Development of land near Carson City Airport could take off again

A long vacant parcel of land west of the Carson City Airport that was previously considered for development may be back in play.

Preliminary plans for an RV resort comprising 215 RV spaces, a check-in office and store, and possible casino, restaurant, fitness center, club house, playground, putting green and manager’s residence has been submitted to the Carson City’s planning division for major project review.

The proposed park is on land at the end of Mark Way, between Hot Springs Road to the south, Arrowhead Drive to the north and Goni Road and the airport to the east.

This isn’t the first idea floated for the property.

In 2003, then owner Don Langson proposed a huge, $50 million auto mall there when the state of Nevada committed to doing the U.S. 395 bypass.

When that idea failed, Langson proposed an RV park and 9-hole golf course, which didn’t materialize, either.

In 2006, when the freeway bypass was built, Ames Construction, the contractor, paid Langson to take dirt excavated from the road project onto the land.

Now the property is owned by Western Insurance Co. and Roger Shaheen, the applicant on the major project review, is in negotiations to buy it.

“We submitted it to get some ideas for a variety of reasons, but it is so preliminary until Roger closes escrow,” said Michael Bennett, Carson City location principal with engineering consultant Lumos & Associates, the applicant’s representative.

The development came up on the agenda of the Carson City Airport Authority’s April 20 meeting.

Steve Tackes, authority counsel, attended the RV park proposal’s review because the authority is being asked for its official position on the project due to its proximity to the airport.

The airport’s main objection is to ponds now included in the design because the water would attract migratory birds, endangering planes taking off and landing at the nearby airport.

Tackes also wanted to make sure the project would come with an avigation easement, which places limits on land use to protect the airspace.

Tackes said he had understood the site couldn’t be built on because of the dirt put on it during the bypass construction.

“I would not agree with that,” said Bennett. “We should be able to construct on it.”

Bennett said the concern is when soil is added to a site, it has to be properly packed down in order not to create what’s called an uncontrolled fill.

According to the major project review document, the park would include 18,500 square feet of building area, 739,772 square feet of landscape area and 614,066 square feet of paved area.

Water usage is estimated at 32,000 gallons daily at full occupancy for the RVs and 15,000 a day for possible accessory uses which includes a club house, casino and pool.

It would require one tree per 400 square feet or 465 trees and six shrubs per tree or 2,790 shrubs.

The land is zoned tourist commercial, which would mean an RV tenant could stay for up to 30 days, unless the developer obtains a special use permit for longer durations.