Carson City Board of Supervisors Meeting Summary – May 21, 2026
Carson City Board of Supervisors Meeting – May 21, 2026
The Carson City Board of Supervisors convened on May 21, 2026, at 8:30 AM (start time inferred from proceedings) at the Carson City Community Center. The meeting included opening public comment, special presentations, consent agenda, appointments, an annual wildland fuels report, approval of the FY2027 final budget, a 9-11 surcharge master plan update, and extensive discussion on a short-term rental ordinance. The board also recessed to meet as the Redevelopment Authority and later reconvened for final items.
Consent Calendar
- Approved minutes of April 16, 2026 (unanimous).
- Approved consent agenda items 8A, 9A, 10A, 11A, 12A–12H, 13A–13C (unanimous).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Opening Public Comment (3 speakers):
- A resident asked for clarification on the city's use of the extraordinary maintenance fund (NRS 354) for capital projects versus maintenance.
- Teresa Jones, on behalf of herself and neighbors, requested an amendment to CMC 10.24.90 to address habitual residential parking nuisance at 233 Albany Avenue. She provided a packet and asked the board to refer the matter to staff, legal counsel, and advisory committees.
- Mike Lafferty (Lakeview resident, Firewise Committee Chair) expressed strong support for the Carson City Fire Department's wildland fuels program, noting the multi-agency evacuation drill, the trailer/dumpster program (30 bins and 100 trailers moved in Lakeview), and defensible space inspections.
- Additional Public Comments:
- Denny French raised concerns about a potential open meeting law violation related to Sunset Park agenda language and a lack of supporting material. He also urged caution with artificial turf and heat.
- During the short-term rental discussion, Denny French noted that many current STR operators may be unaware of the proposed regulations and the assessor's reclassification to 8% property tax cap. He requested better public education.
- Final Public Comment: Denny French warned about synthetic insecticide impacts on pollinators, snake safety, and proper maintenance of artificial turf in public parks.
Special Presentations
- Wildfire Awareness Month Proclamation: May 2026 proclaimed as Nevada Wildfire Awareness Month. Speakers from CCFD, Nevada Division of Forestry (Ron Boyer), and Living with Fire (Megan Kay) highlighted partnerships, the wildland fuels crew's work (mitigation, defensible space inspections, and response to recent fires), and urged homeowners to clear vegetation 50–100 feet and request free inspections.
- National Treatment Court and Mental Health Awareness Month Proclamation: May 2026 proclaimed. Carson City has five treatment courts (misdemeanor, mental health, DUI/drug, juvenile) serving 65 participants with 30 graduations in the last 12 months. Judges noted programs last 12–18 months and save an average of $6,000 per participant.
- Length of Service Certificates: Recognized employees with 5–20 years of service: Kelly Hale (20 years, retiring), Tanya Petrie (15 years), Tyler Jesse (10 years), Sherry Russell-Benaboo (15 years), Denise Scholl (10 years), Chase Weatherington (5 years). Each was praised for their contributions.
Discussion Items
- Appointment to the Carson City Tourism Authority (CTA): Andrew Reno was reappointed for a two-year term (June 6, 2026 – June 5, 2028) after interviews with both Reno and Marlon Flores. The board commended both candidates and encouraged Flores to pursue other volunteer opportunities. (Vote: unanimous).
- Annual Wildland Fuels Division Report (presented by acting Fire Chief Kevin Nyberg and Kimberly, lead of the division): The division focuses on hazardous fuel reduction, defensible space, and education. Key accomplishments in the past year: treated >380 acres through thinning, mastication, and pile burning; completed >150 defensible space inspections; collected >200 tons of biomass. The team works with federal/state partners and supports evacuation routes and community resilience. The report noted that Carson City's wildfire risk is higher than 98% of U.S. counties. Board members praised the program and noted that the trailer/dumpster program (available to WUI and Firewise communities) helps residents reduce fuels. Firewise communities receive benefits such as support with insurance.
- Final Budget FY2027 (Agenda 17A): Sherry Russell-Benaboo presented the final budget, which incorporates supplemental requests approved April 16, capital improvements, and minor adjustments (e.g., $5,062 library line item fix, $533,000 transferred to street and highway fund to meet $3.1 million target). Court administrator position start dates were adjusted. After public comment, the budget was approved unanimously (4-1, with Supervisor White voting no on the Redevelopment Authority budget component later, but the city budget overall passed with aye votes from all except one on the RDA portion). Supervisor Horton and Supervisor Shooty disclosed familial conflicts (sons and nephew employed by the city) but stated the conflicts were not disqualifying and proceeded to vote. (Vote: unanimous on city budget).
- Deletion of Capital Assets (Agenda 17B): The board directed staff to bring the annual list of deleted capital assets for review with the audit presentation, rather than during budget. Approved unanimously.
- 9-1-1 Surcharge Master Plan (Agenda 18A): Sheriff Furlong and Michael Chalk presented the five-year plan with minor funding shifts. The plan aligns with the budget. Approved unanimously.
- Short-Term Rental Ordinance Direction (Agenda 19A): Hope Sullivan presented a menu of options for regulating short-term rentals (STRs). After extensive board discussion and public comment, the board gave the following direction:
- STRs will be a permitted use (not conditional) in zoning districts where dwellings are allowed, excluding multifamily apartment, industrial, and public zones. A supplemental standards checkmark will be added.
- Standards: only one STR per property; must be a dwelling unit at time of application; owner must pay room tax; require bear-proof trash bins; provide a code of conduct (including occupancy limits, quiet hours 9 PM–7 AM, no amplified sound outside); responsible person must respond within 30 minutes of city contact; annual inspection (may); cleaning and sanitation protocols including hot tub maintenance log; no activities requiring a separate business license; occupancy limit of 2 per bedroom, no sleeping in common areas; fire pits must be gas-operated and comply with fire department rules; no wood burning.
- Enforcement: administrative penalties with fines (to be refined by staff; board suggested first violation $500, second $750, third $1,000 and possible revocation). Unlicensed operation will be subject to criminal penalties and a six-month bar from obtaining a license.
- A 60-day grace period after ordinance adoption for existing operators to come into compliance. Non-compliant operators after that period face enforcement and the six-month bar.
- The ordinance will be placed in Title 4 (business licensing) as a privileged license, with land use changes in Title 18.
- The assessor has already begun reclassifying advertised STRs at the higher 8% property tax cap. Staff will draft the ordinance for first and second reading.
Key Outcomes
- Approved consent calendar and minutes (unanimous).
- Reappointed Andrew Reno to CTA (unanimous).
- Received Wildland Fuels Division report and expressed continued support.
- Approved FY2027 Final Budget (unanimous; one no on RDA portion later).
- Directed staff to present asset deletions at audit (unanimous).
- Approved 9-1-1 Surcharge Master Plan (unanimous).
- Provided detailed direction on Short-Term Rental Ordinance: Staff and legal counsel to draft an ordinance consistent with board direction; to be presented at a future meeting for first reading.
- Approved Redevelopment Authority Budget and Expenditure Resolution (4-1, Supervisor White opposed).
- Adjourned at approximately 11:15 AM.
Meeting Transcript
Mr. Hohen, may I have a roll call, please? Supervisor Giaomi. Supervisor White, Supervisor Horton, Supervisor Shuddy. Mayor Bagwell. You have your quorum. Thank you so much. We'll start with our invitation this morning. And I see that uh Pastor Hodge is here. Please start us off with something great today. Let's pray. Father, you have told us that you have required us to love mercy, to act justly, and to walk humbly before you. And we pray this morning for our officials before us that you would give them wisdom and the courage to choose the things that are good. Lord, we pray uh over our city and over its people that you would teach us more and more to love kindness and to care for each other. And that in all things we would walk humbly before you and each other, seeking the good of our neighbor before our own good, and in doing so, when the whole city does it, finding that each of us are cared for. Thank you so much. Okay, we're on opening public comment. I have three listed. And I wrote this this morning, so bear with me. Okay, for interest three fifty-four. Fund for extraordinary maintenance repair or improvement of capital projects. A local government may establish a fund for the extraordinary maintenance repair or improvement of capital projects. Okay, so my question, I'm not going to read it because you all have a copy. I would like clarification from the city about the extraordinary fund. The NRS does not list that the fund may be used for capital projects or facilities. I think this means that the NRS does not allow the funds to be used for new construction, which would be a capital improvement, because in the wording of it, it does say that the fund may only be used for the extraordinary maintenance, repair, or improvement of capital projects or facilities that replace capital projects of the entity that made the deposits in the fund. So I'd like you to clarify for me. Does the city think they can use it for new construction? And two, why has the city been using this fund for much needed? Why has not the city been using this fund for much needed maintenance, repairs, and improvements of city facilities? Thank you. Thank you. I have Ron and Teresa Jones. Good morning, Mayor Bagwell, members of the Carson City Board of Supervisors and City staff. My name is Teresa Jones, and I'm speaking today on behalf of myself, my husband, and numerous neighbors affected by an ongoing residential parking nuisance in our neighborhood. We appreciate the opportunity to address the board this morning. We are here today to respect respectfully request consideration of amendment to the Carson City Municipal Code 102490, parking for certain purposes prohibited, to include an additional provision addressing a chronic residential parking nuisance. Conduct by one resident at 233 Albany Avenue is impacting numerous other residents. Residents living on Albany Avenue and West 4th Street. The packet provided contains four documents. First, a letter to the board detailing the ongoing hostile and retaliatory conduct by the resident at 233 Albany. We'll be mailing the letter with signatures to the board early next week. Second, proposed amendment language two for Carson City Municipal Code 102490. Third, map and description of the habitual nuisance parking by the resident at 233 Albany. Fourth, photographic documentation illustrating the pattern of hostile and intimidating conduct that neighbors have been experiencing over the past four years. The proposed code amendment is not intended to restrict lawful guest parking, temporary overflow parking, contractors, caregivers, deliveries, or other ordinary residential parking. Its purpose is to address repeated and unreasonable conduct in which an individual persistently shifts parking burden onto neighboring properties despite available parking in front of and on their own property. We believe the proposed ordinance language provides a balanced and enforceable approach by establishing clear thresholds for repeated conduct requiring parking of the vehicle at the owner's residence, i.e. on property or in front of, providing reasonable exemptions for legitimate circumstances, utilizing complaint-driven enforcement procedures, and importantly, treating habitual displacement parking as a neighborhood nuisance issue rather than a simple parking preference dispute. The photographs included in the packet represent a small portion of the extensive photo and video documentation taken by neighborhood residents, which are available to the board upon request.
openpublica.com