Lyon officials trying to quicken master-plan approval process

In order to speed up the approval process on master-plan amendments, the Lyon County commission is looking at eliminating one step.

The commission will hold a public hearing at its meeting today on whether to eliminate the requirement that it hold a second public hearing on a request when their action differs from that of the planning commission.

According to Lyon County senior planner Paul Esswein, the elimination is designed to save time.

"We get a lot of complaints that it takes too long for something to happen," he said. "The second hearing has just been a formality in many cases."

When a developer seeks a master-plan amendment or text change, the developer is supposed to first go to the regional advisory council, then the planning commission for recommendations.

Then the issue goes before the commissioners, who may accept the planning commission's recommendation or deny it, or make changes and then approve it.

If changes are made, the application goes back to the planning commission for their review, and than back to the commissioners for a second public hearing.

Esswein said that second hearing is often not needed.

"Typically, if the board of commissioners makes a decision, they are not going to be swayed by a second opinion from the planning commission," he said.

Under the proposed ordinance change, the commissioners can decide to hold a second public hearing, but they will no longer be required to hold one.

He said this change would only apply to master-plan amendments or text changes, not zoning or special use permit requests.

"It came about because the commissioners have been trying to look at ways of speeding up the process," he said. "This is one of the suggested changes on how we might do it."

- Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or call 881-7351.