Valley Knolls project south of Carson City gets OK

A 96-unit multi-family project just over the county line from Carson City received approval from Douglas County planning commissioners on Tuesday.

The final piece of Valley Knolls was described as triplexes that will be purchased and owned by residents.

Manhard Consultants Chris Baker said developer Keith Serpa was seeking multi-family residential because Douglas County didn’t have a zoning that would accommodate what he called townhomes.

“There is no other way for us to provide this product type,” Baker said. “There’s no in-between area for us. Other jurisdictions have less dense multi-family or more dense single family.”

According to a diagram planning commisisoners saw on Tuesday, there will be 33 buildings, which each have three units.

Units will have two-car garages, and a home-owners association will ensure none of the units end up as rentals, Baker said.

He had a one-word answer when asked if they could be considered affordable housing.

“No.”

But Baker was unwilling to speculate on the cost per unit, pointing out there was no way to know what the market would bring when work actually began.

Public comment focused on asking questions about the new project instead of protesting it.

However a letter received by the planning commission from resident Robert M. Hellen Sr. said he felt the expansion “was totally bogus.”

The project will still have to go before Douglas County commissioners.

Planning commissioners recommended the master plan amendment, the zone change and a change to the North Valley Specific Plan.

Located north of Sunridge, the development would overlook Carson City, and is the first step toward developing the land located across Highway 395 from Clear Creek and Carson Valley plazas.

Valley Knolls is only the first of several projects approved as part of the 2000 North Douglas County Specific Plan, approved while the land was still under federal control.