A sign notifies Ranchos residents of a Sept. 12 hearing at the Douglas County Planning Commission. That hearing, and another scheduled for Nov. 14 have been continued until the December meeting.
Photo by Kurt Hildebrand.
Concerns about the deteriorating traffic at the Gardnerville Ranchos’ Highway 395 entrance has Douglas County staff seeking a continuance of a request for the construction of an 85-unit subdivision on land between the Ranchos and Dresslerville.
The 33.2-acre property is designated receiving area in the Douglas County Master Plan.
Applicants Keith Serpa and Sam Landis are seeking a planned development that will allow for the reduction in lot sizes, a subdivision map and a zoning map amendment to change the zoning from forest and range to single family residential.
Staff concerns have prompted them to ask planning commissioners to continue the request a month, so the applicant can provide a traffic report that satisfies county design criteria.
The applicant submitted a traffic study indicating 802 vehicle trips a day.
An independent review though determined that the traffic study shows that Highway 395 and Riverview’s southbound left turn lane is at the worst level of service of F and the eastbound left turn lane drops from a D to and E.
“As a result, the applicant is required to participate in mitigation to rectify the issues at the intersection,” Senior Planner Lucille Rao said in the report. “The traffic study did not discuss participation in mitigation at this intersection as it should.”
The site is located north of Dresslerville and Main River, which is the main access to the Washoe Tribe community.
Because the property is receiving area, owners must obtain development rights to build 84 of the proposed 85 units. Under the proposal the project would be built in three phases with final completion Dec. 31, 2030.
County staff is recommending approval of a design review and subdivision map for 116 townhomes on both sides of Monte Vista Avenue north of Ironwood Drive in Minden.
Zoning for the property is multi-family residential and is part of the 2001 specific plan that envisioned 145 townhomes on the site.
According to the staff report, the homes will be similar to those already built east of the project.
Also before planning commissioners is a request for a major variance to move the big Carson Valley Inn sign from west to east of the hotel-casino.
Moving the sign will make room for a proposed 100-room Mariott. At 26 feet, the sign will be the same size as its predecessor.
Planning commissioners meet 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Douglas County Courthouse in Minden.
