Carson City supervisors decide on managing growth

The Board of Supervisors on Thursday established 2019’s growth management allocations based on the Growth Management Commission’s recommendation.

The board voted to allow up to 659 residential building permit allocations, divided between developers, who get 376 units, and general or individual home builders, who are allotted 283.

The ordinance also puts a cap of 15,000 gallons of water per day for use by industrial and commercial users, who can apply to the commission for more.

The board discussed the reasoning behind the formula used to determine those quotas, which assumes 3 percent growth while Carson City’s actual growth rate is closer to 1 percent.

“It’s not a prediction of what we think growth will be or what we want growth to be. It’s a planning tool,” said Supervisor Brad Bonkowski.

The ordinance sets a ceiling based on what Carson City’s resources — including water, fire services, and schools — can handle.

Development is usually well within the cap so the idea was floated to allow unused allotments to carry over to the next year.

“Rolling them over defeats the purpose,” said Bonkowski, because that would tax some resources, especially city staff. “I like the methodology. It works in good times and bad times.”

The board made quick work of an already short agenda, and adjourned an hour after starting.

Most of the discussion concerned an item to suspend for a year the assessment for the Schulz Ranch Maintenance District. The residential development is building a park and homeowners there are assessed for 70 percent of the expected maintenance costs, or $210.11 annually; the remaining 30 percent is covered by the city.

The assessment has already accumulated enough to cover anticipated maintenance costs through fiscal year 2018-2019. But, after review of the agreement and municipal code, the board decided the assessment should continue until actual costs are determined, at which time the assessment can be recalculated and homeowners reimbursed, if necessary.

The city is annually allocated state money set aside for tax-exempt loans to fund industrial development and affordable housing.

The supervisors voted to transfer this year’s allocation — $2,921,587.73 — to Nevada Rural Housing Authority for its Home At Last program, which provides down payments and other assistance for home buyers.

The board heard on first reading an ordinance to refinance bonds used to purchase water rights from Minden.

The refinancing should save the city $3.3 million and is being done through the state’s revolving fund, which requires the savings to be reinvested in another water project. Once completed, the city plans to issue $7 million in new bonds to complete the east-west transmission line between Minden and the Quill Water Treatment Plant off Kings Canyon Road.