In July of 2018, the City of Sparks entered into a development agreement (the “Agreement”) for the development of a 386.87-acre property located at 555 Highland Ranch Parkway (Exhibit 2 – Vicinity Map).  In conjunction with the Agreement, the City approved annexation, Comprehensive Plan land use amendment, and rezoning requests for this site.  As the subject property was formerly the site of an aggregate mining operation, the 2018 development proposal was referred to as the Quarry.

In February of 2020, the City Council approved Amendment Number 1 to the Agreement. Modifications to the Agreement resulted from the Master Developer’s further analysis of the site and the land and infrastructure plans. Substantive changes approved in that Amendment addressed property ownership changes, clarified permitted residential uses, provided an explicit exclusion of previously disturbed slopes from the calculation of maximum disturbed area pursuant to SMC 20.04.011, and altered the timing and scope of required infrastructure improvements. The name of the project also changed to Five Ridges.

Pursuant to the Agreement as currently approved, a minimum of 1,200 and a maximum of 1,800 residential units are permitted. Single family, duplex, and townhome uses are identified as permitted residential uses. Commercial or multi-family development may occur in the C2 zoning district currently located adjacent to Highland Ranch Parkway. Entitlement requests to allow for development of duplex or townhome uses do not require amendment of the Agreement, provided the total number of dwelling units complies with the Agreement. 

To pursue development of duplex and townhome units, this request from 5 Ridges Development Company, Inc. seeks to rezone approximately 15.00 acres of C2 (General Commercial) and 13.81 acres of SF-6 (Single-Family Residential) to 28.81 acres of MF-2 (Multi-Family Residential) (Exhibit 3 – Existing and Proposed Zoning). This rezoning request is coming forward for City Council consideration in conjunction with a related request for certification of a Comprehensive Plan amendment to change the land use designations for approximately 15.00 acres of Commercial (C) and 13.81 acres of Intermediate Density Residential (IDR) would change to 28.81 acres of Multi-Family Residential (MF14).

On July 2, 2020, the Sparks Planning Commission voted to forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council for the rezoning request and approved the Comprehensive Plan amendment (Exhibit 4 - Planning Commission Report of Action).

On July 23, 2020, the Regional Planning Commission (RPC) held a public hearing and reviewed the requested Comprehensive Plan amendment. The RPC determined that the Comprehensive Plan amendment conforms with the Truckee Meadows Regional Plan.

This is a request to rezone approximately 15.00 acres of C2 (General Commercial) and 13.81 acres of SF-6 (Single-Family Residential) to 28.81 acres of MF-2 (Multi-Family Residential). As discussed in the Background section, this request is coming forward for City Council consideration in conjunction with a related request for a Comprehensive Plan land use amendment.

The following table compares the uses permitted in each zoning district.

Rezoning Findings:

FINDING Z1: The rezoning is consistent with the City of Sparks Comprehensive Plan.

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

Policy MG4:        Maintain an adequate supply of land for employment generating uses. 

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

Policy CF8:          Foster neighborhood diversity and design by permitting varied lot sizes, building materials, building styles and color.

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 RC22:        Maintain development restrictions and standards in the Sparks Municipal Code as necessary to conform to policies in the Truckee Meadows Regional Plan pertaining to Development Constraints Areas and for slopes with gradients over 30%

Policy RC23:       Require new development to preserve and protect significant natural amenities, unique features (e.g., rock outcroppings and drainageways) and other natural features.

As proposed, 15.00 acres of C2 (General Commercial) adjacent to the north side of Highland Ranch Parkway and 13.81 acres of SF-6 (Single-Family Residential – 6,000 sq. ft. lots) generally located in the center of the greater Five Ridges project site would be rezoned to 28.81 acres of MF-2 (Multi-Family Residential). The MF-2 zoning district allows for single-family, duplex, and multi-family building uses at a maximum of 14 dwelling units. Development at this density supports high-density single-family and low-density multifamily housing products such as townhomes and duplexes, commonly referred to as “missing middle” housing. These housing types offer alternative options to the detached single-family home and can provide ownership opportunities at lower price points. Approval of the rezoning request would support Goal H2 and Policies CF8 and H2 that encourage housing type diversity throughout Sparks.

Rezoning approximately 15.00 acres of C2 (General Commercial) to MF-2 (Multi-Family Residential) as proposed would remove the opportunity to establish a wide variety of commercial uses within the greater Five Ridges project site.  However, commercial use opportunities exist in close proximity to the site. Commercial designated lands are located on the south side of Highland Ranch Parkway and within the Kiley Ranch North planned development on both the west and east sides of Pyramid Way. In addition, the Long-Term Fiscal Health Analysis prepared for the City of Sparks in 2019 shows the supply of acreage supporting retail uses exceeds forecasted demand. Over the twenty-year period from 2018 to 2038, the demand for retail land is estimated to be 114 acres.  At the time the analysis was prepared the supply of land available for retail uses totaled 379 acres. For these reasons, the rezoning request would not adversely impact the supply of land for commercial uses and complies with Policy MG4.

With the proposed inclusion of the 5 Ridges project site in Infrastructure Service Area #1 (IFSA#1), development of the site will contribute to the construction of a fire station to serve the area and to storm drains, sewers, and regional trails. The Agreement also specifies the timing and scope of improvements needed to provide City services at acceptable service levels to future units. To serve between 1,200 and 1,800 total units, the Agreement requires:

• Improvements to Highland Ranch Parkway and the intersection of Highland Ranch Parkway with Pyramid Way when certain level of service (LOS) and/or residential unit counts are met;
• Construction of a secondary fire apparatus access road prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for and/or final inspection of any dwelling unit;
• Equipment of all dwelling units and commercial structures intended for or used for human occupancy with fire suppression systems;
• Improvements to upsize the sanitary sewer collection system when certain equivalent residential unit (ERU) thresholds are reached;
• Construction of all flood control and drainage improvements, whether onsite or offsite; and
• Construction of all water transmission facilities and improvements, whether onsite or offsite, to specifications equal to or exceeding those of TMWA.

The applicant provided an updated trip generation letter dated April 2020 based on 1,062 detached single-family units and 158 townhomes (1,220 total units) (Exhibit 5– Trip Generation Letter). Compared to the previous 2017 traffic study that assumed 1,223 detached single family units and 13 acres for mini-warehouse use, average daily trips decrease by 679 trips, AM peak hour trips decrease by 67 trips, and PM peak hour trips increase by 24 trips. The April 2020 analysis finds that these trips will result in traffic impacts less than or similar to the trips analyzed in the 2017 traffic study.

The applicant also provided sewer and water studies analyzing development of the Five Ridges project site with solely residential development. The sewer study finds existing sanitary sewer mains, trunk mains and interceptors have available capacity to serve the 1,241 residential units analyzed (Exhibit 6 – Master Sewer Study).  Should development exceed 1,650 equivalent residential units (ERUs), Section 3.2 of the Agreement requires existing sanitary sewer collection system capacity upgrades. The Agreement identifies the Sun Valley General Improvement District (SVGID) as the anticipated purveyor of municipal water for the Five Ridges project. The preliminary water service study assesses the ability of SVGID to supply potable water to the Five Ridges property and estimates associated infrastructure costs (Exhibit 7 – Preliminary Water Service Planning Report). Section 3.2 of the Agreement requires the Master Developer to construct all water transmission facilities and improvements (both onsite and offsite) to specifications that meet or exceed those of the Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA). The Planning Commission concluded that, with the Agreement already in place, the rezoning request complies with Policy CF1.

Policies RC22 and RC23 require that new development provide for the protection of natural features such as steep slopes. SMC 20.04.011 regulates project sites over 10 acres in size with slope gradients of 10 percent or greater over 25 percent or more of the site. This section of the zoning code requires that the site be analyzed to identify the maximum allowable disturbed area by slope categories. Section 3.3 of the Agreement requires compliance with this section of the zoning code for naturally occurring slopes. In addition, the Agreement limits the total area to be cleared, graded or disturbed to 267 of the 387 acres. The developer is required to convey, with each final subdivision map, the lands designated as open space to the entity responsible for maintenance of those lands (e.g., a homeowner’s association).

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

As proposed, 15.00 acres of C2 (General Commercial) located adjacent to the north side of Highland Ranch Parkway and 13.81 acres of SF-6 (Single-Family Residential – 6,000 sq. ft. lots) generally located in the center of the greater Five Ridges project site would change to 28.81 acres of MF-2 (Multi-Family Residential). Land uses and zoning surrounding each portion of the amendment site are summarized in the following table:

The request to rezone approximately 15.00 acres located north of Highland Ranch Parkway from C2 to MF-2 would preclude possible development of a wide range of commercial uses at the entrance to the Five Ridges project site. Instead, various residential uses at a maximum of 14 dwelling units per acre would be permitted. The proposed MF-2 zoning is compatible with future single-family uses in the SF-6 zone to the north and would serve as a buffer between the single-family uses and the commercial uses permitted in the Kiley Ranch North planned development located to the east and in the C2 zoning district to the south across Highland Ranch Parkway.

The rezoning request from SF-6 to MF-2 for approximately 13.81 acres located in the center of the greater Five Ridges project site would permit a greater variety of residential uses than is allowed by SF-6 zoning. The MF-2 zoning district is the lowest density multi-family residential zoning district and the SF-6 zoning district is the highest density single-family residential zoning district in Sparks. Single-family, duplex, and multi-family building uses permitted in the MF-2 zone at a maximum density of 14 dwelling units per acre are compatible adjacent to single-family uses permitted in the SF-6 zone at a maximum density of 7.3 dwelling units per acre.

FINDING Z3:

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

Public notice was given as required by SMC 20.05.06 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; 48 property owners were mailed notices. Public notice was published in the Reno Gazette-Journal on June 19, 2020.

1. The City Council can adopt Bill No. 2776 to rezone the property generally located at 555 Highland Ranch Parkway.
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, based on Findings Z1 through Z3 as set forth in the staff report, to adopt Bill No. 2776 to rezone real property approximately 28.81 acres in size within a larger parcel 386.87 acres in size generally located at 555 Highland Ranch Parkway from  approximately 15.00 acres of C2 (General Commercial) and 13.81 acres of SF-6 (Single-Family Residential, 6,000 sq. foot lots) to MF-2 (Multi-Family Residential).