Carson City Board approves Mills Landing

The Board of Supervisors approved a planned unit development on State Street near William Street Thursday.

Mills Landing is a 7.8-acre planned residential development of 105 single-family attached, two-story houses, each with a single-car garage and 20-foot driveway, and 60 guest parking spaces.

The PUD was recommended by the Planning Commission, which at its June 29 meeting approved a special use permit for a residential use in a commercial zone, and allowed reductions in lot size and setbacks.

At the commission meeting, much of the discussion concerned safety for the PUD’s residents crossing busy William Street to get to Mills Park and additional traffic at the intersection of State and William streets.

As a condition of approval, city staff recommended to the board striping to create left and right turn lanes on State Street so cars turning right didn’t get backed up waiting for vehicles turning left into traffic, and added all curbs had to be painted red to prohibit street parking.

But most of the discussion at the supervisor’s meeting, triggered by a public comment, revolved around whether the development’s interior streets should be private or public and whether the guest parking would be used by the public.

“The streets should be private not public. The modifications made are more than enough concessions,” said Bruce Kittess, referring to the SUP and other changes.

Danny Rotter, engineering manager, said generally roads are private if the development is gated and public if there’s wider connectivity.

“I don’t know that there’s a criteria, it’s a policy decision,” he said.

There also were questions whether the home owners association would be empowered to monitor the guest parking.

“With regards to parking, it can be managed very effectively through CC&Rs,” said Mark Turner, representing State Street Development LLC, referring to the covenants, conditions, and restrictions homeowners must abide by.

Turner said the city lacks entry-level housing at lower price points, like the homes planned at Mills Landing.

“If it’s important for this city to provide housing in this demographic there are compromises that have to be made,” he said.

Supervisor Brad Bonkowski agreed.

“It does fill a niche that is sorely needed,” he said.

The supervisors approved the PUD unanimously.

The board also approved a final subdivision map for the Schulz Ranch, Phase 2 from Lennar Reno, LLC.

The map for 105 single-family home lots is the second in a series of four maps for the development, said Susan Pansky, special projects planner.

The approval was required for the first map, recorded in August 2014, to remain valid because Carson City municipal code requires successive maps be recorded within two years.

So far, five to seven building permits have been issued for phase 1 of the development, said Pansky.

Mayor Bob Crowell said he had received emails about commercial construction trucks using Edmonds Drive, which is not supposed to occur, and encouraged the builder to contact its contractors again to tell them not to use the street.

The supervisor decided to delay indefinitely a decision on the Bureau of Land Management selling a 2.27 acre parcel on Pinion Hills Drive.

Several nearby homeowners spoke during public comment and said development of the property, which could be used for one, single-family home, could negatively affect them unless drainage and erosion on the land was addressed.

Crowell suggested the homeowners meet with city staff to understand what someone developing the property would be required to do before the city makes a final decision on whether to allow the BLM to sell it.