Washoe County planning commission approves abandonment of county easement at 15850 Fawn Lane with 20-foot access retained

The Washoe County Planning Commission on May 6 approved abandonment case WAB24‑006, allowing JC Investments, LLC (Series 5) to abandon most of a 33‑foot‑wide government patent access and utility easement across a property at 15850 Fawn Lane while retaining a 20‑foot access strip along part of the southern property line.

Planner Tim Evans told commissioners the subject parcel is just over 2 acres and surrounded by similar single‑family development. Staff circulated the application to 17 agencies; one agency provided conditions (included in Exhibit A of the staff report). Seven parcels were notified; one public comment was received raising concerns about access. Staff recommended approval with conditions and said it could make the required findings under the Washoe County Code.

The applicant's representative, Darrell Meal, said he had originally requested abandonment of the entire 33‑foot easement but noted his application as filed included the revised configuration that retains the 20‑foot access strip. Public commenters raised concerns about whether the easement served rear parcels. Vicki and Lee Conley said the remote rear parcel is not served by the easement and questioned an earlier comment that it provided access to that back parcel. Neighbor Brian Arnold, who said his property adjoins the subject parcel, described ongoing litigation over patent easements in the area and urged consistent treatment of similar patent easements along Fawn Lane. Arnold said he was not opposed to the abandonment on the parcel under consideration but argued that if one easement is altered, similar easements on Fawn Lane should be treated consistently.

Commissioners asked staff to confirm what was in writing. Evans said the applicant initially requested full abandonment but later submitted revised documentation retaining the 20‑foot access; that revision is what staff has in writing and what staff presented to the commission. After discussion, Commissioner Lazarecki moved approval with the conditions in Exhibit A; Commissioner Kennedy seconded. The commission voted unanimously to approve WAB24‑006.

The approval includes the conditions listed in Exhibit A of the staff report (not specified in detail in the hearing record) and the retained 20‑foot wide access area shown on the submitted site plan. The staff report notes that the public comment received concerned retention of access for an adjacent property and that revisions to the proposed abandonment were made to address that concern.

Because the easement at issue is a federal “patent” easement recorded historically, several speakers emphasized that Washoe County’s abandonment of its interest does not necessarily remove privately asserted or federally recorded interests and that civil disputes over patent language may persist separately from the county action.

Commissioners closed the public hearing and approved the application with conditions; the motion passed unanimously.