The Washoe County Planning Commission on Oct. 7 recommended that the Board of County Commissioners initiate development‑code amendments (WDCA25‑0009) to define senior housing, add it to the residential use table and activate Article 336 to offer a 25% density incentive for qualifying senior housing.

Senior planner Kat Oakley told commissioners the proposed definition aligns with the federal Housing for Older Persons Act: a development in which at least 80% of occupied units are occupied by at least one person 55 or older. Oakley said the code would allow ancillary amenities typically provided for seniors and that permitting, density and design requirements would follow the underlying housing type (for example, multifamily or single‑family standards).

The core incentive proposed is a 25% density bonus for senior housing that accepts a deed restriction limiting use to senior housing for at least 20 years. Oakley said the deed restriction may be recorded on each property or implemented through covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) enforced by a homeowners association that holds an agreement with the county to ensure enforcement. "We are proposing to add incentives for senior housing and specifically to add a 25% density incentive," Oakley said.

Commissioners asked whether the density bonus would waive minimum lot‑size or setback standards. Oakley replied the bonus does not automatically waive minimum lot size, setbacks or other dimensional requirements; applicants could pursue commonly used tools such as common‑open‑space subdivisions or other variance processes to achieve smaller lots or different configurations. She also noted the county is pursuing additional, separate code changes to enable smaller‑lot housing types.

At a Sept. 10 public workshop staff said there were three attendees and questions focused on deed‑restriction enforcement, incentives for income‑restricted housing (to be addressed in future amendments) and the timing of the development‑code update process. Pat Davidson, a District 5 resident who attended the workshop, spoke in support at the hearing and encouraged sliding‑scale density bonuses tied to income restrictions in future work. Developer Mike Evans of Silverado Homes also spoke in support, saying the amendments create an easier pathway for projects his company is building.

The commission voted to recommend approval and to authorize the chair to sign a resolution forwarding the recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners. The motion directed staff to present the commission's recommendation to the Board within 60 days and referenced the memo dated Oct. 3, 2025 (revised Oct. 6, 2025). The motion cited the findings set forth in Washoe County Code section 110.818.5(e).

Staff emphasized that incentives focused specifically on income‑restricted senior housing are being developed separately and that fractional density credits resulting from the 25% calculation cannot be transferred or sold to other projects. The amendments, if adopted by the Board, would make senior housing an explicit residential use type and activate Article 336 as the county's initial incentives framework for housing.