Vintage at Kings Canyon comes before Planning Commission Thursday

The controversial proposed development called Vintage at Kings Canyon goes before the Carson City Planning Commission in a special meeting Thursday.

The city planning department staff is recommending the commission send the requested master plan amendment and tentative planned unit development to the Board of Supervisors for approval.

The meeting, a day after the commission’s regular monthly meeting, is expected to draw a large crowd due to opposition to the over-55 community development that’s been brewing ever since the plans were announced earlier this year.

The meeting, normally held in the Sierra Room of the Community Center, will instead take place in the Bob Boldrick Theater there.

The public was encouraged to submit comments prior to the meeting and the agenda packet includes 60 letters, almost all from residents who live near the Andersen Ranch where the development is planned.

The letters outline concerns that have been repeatedly raised about the proposal, including housing density, increased traffic and congestion, flooding, strain on city services such as water and fire, retail businesses on site and the loss of open space and possible lack of it in the plan design.

Many of the writers cite Carson City Municipal Code, in particular that the commission must find “ … the proposed amendment will provide for land uses compatible with existing adjacent land uses and will not have detrimental impacts to other properties in the vicinity.”

“All the homes surrounding Andersen Ranch field are for single family living. No one in our surrounding neighborhood is allowed or wishes to turn their home or garage into a retail store, shop or place of commerce. We are not zoned for commercial, industrial use or high density housing, and should not be,” wrote Laverne LaFleur. “This project is an extremely incongruent placement of a proposed business venture, plunked down in the middle of our peaceful neighborhood.”

One letter supports the project and at least a few say development of the property is inevitable but would only be acceptable with significantly reduced density in keeping with the surrounding neighborhoods.

The packet also includes a traffic study conducted by Traffic Works LLC that estimates the proposed project will generate 2,454 daily trips, including 181 morning peak hour trips and 240 afternoon/evening peak hour trips.

The TPUD approval recommendation from staff comes contingent on many conditions.

Some refer to city code and apply to any project of this size.

For instance, the proposed development includes independent and assisted living buildings comprising 96 units and one condition would require the congregate care facilities to open within 12 months of the final PUD approval, with a possible one-year extension, or the permit will be revoked if an extension isn’t granted.

The congregate care facilities are what necessitate an amendment to the city’s master plan, to change existing zoning from medium density residential to mixed use residential on 5.6 acres.

Another condition based on code limits construction from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the week and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the weekend.

But many conditions apply specifically to the Vintage project and include requirements for water, flood and sewer as well as the park and trails.

One condition requires that a homeowners association pay and maintain the development’s park and trails.

The Parks and Recreation Commission, however, earlier this month heard the plan and recommended that a landscape maintenance district be formed, which would assess residents there via their property taxes to cover the costs of the city maintaining the open space.

The Vintage at Kings Canyon development as proposed includes 212 single-family homes, clubhouse, pool, 1.2 acre park and 1.82 acres of so-called linear park or trails as well as two congregate care buildings and their attendant businesses, such as restaurants and services like a hair salon.

The first phase of the project is planned on about half of roughly 48 acres of the Andersen Ranch property between Mountain Street and Ormsby Boulevard.

The Planning Commission agenda and supporting materials can be found online at http://tinyurl.com/zygshsv.

The vintage meeting on Thursday starts at 5 p.m. in the Bob Boldrick Theater, Community Center, 851 E. William St.

On Wednesday, at the regularly scheduled meeting of the planning commission, the commission will take up a special use permit to allow a disc golf course on city owned property on Flint Road near the landfill.

They also will consider a request from Ken Rose, property owner Battle Born Properties LLC, at 3777 N. Carson St, for a special use permit for indoor go cart facility. The meeting agenda says, “the applicant is seeking to utilize a 34,128 square foot space in an existing shopping center for a Go Cart facility. The electric go carts will utilize rechargeable lithium batteries. The facility will also include a video game arcade, vending machines, picnic tables, storage lockers, a pre-drive training room, a waiting area and restrooms. Proposed hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Also on the agenda, is the possible SUP for the second proposed Bodines casino in the North Town Plaza shopping center.

The Wednesday meeting will take place in the Sierra Room of the Community Center.