Carson City Supervisors deny apartment appeal; Schuette says renters are not 'less than' homeowners
The Carson City Board of Supervisors on Thursday upheld the decision of the Planning Commission to provide a special use permit regarding a 12-unit apartment complex off Silver Sage and Stafford, against a neighboring appellant who did not want to the project to go forward.
The appellant, Catherine Borde, stated in her appeal that the proposed development of a 12-unit complex on 3/4 of an acre does not fit the neighborhood character of the existing residences, that the two-story project would “tower” over existing homes, those who would live at the apartment would engage in behaviors that would bother existing neighbors such as smoking, playing loud music, and having outdoor gatherings, and the most often brought up complaint: the blocking of existing views of the Sierra.
However, according to Deputy DA Todd Reese, access to views are not a guaranteed right of homeowners.
“Views are not a recognized property right, and generally we cannot as a Board and as a Planning Commission restrict building solely based on somebody’s views,” Reese said.
While Reese did say that Borde as a neighbor has legal standing to appeal, it is the opinion of the DA’s office that the Planning Commission did not err in its decision to approve the Special Use Permit.
Supervisors also stated that there were numerous two-story residential units within the surrounding area of the proposed site, so the statement that a two-story complex would not "fit" with the character of the neighborhood was unfounded, and by law, residences can be built to 26 feet, while the complex is only 23 feet.
Several nearby residents came to voice their concerns over the development, citing concerns such as traffic, crime, children playing in the streets, creating shade on nearby residences and more.
While some residents did not specifically oppose the construction of housing the property, they were concerned that the 24 parking spaces for the complex they believe would not be sufficient and would lead to individuals illegally parking on the private neighborhood roads nearby.
Supervisor Lisa Scheutte was in opposition to the idea that allowing for multifamily housing would increase crime or that individuals who live in apartments are “less than.”
Schuette said that she was born and raised in Carson City, where many people are living today was once open space.
“It’s always interesting to me, and I say this very respectfully, when there’s push back or concern or assumptions made that the people moving in will be ‘bad people’ or that they will bring all these problems, because that would have many of you who weren’t here when I was growing up.”
Schuette went on to say that when she worked as a police officer she lived in the King Street apartments because it was what she could afford, and she loved the experience because it was quiet and “delightful.”
“I get the concern and you don’t know whose moving in because you don’t know whose moving in, but that immediate jump that a higher density somehow brings in the riffraff, I don’t think that’s a fair comparison,” Scheutte said.
“I want to be very mindful that community is for everyone. Different kinds of housing does not mean that (people living in multi-family housing) are less than, or make less than, or spend their free time in a way that is problematic.”
The appeal was denied unanimously by the Board, and upheld the decision of the Planning Commission.