Lyon County panel backs zoning change and helipad permit for Station 38 in Dayton

The Lyon County Planning Commission on April 14 voted 6-0 to forward to the Lyon County Board of County Commissioners a recommendation to rezone a 1.02-acre parcel at 199 Six Mile Canyon Road in Dayton from C1 (limited commercial) to Public Facilities and to grant a conditional-use permit for a helipad at Fire Station 38.

Lisa Nash, senior planner, told commissioners the requested zoning change would "bring the property into compliance" with the county's public/quasi-public master-plan designation and that the parcel already has water and sewer service. Nash said the helipad use is allowed in the Public Facilities district with a conditional-use permit and that staff had prepared 19 conditions intended to reduce neighborhood impacts. "This is cleaning up something where currently the C1 isn't appropriate in the public quasi public master plan," Nash said.

Tim Macar, fire chief for the Central Lyon County Fire Protection District, described the helipad as an air-ambulance and regional transport support that would be based at Station 38. He said the operation would "provide an asset to the community at literally no cost to the community," and added the capability could assist initial wildfire attack by carrying a "Bambi bucket" that holds about 150 gallons.

Staff presentation and the applicant's materials described the planned operations: the facility would be staffed 24 hours a day, year-round, while helicopter flights would occur as requested; staff cited an expectation of about 14 flights per month for emergency responses. The applicant said aircraft maintenance would be performed off-site (for example, at Reno Airport), not on-site. Proposed conditions include a sound-buffering wall along the property's north boundary, security fencing, noise and lighting standards, and requirements to provide intended flight paths to planning staff so impacts to nearby residences (some within about 250 feet) can be minimized.

Commissioners asked technical and operational questions about whether construction such as aircraft doors or concrete pads would be required and about rotor wash and flight paths; the applicant said such construction and any structural changes would return to the planning process for permits. Nash said the conditions require demonstration that the helipad plan will meet applicable noise, lighting and buffering standards and that FAA routing considerations will be addressed.

The commission approved two separate motions related to the same project: one recommending approval of the zoning map amendment (PLZ-2026-12) and a second forwarding approval of the conditional-use permit for a general aviation airport/helipad (PLZ-2026-013) with the stated conditions. Both motions passed by voice vote, 6-0.

The commission forwarded its recommendations to the Lyon County Board of County Commissioners; no date for a board hearing was specified at the planning commission meeting. Staff and the applicant said additional permits and building plans will be required for any subsequent construction tied to the helipad.

The meeting also included routine procedural business, a brief update from Gavin Henderson, Lyon County community development director, and an agenda request from Commissioner Mark Jones to schedule a presentation by Mark Ford of Victory Logistics on a planned development in Fernley.