Carson City Planning Commission grants permit to convert part of commercial building into residences

The Planning Commission approved a special use permit (SUP) to convert at least part of a commercial building on the north side of Washington Street at Minnesota Street into residences.

The owner, Kent Skogerson, plans to convert about half the building into several apartments and may leave the other half as it is now, office space for lease, or eventually convert it to residences depending on the market.

After determining the building had enough parking as either an apartment building or for mixed use, the commission voted to approve the SUP.

Two commission members, Elyse Monroy and Candace Stowell, added it was a good use of an existing building in light of the dearth of housing available for rent in Carson City.

The commission also approved a SUP to add a dwelling unit above the garage in a house in the historic district at Spear and Phillips streets now undergoing renovation.

The nearly 100-year-old house already has four apartments and a non-conforming use in its residential zone that was lawfully established. The owner is combining two of the apartments to change it to three units in the house and one above the garage so the city’s planning staff recommended approving the SUP because it was not expanding the use.

The commission discussed it at length and a neighbor gave public comment in opposition, saying he had been promised the garage wouldn’t be converted to living space.

The commission voted to approve the SUP with an added condition the number of separate residences at the property never exceed four.

A SUP to convert a 576 square-foot building behind a house on Chernus Drive from an art studio to a guest house was also approved by the commission.

Two ordinances, one modifying the definition of single-family unit and another on wind energy conversion systems, were recommended to the Board of Supervisors.

In November, the commission will likely consider a tentative map for another 209 houses at Lompa Ranch as well as receive an annual report on the city’s master plan.