelopment Agency Board may direct the Chief Administrative Officer to review and propose amendments to the Victorian Square Development Plan.
2. The Redevelopment Agency Board may decide to not direct the Chief Administrative Officer to review and propose amendments to the Victorian Square Development Plan.

I move to direct the Chief Administrative Officer to review and propose amendments to the Victorian Square Development Plan, a component of the Sparks Town Center Redevelopment Plan, to update and revise the development program and plan for Victorian Square, including the height of structures adjacent to the Victorian Square Plaza and the function and design of the Plaza.