The following are highlights from Monday’s Sparks City Council Meeting:
Presentations
Jordan Van Worth, Miss Sparks 2017, gave a presentation about the Miss America Organization.
Wendy Simons, Deputy Director of Health and Wellness gave a presentation and update on the Northern Nevada State Veterans Home being built in Sparks. The 102,000-square foot facility with 96 beds and a host of amenities is slated to open December 2018.
Executive Director Ron Radil, gave a presentation and update of Western Nevada Development District’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy and city of Spark’s projects.
General Business
• Sparks City Council approved recommended changes to the city of Sparks group health plan effective January 1, 2018. The changes will reduce overall plan costs, while continuing to maintain a competitive benefit package for employees.
• The council authorized the Sparks City Attorney’s Office to file an amicus brief in the Nevada Supreme Court regarding the Little Valley Fire that started in October 2016. The amicus brief will address the legal requirements for a claim under the Nevada Constitution’s “takings” clause that requires compensation when private property is taken for public or government use. The brief will not take a position on the merits of other claims in the case.
• Council approved acceptance of the City’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for fiscal year 2016/2017.
• A contract was approved o Triumph Electric, Inc. to remove and replace aging electrical equipment at the Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility (TMRWF) for $396,100. The equipment has begun to experience failures, which affects both plant performance and processes.
• An Interlocal Cooperative Agreement (ICA) with the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Washoe County was approved. The city of Sparks will provide staff to assist the RTC in implementing new signal timing into the city of Sparks central traffic system. The ICA allows the RTC to reimburse the city of Sparks up to $25,000 of the City’s staff time. The funding for the project is 95% reimbursable from the Nevada Department of Transportation utilizing Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) funds.
• Council approved and directed the City Manager to prepare letter(s) for Mayor Geno Martini’s signature to endorse and support the application being prepared and submitted by Team Nevada Delivers to the United States Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration for designation as a select participant in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program. Flirtey has asked the City of Sparks to submit a letter(s) of support for the program to help strengthen the program application. If Flirtey is one of the successful applicants, the company will conduct its drone delivery research and testing in the Reno-Sparks area utilizing different businesses as suppliers and various private addresses for delivery locations. Sparks addresses would be within the testing areas. The intended ultimate delivery services will include private products delivered from retail companies being sent to individual addresses for a whole host of products. One specific drone delivery service being contemplated through the partnership with the Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority (REMSA) is to provide automated external defibrillators (AED) to patients in the field in advance of either REMSA or Sparks Fire Department EMS arrival.
Public Hearings
The Sparks City Council held a public hearing and adopted a resolution that approved the sale of the C Street Parking garage to SWD Partners, LLC. The developer plans to renovate the existing parking garage and construct a new apartment building on the project property. The property has an appraised value of $950,000 and as compensation for the property, the developer will provide the entire first level of the parking garage (90+ parking spaces) as public parking for a period of 50 years. The developer will also bear all costs associated the development of the project and maintenance of the dedicated public parking. The appraisals indicate that the value of the public parking exceeds the value of the project property. As proposed, the project will provide a minimum of 175 and a maximum of 212 apartment units plus administrative offices, maintenance facility, lobby, clubhouse/gym, and swimming pool. All parking for project residents will be located on levels 2 to 4 of the parking garage.
• City Council held a public meeting and approved an amended final handbook for the 30.5-acre Sierra View Town Homes Planned Development located south of Desert Highlands Drive, north and west of Los Altos Parkway, and east of Vista Boulevard. The amended final handbook revises various design and development standards for the project, particularly architecture for the town homes and the grading of the lots.
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