By Jo Petteruti
The Planning Commission met on Wednesday, November 9 to consider six items on their agenda: two Temporary Use Permits, two Special Use Permits, one variance, and the Patua geothermal monitoring report. They were also scheduled to elect new officers, but that action was tabled to December.
The first TUP request was for hardship/caretaker quarters located at 2944 Nicole Circle which had been tabled during the October 12 meeting as the applicant, Lancer Wagar did not attend. The request is to allow Wagar to live in an RV on the property to care for his aging parents. According to the Planning Department staff report, the application indicates the parents are over 70 years old, though documentation had not been provided for who they are, their age, or their ability to care for themselves. Their property care has declined, and their son proposes to be on-site to assist them. The application further states the RV is already on the property, occupied by Wagar, and connected to the septic, well, and electricity used to service the main residence. Two area residents submitted letters to the Public Works Department requesting the commission deny the TUP due to concerns for their safety. They signed their letters anonymously as they feared retribution by the applicant. The staff report recommended approval of the TUP, and the commission concurred by approving the request.
An extension request for an existing SUP submitted by Excel Equipment for the property located at 9900 Carson Highway was approved for four more months to allow the company more time to sell the equipment on the property. Per the applicant's request, “We have secured buyers for the equipment that is in the yard and have loaded out most of it. The remaining parts and pipe that is there is getting loaded one or two trucks at a time and the buyer is telling me that he should have all the equipment out of the yard by late January 2023.”
The Planning Commission approved a TUP for temporary hardship/caretaker quarters located at 2491 Roberson Lane for Marilyn McVey who will reside in an RV on the property to care for property owners Carolyn and Charles Mann. As part of their approval, the commission asked that evidence of need be provided.
A new SUP request submitted by Chad Goings was approved for a home-based gunsmithing and custom rifle-building business to be located at 1155 Dodgian Lane. The business will be run from his existing shop, he will be the only employee, and sales will be made by appointment only. There will be no test firing, signage, or ammunition storage for sale.
A variance request submitted by Stanislaus Farm Supply at 500 Gummow Drive near the intersection of Reno Highway was denied. The applicant submitted the request, their third one in the last few years, to now allow a container-style portable office that had recently been placed within the required street setback requirement to remain where it is. The applicant told the commission the office had to be placed there to have access to electric and cable services. However, the commission pointed out that the office building had been installed without the required approvals. They also told the applicant that extending the services by less than 30 feet would have made the building in compliance with the setback requirement, thereby eliminating the hardship stated by the applicant.
The geothermal monitoring plan prepared by Mahannah and Associates for the Patua Acquisition Company (also known as CIRQ) geothermal power plant located off Highway 50 in Hazen was presented to the commission. Mahannah said, “Much of the data contained in the reports is confidential and protected under a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) between Mahannah and PAC, therefore much of this report will be very generalized. Unlike other geothermal companies in Churchill County, PAC has provided their reports to Mahannah which promotes efficiency to reduce review costs which is greatly appreciated. The intent of the Monitoring Plan is to facilitate an understanding of the hydrology near the project including project-related impacts (if any) to the non-thermal aquifers in the project area and identify existing or future impacts to water quality or quantity.” Mahannah also told the commission that PAC had implemented cooling water towers in 2019 that are used in the summer months, from May to September. However, that process is a consumptive water use, and private wells in the area have shown a slight decline in water levels since then. The commission accepted the recommendations in the Mahannah report.
Churchill County Planning Commission meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m.
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