Planning commission backs zone change and tentative map for Mica Place development

The Reno City Planning Commission on July 15 recommended that the City Council approve a zoning map amendment changing roughly 14.92 acres near North Virginia Street and Moraine Way from general commercial to MF‑21 multifamily residential and approved a companion 74‑lot tentative subdivision map, a conditional use permit (CUP) and a major deviation for the Mica Place project.

Jeff Foster, associate planner, told commissioners that staff found the requested MF‑21 zone would be more compatible with surrounding multifamily zoning and the site’s steep topography than the existing GC designation. He said the MF‑21 district allows product types proposed by the developer and that staff could make the necessary findings for both the zoning amendment and the development approvals.

Dave Snellgrove of Bowman Consulting Group, the applicant’s planning manager, said the project includes 48 townhome lots and 26 detached single‑family lots (the applicant corrected the earlier exhibit counts), two access points from Mica Place and Moraine Way, and a gated subdivision layout. "We are just under five parking spaces per unit," Snellgrove said, noting that the design provides two‑car garages and driveways for each home plus additional common‑area parking.

During public comment, nearby residents raised traffic, parking and construction impacts. "With 551 average daily trips in the proposal, I worry about the ability to turn from Moraine and Dallas during peak periods," said John Fisher, who lives on Lodestar Lane and asked the commission to consider traffic signal warrants and protections for recently repaved streets. Tom Taber urged attention to on‑street parking and winter safety on steep approaches.

Commissioners pressed staff about where residents should report future traffic or street damage concerns; Raley, a city staff member, said Reno Direct routes engineering and public‑works issues to the appropriate divisions and noted code enforcement handles maintenance complaints. Foster reiterated that the zoning map amendment itself cannot be conditioned for traffic mitigation and that mitigation would be addressed in subsequent project review and engineering phases.

Commissioner Sean McCoy moved to recommend the zoning map amendment to city council and later to approve the tentative map, CUP and major deviation subject to the staff‑recommended conditions; both motions passed unanimously by the commissioners present. The tentative map approval includes conditions requiring reconciliation of open‑space shortfalls, limitations on blasting operations and standard geotechnical certification prior to occupancy.

Next steps: the zoning amendment goes to Reno City Council for final action; the tentative map and CUP approvals are effective subject to the listed conditions and the adopted zoning. The commission’s approvals were made with the caveat that if the council does not adopt the zoning amendment, the map and related approvals will be voided.