Carson City is positioning itself to sell off more than 12 acres of undeveloped land near its sewer plant and corporate yard on Butti Way.
The city owns a thin strip of property fronting the north and west sides of Butti Way, extending nearly the entire length of the road, that officials say is ripe for disposal.
"We've had some interest from different buyers and we haven't come up with a city use for it," said City Manager Linda Ritter.
Once in the middle of a flood zone, developing the property would have cost more than it was worth. That will all change with construction of the Carson City Freeway.
A drainage system included in the freeway project will reroute flood water to detention basins around Carson City. The Butti Way property will no longer be in a flood zone - a development that will hike the price of the city-owned parcels.
The 12.43 acres consists of three connecting parcels that extend from the beginning of Butti Way, near Fifth Street, to the city's animal control facility near the end of the road at Edmonds Drive.
"They really don't have open-space value but they might have commercial or residential value," said Carson City Open Space Manager Juan Guzman.
"As we begin to be more and more developed, we need to look at what's the best use of city land."
What the land may ultimately be used for is up to city leaders and potential developers, but both Guzman and Ritter mentioned the possibility of affordable housing, which could be anything from apartments and condominiums to entry-level homes.
The city owns more than 100 acres on the east and south sides of Butti Way, which is being kept for future growth and possible consolidation of other city facilities. The municipal wastewater treatment plant is already located there along with the headquarters of various city departments including parks and streets.
Supervisors are scheduled to vote today on hiring an appraiser for $10,000 to assess the property's fair market value, a mark the city cannot go below when selling land.
n Contact reporter Cory McConnell at cmcconnell@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.
If you go
What: Carson City Board of Supervisors meeting
Where: Sierra Room of the Community Center, 851 E. William St.
When: 8:30 a.m. today
