Commissioners postpone decision about processing plant at Northridge

Residents who worried about construction trucks invading their neighborhoods have to wait another month to find out if an ordinance will be changed to allow construction companies to transport excavated material near residential areas.

The Carson City Planning Commission decided Wednesday to postpone a decision on the proposed zoning change until their August meeting.

The current ordinance already allows construction companies to set up temporary processing facilities, with a special use permit, in limited industrial zones, which often border residential neighborhoods. But with this change, construction companies will also be able to transport and sell the material.

Paragon Construction applied for the zone change so they could sell the excess rocks from their temporary processing plant at the Northridge subdivision.

Many residents expressed their concerns Wednesday.

"I'm very concerned about the damage these trucks will make coming through the streets," said Northridge resident Tom Watson.

Another resident John Tanzi agreed.

"They are causing problems," he said. "I know they have to move it, but let them move it and do the rock crushing somewhere else."

Senior Planner Lee Plemel said the city needs more time to work with Paragon to determine more limitations for the proposed zone change.

By the next meeting, there will be some conditions for the change, including limitations on how long Paragon could transport and sell material, and how far they could transport it, Plemel said.

He said Paragon could also apply for the necessary special use permit at the same time commissioners make their decision for approval or denial of the proposed ordinance change. The application for the permit would remain on hold until the issue was discussed at the following Board of Supervisors meeting.