Costco deal still not sealed

Carson City officials are still negotiating with a business opposing a permit to build a Costco warehouse in South Carson.

The time to close a deal with Costco is coming down to the wire, and city supervisors are scheduled to decide on either an agreement with Eugene and Judy Lepire, owners of Comstock Country RV Park, or to consider an appeal to Costco's special use permit.

Supervisors were to consider the entire Costco deal Thursday, but a public notice mix-up pushed the date to April 27. That cuts close to the negotiation deadline, which city officials in March moved to the end of April, and pushes the date when escrow was to close from April 25 into May.

The four-month process to bring Costco and its potential $1.2 million in sales tax to Carson City is winding down, but the Lepires are appealing the planning commission's Feb. 23 decision to allow Costco to build a 148,385-square-foot warehouse with 749 parking spaces and a six-pump gas station across Clear Creek Road from Fuji Park.

The Lepires share a property line with the Costco site, and the proposed building is along the same edge as the RV park. Negotiations are under way to curb the appeal before Thursday.

Eugene Lepire said negotiations with the city are "coming along." Lepire said three of his six concerns have been worked out with the city, but serious negotiations continue on the other three requests.

Lepire said his main concerns have been the lot line between his property and the city's, a block wall between the two properties, a soundwall along Clear Creek Road, water and sewer hook-ups, the entrance to his property from Clear Creek and his attorney fees.

The soundwall, block wall and lot line issues were solved. Lepire said he expects the city to pay for engineering and attorney fees generated by the issue

"They caused all this. They didn't come and talk to me," he said. "Had they come to me in January and been as open as they have in the last week, I wouldn't have had to do all this. (The deal) is in the city's ballpark."

Lepire said between the removal of eight RV spaces and construction all around him he would lose between an estimated $60,000 and $80,000 in business and should be reimbursed by the city.

"It doesn't take smarts to see I'm being impacted," Lepire said.

Lepire said the deal was coming down to what kind of a package deal was offered, a deal which could include a combination of money and waived fees to hook up to sewer and water.

City Manager John Berkich said the city was "working diligently to resolve the item."

"We still don't have closure on things at this point," he said. "We're hopeful we can reach a final agreement before Thursday."

If no settlement is reached and supervisors uphold the planning commission's decision, Lepire said he would appeal the decision to district court.

"If it's not settled, I have to do the next step," Lepire said. "I'm in it too far now. I hope that's not the alternative. "

If supervisors agree with the Lepires and no settlement has been reached, the matter would return to the planning commission for review.

If you go:

What: Carson City Board of Supervisors meeting

When: Thursday, 1:30 p.m.

Where: the Community Center's Sierra Room, 851 E. William St.