OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Sparks Planning Commission Meeting - August 22, 2025

City Council & Boards — Friday, August 22, 2025
BodySparks, Nevada
SessionCity Council & Boards
DateFriday, August 22, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 35:04

Transcript — Verbatim
0:20

Commissioner Spermer.

0:22

Assistant Secretary by Nintendo.

0:24

Here.

0:27

Here.

0:27

I have a point.

0:28

Thank you.

0:30

Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:37

Pledge of allegiance to the United States of America.

0:41

And to the Republic for which it stands.

0:44

One nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

0:51

All right.

0:56

Okay, I'll open it up for general comment on the public comment.

1:00

This is for any particular comment that anybody wants to make.

1:05

Do I see any does anybody want to make a comment?

1:10

All right.

1:10

I'll close public comment.

1:14

May I get approval for tonight's agenda?

1:17

Mr.

1:17

Chair, I move to approve the agenda as submitted.

1:20

I'll second that.

1:21

All right, we got a motion by Commissioner Kramer, a second by Commissioner Pritzel.

1:26

Those that have computers, please vote.

1:29

Those of us that don't, please yay or nay.

1:33

Okay.

1:34

I passes.

1:41

All right.

1:42

May I get approval for the minutes?

1:47

Mr.

1:47

Chair, I move to approve the minutes of the Planning Commission study session held on July 15th, 2025, and the Planning Commission meeting held on Thursday, July 17th, 2025.

2:00

All right, we got a move by Commissioner Kramer.

2:03

Uh a second by Commissioner Nieberline.

2:05

Those have computers, please vote.

2:08

The other ones, please vote yay or nay.

2:13

Aye.

2:14

Ricky.

2:16

Commissioner Elkins.

2:18

Yeah.

2:20

Is that a yay?

2:22

Yeah.

2:23

Okay.

2:25

Sounds very enthusiastic.

2:27

Thank you.

2:29

All right, we're moving on to public hearing item.

2:33

PCN 19-004 for sus MAJ 25-0001.

2:49

Thank you, Chair Rossin, and members of the planning commission for the record, Sienna Reed, City Planner.

2:54

Um, with your permission, Mr.

2:56

Chair, could this presentation uh cover both agenda items 7.1, which is the major deviation, as well as 8.1, which is the tentative map.

3:05

Sure.

3:06

Uh perfect.

3:07

Um, just uh before starting out, do want to note that um ultimately at the end of uh this presentation, the major deviation does require a public hearing.

3:17

The tentative map uh does not, but we'll proceed forward with the uh grouped presentation.

3:24

All right, on this slide you can see the five ridges village one B project site is outlined in red.

3:30

It totals 7.46 acres and is located on the north side of Highland Ranch Parkway and uh west of the intersection uh with it or west of its intersection with Five Ridges Parkway.

3:43

As you can see, Village 1B is generally located in the southern portion of the Five Ridges project site, not larger Five Bridges Project site is outlined in blue.

3:56

Uh for some of you, the request before you tonight will look a little bit familiar.

4:00

Uh that is because both uh tentative map and major deviation requests were previously approved for Five Bridges Village 1B in August of 2021, and the request before you tonight would effectively renew those entitlements.

4:15

Uh notably a final map for village 1B is currently under review.

4:19

However, it's not going to be certified by city council or finally recorded prior to the tentative map expiring, leading to the need to renew the tentative map and associated major deviation.

4:34

As proposed, uh the major deviation request seeks to reduce the required minimum minimum residential density that applies in the MF2 zoning district from 12 dwelling units per acre to 6.17 dwelling units per acre.

4:48

That's a 48.6% decrease.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████████████████████████████████████████47%
Procedural████████████████████21%
Affordable Housing█████████████████18%
Public Transportation█████████9%
Transportation Safety█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Sparks Planning Commission Meeting - August 22, 2025

The Sparks Planning Commission met on August 22, 2025, to consider a major deviation request and tentative map renewal for the Five Ridges Village 1B subdivision. The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance and unanimous approval of the agenda and minutes from prior meetings on July 15 and July 17, 2025.

Consent Calendar

  • The agenda and minutes from the July 15 and July 17, 2025 meetings were approved unanimously via voice vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Alysia Mayer, a resident near Sun Valley Boulevard and Highland Ranch Parkway, expressed concerns about traffic congestion, noting that planned widening from 2025-2034 seems delayed. She noted that two other developments are under construction and that sidewalks have been removed, and she asked about the timeline for widening Highland Ranch Parkway west of the project entrance.
  • Judd Desan Henness, a new resident of Five Ridges Parkway, stated that turning left onto Pyramid Highway is increasingly unsafe, citing a 25-minute wait to make a left turn on the day of the meeting and a lack of alternative routes during a recent wildfire.

Discussion Items

  • Staff Presentation: City Planner Sienna Reed presented the staff report. The Five Ridges Village 1B site is 7.46 acres, originally approved in 2021. The current request renews entitlements before the tentative map expires. The major deviation (MAJ 25-0001) seeks to reduce the minimum residential density from 12 dwelling units per acre (du/ac) to 6.17 du/ac (a 48.6% reduction). This is due to sloped areas, a detention basin, and land set aside for future roadway widening; the effective buildable area is nearly identical to the 2021 approval. The tentative map (STM 25-0002) proposes 46 lots in 23 duplex buildings (two- and three-bedroom units), with 130 parking spaces (garage, driveway, and surface). Staff noted a density gap in the zoning code (SF6 maxes at 7.26 du/ac; MF2 requires 12 du/ac) and that future code amendments are anticipated. Findings supported approval: the development does not adversely impact health, safety, or welfare; it aligns with other properties in the MF-14 land use designation; and public notice was properly given (Reno Gazette Journal on Aug 5, 39 mailed notices). The tentative map findings addressed comprehensive plan conformance, street capacity, utilities, schools, police, fire protection, and other impacts. Key conditions include requiring final floor plans to verify parking compliance (Condition 21), a traffic study prior to final map to determine if off-site improvements are needed (Condition 15), and that any walls along Highland Ranch Parkway use split-face CMU (Condition 22).
  • Engineer Comments: City Engineer Amber Sosa clarified that widening of Highland Ranch Parkway from the project entrance to Pyramid Highway is scheduled to start September 2025, with a 16-month construction timeline including a new signal at the project entrance. The widening from the project entrance west to Sun Valley Boulevard is an RTC project currently in design.

Key Outcomes

  • Major Deviation (MAJ 25-0001): Commissioner Pritzo moved to forward a recommendation of approval to City Council, adopting findings MD1-MD5 and subject to conditions 1-3. Motion seconded by Commissioner Kramer. Passed unanimously by voice vote (all ayes).
  • Tentative Map (STM 25-0002): Commissioner Kramer moved to forward a recommendation of approval to City Council, adopting findings T1-T12 and subject to conditions 1-22. Motion seconded by Commissioner Pritzos. Passed unanimously by voice vote (all ayes).
  • The final map is under review but will not be certified before the existing tentative map expires, necessitating these renewals.

Meeting Transcript

Commissioner Spermer. Assistant Secretary by Nintendo. Here. Here. I have a point. Thank you. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Pledge of allegiance to the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. All right. Okay, I'll open it up for general comment on the public comment. This is for any particular comment that anybody wants to make. Do I see any does anybody want to make a comment? All right. I'll close public comment. May I get approval for tonight's agenda? Mr. Chair, I move to approve the agenda as submitted. I'll second that. All right, we got a motion by Commissioner Kramer, a second by Commissioner Pritzel. Those that have computers, please vote. Those of us that don't, please yay or nay. Okay. I passes. All right. May I get approval for the minutes? Mr. Chair, I move to approve the minutes of the Planning Commission study session held on July 15th, 2025, and the Planning Commission meeting held on Thursday, July 17th, 2025. All right, we got a move by Commissioner Kramer. Uh a second by Commissioner Nieberline. Those have computers, please vote. The other ones, please vote yay or nay. Aye. Ricky. Commissioner Elkins. Yeah. Is that a yay? Yeah. Okay. Sounds very enthusiastic. Thank you. All right, we're moving on to public hearing item. PCN 19-004 for sus MAJ 25-0001. Thank you, Chair Rossin, and members of the planning commission for the record, Sienna Reed, City Planner. Um, with your permission, Mr. Chair, could this presentation uh cover both agenda items 7.1, which is the major deviation, as well as 8.1, which is the tentative map. Sure. Uh perfect. Um, just uh before starting out, do want to note that um ultimately at the end of uh this presentation, the major deviation does require a public hearing.

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