Commission forwards rezoning, plan amendment and CUP for gaming use at Holman Way shopping center to city council

The Sparks Planning Commission unanimously forwarded to the City Council three related actions for 800 Holman Way: a comprehensive plan amendment to change the property’s land‑use designation from Commercial to Tourist Commercial, a rezoning from C‑2 (general commercial) to TC (tourist commercial), and a conditional use permit that would formally allow the site’s existing nonrestricted gaming establishment, JJ’s Gaming, as a conforming use in the TC zone.

Sienna Reed, planning manager, presented the three concurrent requests and explained the applicant asked for the items to be processed together so City Council — not the Planning Commission — would take final action on the rezoning and plan amendment while the CUP would be considered alongside them. Reed said the site, just under six acres at the northwest corner of Pyramid Way and Holman Way, already contains a Scolari’s grocery store and a legally established nonrestricted gaming space that had been expanded over time to 7,891 square feet; JJ’s Gaming operates within that footprint.

Reed said staff’s analysis shows the tourist commercial land‑use designation and TC zoning also permit a broad range of commercial and lodging uses, but that the TC designation specifically allows nonrestricted gaming and convention/exhibition facilities. She said the application does not propose any expansion of the gaming area and that a traffic letter filed with the application documents no increase in trip generation for the site because total gaming square footage will not change. Reed noted the site provides 284 parking spaces while the combined tenant demand is 179 spaces, so staff concluded parking is adequate.

Garrett Gordon, land‑use counsel representing the Scolari family, said on the record that the application does not expand gaming and that codifying the use as conforming avoids repeatedly disclosing the property as “nonconforming” to state gaming regulators. He said any future expansion would require returning to the public process and the commission.

Reed told commissioners a neighborhood meeting on March 13 drew about 10 members of the public who expressed concerns about a casino near residences, possible future intensification, traffic, crime, property‑value impacts and effects on the grocery. Staff mailed notice to 285 property owners and said three written public comments in opposition had been received as of the meeting.

Commissioners voted to forward a recommendation of approval on the conditional use permit (PCN18‑0062 / CU25‑003), the comprehensive plan amendment (MPA25‑001) and the rezoning (RZ25‑001) to City Council. In discussion commissioners asked applicants and staff to confirm that the action would not expand gaming and were reassured that any expansion would require a new entitlement and public hearings.

If approved by City Council, the rezoning would make the existing nonrestricted gaming use a permitted primary use in the TC zone; staff recommended three conditions for the CUP focused on standard operational and code compliance matters.