City gives Cinderlite OK to expand

Cinderlite gained the city's permission Wednesday to expand its extraction pit off Goni Road onto public and private lands for up to 25 years.

The expansion will enlarge the sand, gravel and rock pit nearly 300 percent to 57 acres. The company expects to mine 10 million tons of aggregate for area construction projects.

Carson City Planning Commissioners approved the special-use permit after hearing from neighbors and city staff about traffic, noise, dust and impact issues.

"I truly believe Cinderlite does an excellent job up there," said Commissioner Roger Sedway. "These are the types of operations the city needs."

The company is seeking approval to use 28 acres of Bureau of Land Management property currently designated as conservation reserve lands. A BLM analysis concluded the project presents no significant impact to the environment. The agency will hold a public open house Aug. 12 to gather comments.

Cinderlite began mining aggregate at the current pit on 40 acres off Goni Road in 1991, but the pit has existed since the 1960s.

Several neighbors expressed concern about increased truck traffic along Goni with the expanded operation and about safety hazards the trucks may pose to pedestrians, schoolchildren and bicyclists.

The residential part of the road will need to be reconstructed within seven to 12 years to a higher industrial standard. City staff will take the matter to the Regional Transportation Commission for review at the commission's direction, said Community Development Director Walt Sullivan.

To decrease the effect on area streets, the city has asked Cinderlite to pay about $10,000 a year over the next 12 years to help re-pave the residential portion of Goni. The company proposes the money be taken directly from sales tax and vehicle registration funds already paid to the city.

In the permit, the city is allowing the company to operate from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Operating on Sundays would be on an emergency basis only.

As a condition of approval, the company has agreed to allow the public access to acreage on its property, and the city will be given the first right of refusal if the company decides to sell the land.

-- In other action, the commission decided unanimously to approve a final plan for the auto sales sector redevelopment district along South Carson Street. The city will accept public comments on the plan for 30 days. After that, the Board of Supervisors will hold two public hearings on the plan before adopting it.

The proposed redevelopment district will include 84 property owners who are involved in auto sales or adjacent to dealerships.

The plan is to provide incentives through redevelopment to auto dealers in an effort to keep them in city limits.

"We anticipate if we are proactive, we will retain our auto dealers and retain a significant part of our sales tax revenue," said Economic Development and Redevelopment Director Joe McCarthy.

Contact Jill Lufrano at jlufrano@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.