The Sparks Planning Commission voted to find the proposed development agreement for a 0.207-acre site at 2026 I Street consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan and forwarded a recommendation of approval to the Sparks City Council.

Casey Chaplin, administrative analyst with the City of Sparks Community Services Department, presented the proposal and the draft agreement. Chaplin said the city acquired the property in February 2024 using funds from a state affordable-housing initiative supported by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars. The site is about 0.2 acres, sits east of Sullivan Lane in a mixed residential neighborhood and mixed-use zoning district, and is within about a mile of grocery stores, parks and health services; a bus stop is nearby.

Chaplin told commissioners that the Reno Housing Authority submitted the lone response to the city’s request for proposals and that the authority’s conceptual plan calls for 12 studio and one-bedroom apartments aimed at households earning 50 percent of area median income (AMI) or below. Chaplin said each unit would receive a project-based voucher administered by the Reno Housing Authority.

The draft development agreement (PCN 25-0014) sets minimum and timing requirements: the site must be developed with a minimum of 12 dwelling units; the agreement term is five years with a two-year extension option; the developer must submit for administrative review within two years and obtain a building permit within four years. If the developer fails to meet those deadlines or if construction is not completed or is abandoned, the property must be reconveyed to the city.

Chaplin also outlined legal and funding conditions in the draft agreement: assignment and assumption provisions to transfer certain city obligations to the Reno Housing Authority, and a declaration of restrictive covenants that would run with the land to preserve affordability. Chaplin said the state initiative that funded the land acquisition required that properties purchased with those funds be used for affordable housing serving households at or below 60 percent of AMI and carry a minimum affordability period; the development agreement specifies a 50-year affordability requirement for this parcel.

No members of the public spoke during the public hearing. Commissioner Pristos moved to find the development agreement consistent with the comprehensive plan and to forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council; Commissioner Kramer seconded the motion. The commission voted to approve the recommendation (motion passes). The meeting transcript does not record a roll-call tally or recorded yes/no votes by name.

The recommendation now goes to the Sparks City Council for final action. Implementation will require the Reno Housing Authority to complete the required assignment and assumption agreement, record restrictive covenants, meet the DA timing milestones and secure building permits and required approvals before construction can proceed.