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Commission approves Contour Homes townhome plan but denies variance waiving half‑street work
Summary
The commission approved Contour Homes’ townhouse tentative map and rezoning with conditions but denied a requested variance that would have waived required half‑street improvements on Alpine Ridgeway. The developer asked for an administrative deferral for an adjacent segment due to NV Energy easement constraints.
The Planning Commission approved a general plan amendment, rezoning and a tentative map for a Contour Homes proposal that would create a medium‑low attached‑residential community with 77 attached single‑family lots near Trails End Avenue and Alpine Ridgeway. The commission, however, denied a requested variance to omit required half‑street improvements on Alpine Ridgeway between the northern end of the usable area and Moccasin Road.
Mark Mhall, representing Contour Homes, said the northern portion of the property is encumbered by NV Energy easements and adjacent BLM land, constraining typical street connectivity and motivating the request for an administrative deferral of Moccasin Road improvements. "Because of the unique nature of this site with the NV Energy easement and drainage concerns, we proposed a townhouse product that uses the constrained geometry effectively," he said. The developer agreed to bond improvements and provide programmatic open space and landscaping.
Staff supported the general plan amendment and rezoning but opposed a variance that would shift half‑street construction costs to taxpayers. Commissioners accepted staff’s reasoning on the half‑street variance and voted to deny it, while approving the other entitlements (GPA, rezoning, tentative map) subject to conditions including bonding and maintenance responsibilities for unimproved right‑of‑way.
Commissioners discussed public‑safety, future maintenance responsibility for unimproved right‑of‑way and the risk of creating a de‑facto road‑to‑nowhere that could invite dumping or off‑roading. The denial of the variance preserves the requirement that the development either install required improvements or provide funds to secure future construction. The approved map and rezoning will be forwarded to City Council on May 20 for final action.
