City's master plan on its way to final votes

Carson City's master plan is being fine tuned after more than a year of effort.

Supervisors on Thursday were receptive to most of the suggested changes in the city's land-use map, part of "Envision Carson City."

Only one of the 10 of the map changes proposed were denied. The concept of changing the land-use map for 644 Hot Springs Road from high-density residential to community/regional commercial was turned down.

"Rather than having more than a dozen issues be brought up while going through approval, we have these matters resolved prior to the final process," said Walt Sullivan, director of the city's planning and community development division.

The suggestion Sullivan was gladdened to see approved was the change sought for an area on the south side of Highway 50 East, near Drako Way, from mixed-use commercial to community/regional commercial.

The landowner wants to have flexibility in use of the vacant lot and "this is what the planning process is all about," Sullivan said.

There also are an array of special reports and several specific plan areas included. These are locations where there are unique concerns about development, growth or uses.

The city's planning division will present its master plan documents to the Planning Commission at 5:30 p.m. March 27 for its final recommendation. An at 8:30 a.m. April 6 Supervisors will consider them for final approval.

In other business:

-- Efforts to continue emergency storm drain cleaning after the New Year's weekend flood continue. The Supervisors approved an increase in the contract from $250,000 to $375,000. State codes regarding contract awards don't apply here because the work was given to Hydro Tech Inc. of Fernley in response to an emergency, according to city staff.

More than 11,000 square feet of storm drain pipes have been cleaned, but more than 8,000 square feet still remain. The work is expected to be completed early next month.

-- A Community Development Block Grant allocation was approved for a new structural fire engine at $297,435. Two programs that serve Carsonites also will receive funds through this source. Access to Health Care for the Uninsured, a project operated by Nevada Health Center, will receive $34,500. And the Community Counseling Center will receive $30,202 for a counselor and case manager to focus on methamphetamine cases.

-- Contact reporter Terri Harber at tharber @nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111, ext. 215.