Industrial zoning eyed near Hot Springs

Almost four acres on Old Hot Springs Road will be rezoned industrial if Carson City’s Board of Supervisors follows a Wednesday Planning Commission recommendation.

The commission voted unanimously for a city Master Plan change recommendation and 5-1 to pass along the majority’s recommendation for rezoning the land at 1588 Old Hot Springs Road owned by Richard Langson. It would change from tourist commercial to general industrial.

Commissioner Walt Owens dissented, saying afterward he wanted limited industrial because the property is near the north side Hot Springs Resort and imminent Sassafras restaurant. Langson, meanwhile, said he likely would sell the land for an industrial site, which would provide the city some revenue, but he has had no luck selling it yet.

“We have not gotten any offers for tourist commercial,” said Langson, who added the land is part of an original 300-acre tract his family owned. He said much of it has been sold off over the years, including some for the north end Walmart and another parcel with the Hot Springs Resort that he sold a dozen years of so ago.

“We have had interest in general industrial,” Langson told Owens when the commissioner asked why he sought general instead of limited industrial zoning on the latest parcel. Owens then said he thought the latter zoning would provide a better buffer for the resort and soon-to-open restaurant on the parcel nearby.

Planner Susan Dorr Pansky said the land at Old Hot Springs Road near Research Way years ago had a different potential use with the freeway coming by, but access didn’t materialize.

“Many years ago this property was intended to have some resort uses on it,” she said, but without freeway on/off ramps nearby it became “less desirable for a commercial tourist use.” She said staff was recommending the Master Plan and zoning changes, which are set to go before the city’s governing board for consideration in January.

Also during the commission meeting, Community Development Director Lee Plemel gave members a brief verbal report on development matters. He said documents are due the city today regarding the request for proposals on downtown changes. The proposals will aim at making Carson Street pedestrian friendly, creating a plaza on West 3rd Street and later sprucing up Curry Street.

The plans will be reviewed by staff and scored for later public dissemination, a recommendation and probable action after discussion by the mayor and supervisors in February.