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The debate over a Walmart Supercenter proposed for south Gardnerville will continue well into the holiday season.
Douglas Coun ty Com munity Devel opment Di rec tor Mimi Moss confirmed Monday that developers of the 152,495-square-foot superstore have once again requested a design review of the project be continued.
“The dates have changed,” Moss said.
The Gard nerville Town Board, which was scheduled to review the project next week, will now wait until Dec. 1.
Likewise, the county's deadline to complete the design review has been moved to Dec. 11.
“They still want to work through the building design, and that is the reason for the extension,” Moss said.
As of Monday, neither the county nor the Town of Gardnerville had received any new conceptual plans for the 24-acre commercial site between Service Drive and Charlotte Way.
“I know they're working on it,” said Town Manager Jim Park. “They've shared with me that it goes through corporate branding, and that they were running out of time to make the November meeting, so they asked for the continuance.”
Both Park and Moss expect a redesign, but have no information on what the new plans will look like. The town's review of the original design on Sept. 1 was continued after residents and board members raised concerns about the building's compatibility with the Virginia Ranch Specific Plan, among other things.
Located off Highway 395 near Les Schwab Tires, the Walmart site lies within the 226-acre Virginia Ranch development, which includes more than 1,000 residential units and up to 100 acres of commercial zoning. However, the guidelines of the Virginia Ranch Specific Plan call for village-like, pedestrian-friendly development compatible with historic downtown.
“Walmart has made adjustments to their original submittal based on county and Town of Gardnerville direction, but additional changes are needed to be more in line with the Virginia Ranch Specific Plan,” County Manager T. Michael Brown wrote in a guest opinion appearing in today's Record-Courier.
Brown said the county shares residents' concerns about the impact of the proposed store, but doesn't have the legal authority to stop Walmart from coming to town.
“While the board of commissioners does have broad powers over land use in Douglas County, they do not have the legal authority to deny Walmart from locating in our community unless Walmart fails to meet all federal, state and local requirements,” Brown stated. “The site that Walmart is planning to build on has the appropriate zoning (general commercial) and their site improvement plans meet government requirements for infrastructure (i.e. transportation, water, sewer, drainage, etc.). The only current outstanding issue is the design of the building.”
Brown said planning commissioners and county commissioners will not be involved in the approval process, “unless Walmart's design is deemed unacceptable by the community development director and Walmart appeals the director's decision.”
“Once again, this is because the site has the proper zoning and Walmart's plans meet government requirements,” Brown said.
He also said because the site is located in receiving area as designated by the master plan, the development will require the owner to transfer 10 development rights for every one acre.
“As a result, Walmart would be required to transfer approximately 240 development rights to support the project, resulting in the creation of over 100 acres of conservation land elsewhere in the Carson Valley,” Brown said.
Douglas Coun ty Com munity Devel opment Di rec tor Mimi Moss confirmed Monday that developers of the 152,495-square-foot superstore have once again requested a design review of the project be continued.
“The dates have changed,” Moss said.
The Gard nerville Town Board, which was scheduled to review the project next week, will now wait until Dec. 1.
Likewise, the county's deadline to complete the design review has been moved to Dec. 11.
“They still want to work through the building design, and that is the reason for the extension,” Moss said.
As of Monday, neither the county nor the Town of Gardnerville had received any new conceptual plans for the 24-acre commercial site between Service Drive and Charlotte Way.
“I know they're working on it,” said Town Manager Jim Park. “They've shared with me that it goes through corporate branding, and that they were running out of time to make the November meeting, so they asked for the continuance.”
Both Park and Moss expect a redesign, but have no information on what the new plans will look like. The town's review of the original design on Sept. 1 was continued after residents and board members raised concerns about the building's compatibility with the Virginia Ranch Specific Plan, among other things.
Located off Highway 395 near Les Schwab Tires, the Walmart site lies within the 226-acre Virginia Ranch development, which includes more than 1,000 residential units and up to 100 acres of commercial zoning. However, the guidelines of the Virginia Ranch Specific Plan call for village-like, pedestrian-friendly development compatible with historic downtown.
“Walmart has made adjustments to their original submittal based on county and Town of Gardnerville direction, but additional changes are needed to be more in line with the Virginia Ranch Specific Plan,” County Manager T. Michael Brown wrote in a guest opinion appearing in today's Record-Courier.
Brown said the county shares residents' concerns about the impact of the proposed store, but doesn't have the legal authority to stop Walmart from coming to town.
“While the board of commissioners does have broad powers over land use in Douglas County, they do not have the legal authority to deny Walmart from locating in our community unless Walmart fails to meet all federal, state and local requirements,” Brown stated. “The site that Walmart is planning to build on has the appropriate zoning (general commercial) and their site improvement plans meet government requirements for infrastructure (i.e. transportation, water, sewer, drainage, etc.). The only current outstanding issue is the design of the building.”
Brown said planning commissioners and county commissioners will not be involved in the approval process, “unless Walmart's design is deemed unacceptable by the community development director and Walmart appeals the director's decision.”
“Once again, this is because the site has the proper zoning and Walmart's plans meet government requirements,” Brown said.
He also said because the site is located in receiving area as designated by the master plan, the development will require the owner to transfer 10 development rights for every one acre.
“As a result, Walmart would be required to transfer approximately 240 development rights to support the project, resulting in the creation of over 100 acres of conservation land elsewhere in the Carson Valley,” Brown said.
