PC approves open space...finally

"One, two, three, four, five, six. Good we have a quorum."

Carson City Community Development Director Walt Sullivan quickly counted commissioners at Monday's Regional Planning Commission meeting. The open space element to the city's master plan was set for consideration by the commissioners - for the third time.

The last time commissioners discussed the plan, there were only four present, a commissioner short of the two-thirds necessary for approval of the plan.

With all the kinks and legal problems gone, the plan passed this time with little fanfare and a few jokes.

"They say three's a charm," Sullivan said.

"Or was it three strikes you're out?" countered Steve Hartman, chairman of the open space advisory committee. "We spent dozens of hours working on this. We've got a real good feel that our river, hillsides ... these are things our residents want for their quality of life."

Hartman said while the open space committee was anxious to be finished with planning, they understood the legal restraints and were happy to start at the beginning of the new millennium rather than before the millennium.

"This doesn't need to have a lot of fanfare," he said. "That will come when we buy a piece of property."

Hartman said there are no properties being considered for purchase, but the committee is looking forward to prioritizing the use of Question 18 money.

"We need to be cognizant of our matrix and goals to make sure the property fits our priorities," Hartman said.

The open space plan heads to city supervisors in January for final approval.

In other business, a group of residents who call themselves "the neighbors" took an active approach to zoning and had their neighborhood rezoned from residential to an office zoning.

Residents along a portion of Pratt Avenue between East Robinson and East Musser streets say they worked for two years to get the zoning change right. As neighbors to the Carson City jail and the courthouse, they sought the change in an attempt to keep their property values up as well as preserve the neighborhood.

"We know the city is growing and (the neighborhood), will change," resident Gloria Deyhle said. "We just wanted to have some control over the changes."

The change to residential office zoning allows homes to become offices, which the neighbors view as a perfect place for law professionals wanting proximity to the safety complex.

City code requires owners in a residential office zone to maintain and improve their property.

The zoning change for the 23 parcels has to be approved by the board of supervisors before it's official.