Carson City Planning Commission OKs permit for state to build Fifth and Sixth Street complex

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The Carson City Planning Commission on July 30 approved plans submitted by the State of Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau for a special use permit to build a new 89,250 square foot, three-story office building, a four-level parking garage to accommodate 609 parking stalls and a 13,262 square foot, two-story facilities and operations building at 333 E Fifth Street and 201 E Sixth Street.

The state proposed to build the new government office building, facilities and operations building and parking garage at a cost of around $138 million for design and construction. It was fully funded at this year’s legislative session. The facilities are to address overcrowding, outdated infrastructure and operational constraints at the current Legislative Counsel Bureau headquarters, according to the state.

The vote was 6-0, with one member not present.

The development will be constructed on two separate parcels located at the southwest corner of East Fifth Street and South Stewart Street.

Both parcels are zoned Public and are located adjacent to the Downtown Mixed-Use zoning district. Public uses such as government facilities, over 2,500 square feet in size, are allowed in the Public zoning district subject to first obtaining a special use permit.

Public notices were mailed to 38 property owners within 600 feet of the subject site on July 18, 2025. Among comments, current plans will have vehicles travel into 5th/Carson St intersection when pedestrians are present in the mid-block crosswalk. Consolidation of local traffic to this location will have an impact to the pedestrian traffic crossing East 5th Street from the proposed parking garage at this location. Staff has recommended conditions that are related to the revisions to the Pedestrian Crosswalk Analysis.

Parking and pedestrian use

With the parking situation as it has been, there are “chronic” parking issue currently during legislative session, according to state officials during the presentation to the commission.

The project would provided a parking garage that will accommodate 609 parking spaces. Additionally, a small number (6) of existing parking spaces will be retained on the east side of the existing Sedway building, fronting South Stewart Street, according to the state. This provides sufficient parking consistent with the requirements that require a minimum of 1 parking space for each 325 square feet of gross floor area for office space.

The staff report states the project will have little or no detrimental effect on vehicular or pedestrian traffic. The project will be used to house Legislative Bureau Counsel (LCB) support staff that are currently housed at the existing LCB headquarters at 401 S. Carson Street.

Instead, the project will result in a shift of associated traffic, not new traffic, according to the staff report. It is expected that traffic circulation changes will be minimal since many of the individuals that will be housed in the proposed office space are already parking in the surface parking at the project location, as well as other surface and on-street parking within the vicinity of the project site.

Analysis that was submitted with the application recommends stop signs be installed on the minor street approaches of the Plaza Street/6th Street, Plaza Street/7th Street, and Fall Street/7th Street intersections. Staff recommended a condition of approval requiring the installation of these signs.

Crosswalks/sidewalks

Carson City Planning Commission Chair Charles Borders thought that consolidating parking is “a wonderful idea” and asked if the state had looked into an overpass walkway. Legislative Counsel Project Manager Dirk Goering advised that they looked at both an overpass and underpass and the options were considered too expensive.

Planning Commissioner Theresa Preston asked about the sidewalks with the project, concerned that they may be four feet as are older sidewalks. Goering advised that the sidewalks along 5th Street will be between 8 to 10 feet wide “more than enough room for folks to travel in the opposite direction and stay safe from traffic.”

Preston also was concerned about landscape provisions. Landscaping is conceptual at this point and the city will be looking for landscaping plan when the state submits.

Carson City Planning Commission Vice Chair Vern Krahn said public comments have expressed concerns about 5th street crosswalks, signs and sidewalks, and urged the state to look at the comments and take them into consideration.

Goering advised “we would be happy to. I haven’t seen them yet but especially as the comments related to the safety of pedestrians, the LCB has it as one of our top priorities.”

Commissioner Boarders said he’s hoping the pedestrian issue will be taken seriously.

“If you are going to put 600 cars in there during legislative session, and everybody is going to cross 5th Street to get to the legislative building and complex, I think that is going to put a lot of strain on 5th Street as far as pedestrians are concerned. Let’s just give it the amount its due,” said Boarders.

Vice Chair Krahn added “it is nice to see the state investing into the Carson City complex. It has been a number of years since something of this significance has happened with the complex,” he said.

With that said, the area Krahn said he’s concerned about is the parking garage and how it will affect residents across the street. Goering said residents from the south on 7th Street have been part of the design conversation from the beginning. It will break ground this fall. He said the massing of it, plus landscaping will help soften it, plus the lighting has been addressed while the legislature is not in session. He said utility functions such as trash enclosures have been set away from the residents.

As for parking, Commissioner Greg Brooks asked if parking will be made available to the public. The state advised it would be public with no access gates planned.

Staff explained there is currently mid-block crosswalks on East Fifth Street which result in vehicles queuing into the E Fifth Street/Carson Street intersection and the E Fifth Street/Stewart Street intersection when pedestrians are present.

Consolidation of local traffic to this location will have an impact on pedestrian traffic crossing E Fifth Street from the proposed parking garage at this mid-block crosswalk. Staff recommended a condition of approval requiring the applicant to submit, prior to issuance of the site improvement permit, a revision to the pedestrian crosswalk analysis, to the satisfaction of the City Engineer, addressing concerns with the number, location and signalization of crosswalks on East 5th Street and incorporating any recommendations from the analysis into the final design.

Utilities
The proposed use will have no impact to City water and sewer and a negligible impact to stormwater runoff. The existing Water and Sewer mains within the area to be improved are proposed to be abandoned per Carson City standards and specifications. The city sewer system has sufficient capacity to serve this project.

Otherwise, the project meets engineering standards for health and safety.

Findings
Cason City staff’s recommendation to the commission was based upon the findings as required by its Special Use Permit code.

— The project is in compliance, objectives and policies of the Carson City master plan. The project site is designated as Public, Quasi-Public which anticipates primary uses such as schools, government offices, community centers, airports, libraries and other government facilities. Policy 5.2a of the Master Plan encourages retention and support of major employers already established within the community, such as the State of Nevada. The project proposed the construction of an office building, facilities and operations building and a parking garage for the State of Nevada. The project is in substantial compliance with the Carson City master plan.

— The project is compatible with and preserves the character and integrity of adjacent properties and neighborhoods, or includes improvements or modifications onsite or within the public right-of-way that mitigate adverse construction impacts including, without limitation, noise, vibrations, fumes, odors, dust or glare.

As designed, the project is compatible with and preserves the character and integrity of adjacent properties and neighborhoods. The subject property is adjacent to other State of Nevada facilities to the north and east; and a variety of uses on parcels to the south and west, including single family residences, offices, parking lots, motels, and vacant parcels, all in the Downtown Mixed- Use (DTMU) zoning district.

— The site plan includes landscaping which will provide buffers between the street and the buildings. Landscaping will provide additional visual interest along the streetscape.

Impacts

The report states the project will not result in a detrimental impact to the use, peaceful enjoyment, economic value or development of adjacent properties or the neighborhood in general. The subject property is adjacent to other State of Nevada facilities to the north and east; and a variety of uses on parcels to the south and west, including single family residences, offices, parking lots, motels, and vacant parcels, all in the Downtown Mixed-Use (DTMU) zoning district. The project is consistent with the surrounding area.

The development will not overburden existing public services or facilities including, without limitation, schools, police or fire protection, water service, sewer service, public roads, storm drainage or other public improvements, the report states.

The development is on a site currently developed with an office building and surface parking. The water, sewer and stormwater systems have sufficient capacity to serve the project, the staff report states.

The project will provide modern government facilities and improve accessibility for staff, lobbyists and the public, the staff report states. The project will address the issues of overcrowded and inadequate facilities the LCB is currently operating in.

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