Giles ends in a gate to Gardnerville Elementary School on the left and the proposed entrance to a 29-unit development to the right.
A tentative subdivision map for a 29-unit project on a 4.45-acre property between Chichester Estates and Gardnerville Elementary School is scheduled to return to Douglas County commissioners on April 3.
Commissioners voted 3-2 to continue the project in order for developer Chip Hanley and the Douglas County School District to discuss the possibility of providing an emergency exit to the project across the neighboring school.
Accessed off Giles, there is a gate to Gardnerville Elementary on the left side and the access to the property on the right, with a fence running between them.
A previous attempt to develop the property reduced the number of units to 20 in order to comply with Douglas County Development standards that require a second access for more homes.
However, the project returned last year with the 29 units, citing the inclusion in Douglas County Code allowing up to 40 sprinklered units in multi-family zoning.
Concerns about access to the project have been one of the major contentions by neighbors, two of whom spoke on Thursday.
However, county commissioners Danny Tarkanian and Wes Rice pointed out that the project had already been approved for the 29 units.
The only reason it was before county commissioners was the owner’s desire to change the single-story units from rentals to owned.
“It was already approved for rental,” Rice said. “Having it owner-occupied instead of rentals would be an improvement for the neighbors.”
The two commissioners were the votes against the continuance, saying they would prefer to approve it as presented.
Commission Chairwoman Sharla Hales agreed that the developer should meet with the district, but was clear that the district doesn’t have the ability to veto the project.
“The district can’t say ‘no’ to the project,” she said. “We want them to discuss whether there is a win-win, so we don’t have one road, a fence and another road. They haven’t had a conversation. We’re asking them to engage in a conversation, not giving them the right to say ‘no.’ They cannot have that right.”
Commissioner Nate Tolbert said he was struggling with the debate.
“That property could be a blight, and this is a limit on what could be there,” he said. “I do believe that the developer and the school district should come together on this.”
Planning commissioners approved the project but said they felt the developer should contact the schools to discuss the possibility of a gated emergency exit.
Engineer Rob Anderson said that the developer did approach the district back in 2023, but that was told to wait due to the political climate at the time.
The county has until April 12 to hear the project.