The Planning Commission on Wednesday approved a tentative subdivision map for the Borda Crossing residential property at the northeast corner of Silver Sage Drive and Clearview Drive.
Plans include 28 residential lots with a minimum lot size of 5,009 square feet with access from Silver Sage to Center Drive. The Board of Supervisors previously considered the zoning map for the project on June 18, declining to take action and continuing the item, allowing the applicant to submit an alternative zoning map amendment request or a lot layout addressing land use compatibility and the concerns of the neighborhood.
Staff recommended a condition of approval for the tentative map contingent upon approving the zoning map amendment from Single Family 1 Acre to Single Family 6,000, now making the base zoning SF6, or 7.26 units per acre for density. The applicant proposed 5.3 units per acre.
The average lot would be 5,037 square feet in size and accessed via Bayonne Avenue. Homes would have a two-car garage at minimum and 20-foot driveways and walkways for required recreation space.
As of Wednesday, the Planning Commission received 19 comments from local residents opposing the project, expressing the development’s 28 lots would threaten quality of life, wildlife and livestock, do not conform to zoning regulations nor take into account traffic impacts.
Mark Turner, the developer for the project, said while there was no meeting with the community prior to the design process before it was brought to the Planning Commission last year, he understood residents’ concerns about placing approximately 38 to 39 houses on the parcel of land. Lowering the density, he hoped, would help to relax some concerns.
“At the end of the day, we’re trying to create an attainable housing product here, and as everyone’s well aware, the cost of housing in Carson City these days, it does require new forms of design and a little bit more creative thinking in how we can create housing units that can be brought to market at an attainable sale price,” Turner said.
Alex Tanchek, submitting a comment via e-mail, a local resident for 30 years, said his property has the most frontage to the proposed Borda development and opposed the project.
“I’m particularly concerned about the effects of increased traffic on Center Drive, especially considering the proposal would have a new road T-bone into our backyard,” Tanchek wrote.
Commissioner Jay Wiggins said it was likely most residents would not ever want a development at that location.
“What would make this project palatable to the neighbors?” he said, asking for other opportunities to work further on the design.
Commissioner Richard Perry also expressed his desire for more consensus and direction.
“I think all we can do is make a direction on this and let it go to (board of supervisors) and let them make a decision,” he said.
The motion passed 6-1 with Commissioner Paul Esswein voting against it.
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