Washoe County Planning Commission Meeting - June 2, 2026

The Washoe County Planning Commission met on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. to consider three public hearing items: two easement abandonments and a development code amendment. All items were approved unanimously with conditions.

Consent Calendar

• The agenda was approved as written by a unanimous vote.
• The draft minutes from the May 2026 meeting were approved as written by a unanimous vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Two written public comments were submitted for item 8A (Zero Cinder Lane abandonment). One comment requested maintaining access on the northern property line, and another expressed fire safety concerns about retaining the full 33-foot easement on the east end. No oral public comments were received for any item.

Discussion Items

• Item 8A – WAB 26003: Abandonment of Easements at Zero Cinder Lane
  Applicant Tom Tornstrom requested abandonment of 33-foot government patent easements on the north, south, and west sides of a 2.5-acre parcel. Staff recommended partial approval: full abandonment on the east and south sides, but retaining 20 feet of the easement on the north side per engineering division requirements. AT&T raised concerns about utility easements, which were addressed by requiring the applicant to pursue separate utility abandonments. The commission approved the partial abandonment with conditions, finding all three criteria in Washoe County Code Section 110.806.20 and the fourth finding under NRS 278.480(3) were met.

• Item 8B – WAB 26004: Abandonment of Indian Lane Easement for Rock Springs Solar
  Applicant CED Rock Springs Solar LLC sought abandonment of a 50-foot access easement (Indian Lane) across two parcels totaling approximately 21.8 acres. The abandonment is part of the previously approved Rock Springs Solar Project. Staff recommended approval with conditions, including a deed of combination requirement and relocation of a presumed public roadway. Public outreach resulted in no opposition after property owners were informed their properties were not affected. The commission approved the abandonment with conditions, finding all three code criteria were met.

• Item 8C – WDCA 26002: Development Code Amendment to Article 408 (Common Open Space Development)
  Staff proposed amending the five findings added in April 2025 to require that three findings (efficient land use, minimized road building, sense of community) always be met, while two findings (preservation of steep slopes and protection of natural/scenic resources) apply only when site-specific conditions exist. The amendment was shaped by public input from a neighborhood meeting. Commissioners discussed implementation challenges, including definitions of "large diameter trees" and "excessive grading." Staff clarified that field visits and existing code standards (e.g., Article 438 for grading) guide review. The commission voted to recommend approval of the amendment to the Board of County Commissioners, authorizing the chair to sign the resolution and directing staff to report to the Board within 60 days, based on four findings under Section 110.818.15E.

Key Outcomes

• All three public hearing items were approved unanimously with conditions.
• Commissioner requested staff to review density calculations for common open space developments, particularly concerning the use of unbuildable acreage in density calculations, citing the Sierra Reflections project. The request was seconded, and staff will return with information at a future agendized meeting.
• Staff reported on recent county commission actions: adoption of residential/commercial DCA, first reading of small unit density and housing density bonus DCAs, and adoption of MPARCA for sphere of influence rollback.
• An RTC memo requested at a previous meeting will be circulated within the next week.