Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Thursday, April 16, 2026Official site

The Elko County Planning Commission approved several zoning changes, conditional use permits, and variances, including a change from open space to industrial for Nevada Southwest Energy and a modification to a temporary conditional use permit for the Society for the Preservation of Western Heritage. The commission also discussed the ongoing issue of setback requirements for unattached structures.

About this meeting

Government Body
Planning Commission
Meeting Type
Planning Commission
Location
Elko County, NV
Meeting Date
April 16, 2026

Published excerpts

Only published remarks appear here. The full transcript is not published.

96 sections (from 98 segments)

0:00 – 0:41•Mark Wetmore

I'm going to call the meeting of the Elko County Planning Commission to order for April 16th. If you would please rise with me as we honor our country with the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you. I'm going to mention real quick the... Scott, can you mute your microphone, please?

0:57 – 3:01•Mark Wetmore

The conditional use permit application CUP 26-003 for Thane Church has been withdrawn. So I just wanted to let you know if there was somebody here that was there for that specifically. That application has been withdrawn. This time is pursuant to NRS 241. This time is devoted to comments by the general public, if any, and discussion of those comments. No action may be taken upon a matter raised under this item on the agenda until the matter itself has been specifically included on a successive agenda and identified to be an action item. This is for anything that isn't on our agenda tonight. If

3:05•Dena M. Hartley

To approve the minutes from the March 19th meeting as written.

3:16 – 3:27•Mark Wetmore

All right. Dina has made a motion to approve the March 19th meeting minutes, and Naomi has seconded that.

3:34 – 3:46•Mark Wetmore

Aye. Thank you, Scott. Thanks for joining us, Scott, by the way. Where are you at? Let's see here.

3:48•Scott Gavorsky

Sorry, I'm down in Hawthorne at a health fair, so it's wrapping up. That's why all the noise.

3:54•Mark Wetmore

All right, no worries. Thank you. I'm in favor. Motion carries. He's not in Vegas.

4:07 – 4:20•Mark Wetmore

Okay, we're going to move into preliminary hearings. We have application COZ-26-1. Jimmy and Kelly Faulkner. Corey.

5:07 – 5:34•Mark Wetmore

We're gonna move on to public hearings. We, let's see, that's withdrawn. We're going to move on to application COZ26-002, Lincoln Development LLC. Corey.

9:29 – 9:56•Mark Wetmore

Okay. Any questions of query from commissioners? Corey what's the name of the? So this is actually getting over on to the west side of the summit That that very northern west parcel there does cross over the top of what you can consider the summit But it's not accessible

10:20 – 10:32•Mark Wetmore

At this point, they're planning to use Carvel? Carvel and Buffside. and then go up over the top across Tower Road.

11:39 – 11:57•Dena M. Hartley

Reasonable so I'm happy to answer any questions Okay, any questions about just have one once once they've been broken down into ten acre lots Does that take into account the easements do they break are the easements included in the ten acres which brings them down below ten?

13:00 – 13:13•Mark Wetmore

Okay. All right. Thank you, Bob. Is there anyone that would like to speak on this? Please come forward and sign in for me and state your name for the record.

15:27•Mark Wetmore

Thank you. Were you aware of that, Corey? That they were looking to lock that access down?

15:37 – 15:53•Mark Wetmore

Yeah. All right. Okay, anyone else wishing to speak on this application? All right. Any comments?

15:54 – 16:05•Naomi Roche

I have a couple questions. So Tower Road, does that come from the highway? And goes up? So they would block that whole space? I assume they'd have only access from Carvel.

16:06 – 16:22•Mark Wetmore

The problem with Tower Road is there's no decel or acceleration lane in there. And so if you're trying to make a left-hand turn onto that road, somebody's going to rear-end you coming over the summit.

16:23•Naomi Roche

Yeah. So would the gate just be at the highway?

16:44 – 16:58•Jake Jefferson

I had one. Would that be a condition we could put on there to lock that gate? Or is that just up to NDOT? No, that would be up to NDOT. That's just up to NDOT, OK.

17:18 – 17:48•Dena M. Hartley

I'll make a motion, Mark. I'll make a motion to approve application number COZ 236002, Link and Development, LLC, for a change of zoning from open space to special lands. And... must contain staff's recommendations, findings, and conditions, and Spring Creek Association's letter. Can we do that?

18:10 – 18:42•Mark Wetmore

I'll second We have a motion from Dina to approve this application with steps recommendations conditions and findings and Naomi has seconded that All those in favor of the motion hand please signify by saying aye aye aye aye aye Aye. Opposed, same sign. I'm in favor, motion carries.

18:51•Mark Wetmore

Application COZ 26-004, Nevada Southwest Energy LLC. Corey.

21:10•Mark Wetmore

Mr. Thorpe, can you please mute your microphone?

21:36•Mark Wetmore

Okay. Questions of query on staff report?

21:49•Dena M. Hartley

The correspondence from the fire department, are you going to want to include that in your recommendations?

22:09•Mark Wetmore

Corey, so normally I can see more of who's on Zoom on here, but I don't see anybody.

22:22•Mark Wetmore

Well, people pop up occasionally, but there we go.

22:26•Dena M. Hartley

There we go. There's Scott in the wind. You're in the wind, Scott.

22:31 – 22:51•Mark Wetmore

Okay. Is there anyone here that would like to represent this application? Okay, anyone here that would like to speak on this application? We will move on then. Can I get a motion from... It's your night to shine, dear.

22:51 – 23:25•Dena M. Hartley

It's my hat tonight. I'll make a motion, Mr. Chairman, to approve application number COZ 26-004 Southwest Energy LLC Nevada Southwest Energy LLC. Subject to staff's recommendations, conditions, and findings, along with the recommendations from the fire department as noted on page six and seven of their report.

23:36 – 24:00•Mark Wetmore

All right, we have a motion from Commissioner Hartley to approve this application with staff's recommendations, conditions, and findings. And Commissioner Jefferson has seconded that. Any further discussion on the motion? All those in favor of the motion, please signify by saying aye.

24:03 – 24:23•Mark Wetmore

Aye. Opposed, same sign. I'm in favor. Motion carries. Application CUP 26-006, Society for the Preservation of Western Heritage.

24:30•Mark Wetmore

So I did. CUP 26-005, Nevada Southwest Energy. Corey.

27:41•Mark Wetmore

Yep. Okay. Any questions of Corey on this? This is just the conditional use permit to allow for the use that's going to be taking place there in the new zoning.

27:54 – 28:09•Scott Gavorsky

Chair, I have a question. I'm just sort of curious because we talked about this quite a bit with the applicant's previous conditional use permit. Is there any complaints, Corey, about activity out there at this facility?

28:31 – 28:44•Mark Wetmore

NEW SPEAKER THANK YOU SCOTT. IS THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS? DO I HAVE A COMMISSIONER THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION?

28:46 – 29:20•Dena M. Hartley

I will make a motion, Mr. Chairman, my last motion of the evening, that we approve application number CUP26-005 for a conditional use permit to, I forgot them already. To the applicant, adhering to staff's recommendations, findings, and conditions, and the conditions of the fire department's report, page 7 of 9 in staff's report, and also page 8 of 9 in staff's report.

29:27 – 29:49•Mark Wetmore

All right, we have a motion to approve CUP 26005 from Commissioner Hartley, and a second from Commissioner Rosch. Any further discussion on the motion? All those in favor of the motion, please signify by saying aye.

29:52 – 30:14•Mark Wetmore

Opposed, same sign. I'm in favor, motion carries. All right, now application CUP 26-006, Society for the Preservation of Western Heritage.

34:43 – 34:55•Dena M. Hartley

Go ahead. Why, excuse me, Corey, but why is this particular applicant receiving Item number B, why are you taking it out?

35:02 – 35:16•Mark Wetmore

I'll let Mr. Valtari speak. Corey, how did the two fire hydrants come into play?

36:56•Dena M. Hartley

Just so once they're sold, the approved permit from before is still going to be in the... Sellers.

37:48•Mark Wetmore

Okay, I'm gonna open it up to Commissioner comments or a motion I

37:55 – 38:11•Naomi Roche

I will make a motion to approve CUP 26-006 with all staff's findings, recommendations, and conditions. Anything else?

38:16 – 38:38•Mark Wetmore

Okay, we have a motion from . Hang on, Scott. We have a motion from Commissioner Roche and a second from Commissioner Gavorski. Any further discussion on the motion? All those in favor of the motion, please signify by saying aye.

38:41 – 39:03•Mark Wetmore

Opposed, same sign. I'm in favor. Motion carries. We are going to move on to application VAR 26-001, Milo Karchner.

41:53 – 42:09•Mark Wetmore

Okay. Any questions of Corey? Okay. Is there anyone here that would like to speak on this? Okay. All right, do we have a motion?

42:17•Mark Wetmore

I'll make a motion. You said that you had done your last one. It's Jake's turn.

42:22•Naomi Roche

I'm a woman, I can change my mind. I'm exhausted after this meeting.

42:27 – 42:44•Dena M. Hartley

I'll make a motion to approve application number VAR26-001 for Milo Jean Karchner with staff's recommendations, findings, and conditions.

42:51 – 43:14•Mark Wetmore

All right, we have a motion to approve from Commissioner Hartley. And a second from Commissioner Jefferson to approve the application via error 26001. Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed?

43:23 – 43:44•Mark Wetmore

Got that. Any opposed? Same sign. I'm in favor. Motion carries. Thank you, Paul. Thank you, Paul. We are going to move on to application VAR 26-002, Logan and Andrea Heitz. Corey.

47:55 – 48:22•Mark Wetmore

Okay. Any questions of query? I've got one That may or may not apply in this exact situation, but my understanding on these smaller Sheds and buildings is that if they're not permanently affixed That is that is planning and zoning point of view apparently there's a little bit of difference between what planning and zoning and building and safety and

48:23 – 48:42•Naomi Roche

Really I believe the minimums to are the maximums 200 square feet right for our building permit for our yeah So if they're over if they're over that size so these would fall within that Unpermitted size restriction yeah, that's true because they're 12 by 12.

48:58•Mark Wetmore

I think we all need to get on the same page on this.

49:04•Mark Wetmore

Maybe we need to take the first step in drafting some sort of resolution to get this clarified.

51:49 – 52:07•Mark Wetmore

So technically, if we get this cleaned up for that gazebo, the variance would need to be in place? Yes. but the shed maybe wouldn't need to be, but we're dealing with it all at once here, so let's see what we can do.

52:24•Mark Wetmore

Okay. Thank you. Is there anyone else that would like to speak on this?

52:32•Naomi Roche

Corey, I have a question for you. Is the setback for accessory buildings the same as the setbacks for permanent in the county?

52:53 – 53:30•Mark Wetmore

Chair I'll make a motion to approve var 2600 to with all staffs recommendations findings and conditions second All right, we have a motion for approving this application var 2600 to by Commissioner Jefferson and seconded by Commissioner Hartley I Any further discussion on this? All those in favor of the motion at hand, please signify by saying aye.

53:34 – 53:51•Mark Wetmore

Opposed, same sign. I'm in favor, motion carries. We're going to move on to... There's a lot of public hearings, but we're getting through them. Yeah. We had a full agenda.

53:58•Mark Wetmore

Application ROWVAC 26002, Gary Sampley. Corey.

57:37•Dena M. Hartley

Okay. Is this one of those that goes to the commissioners for final approval?

57:48•Mark Wetmore

And there is nobody else adjacent to this that's going to be negative?

58:06•Mark Wetmore

Is there anyone that would like to speak on this application I?

59:19•Mark Wetmore

I guess better too wide than too narrow.

59:26 – 59:45•Mark Wetmore

Yeah, especially an interstate. All right. Does anybody else wish to speak on this application? Okay, let's move on to a motion.

59:50 – 1:00:02•Naomi Roche

I will make a motion to approve ROWVAC26-002 with staff's recommendations, findings, and conditions.

1:00:09 – 1:00:25•Mark Wetmore

All right, we have a motion from Commissioner Roche to approve ROWVAC 26-002. And Commissioner Jefferson has seconded that.

1:00:27•Dena M. Hartley

I didn't exactly hear it. Did that include furbidge to go to the county?

1:00:32•Mark Wetmore

County Commissioners for yeah, this is a recommend. This is to move forward Yeah, this is yep.

1:00:40 – 1:01:02•Naomi Roche

This is a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners Okay, so I'm gonna say that again This will be you'll be recommending to the Board of Commissioners, okay, so I will be recommending to the Board of Commissioners approval of Is that right? Okay. Yep. R-O-W-V-A-C 26-002. Okay.

1:01:10•Mark Wetmore

All right. Any further discussion on this? All those in favor of the motion at hand, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Aye.

1:01:24 – 1:01:37•Mark Wetmore

Opposed, same sign. I'm in favor. Motion carries. Isn't there like a back tax on that? How does that work?

1:01:41•Mark Wetmore

There is some tax implications there, but I don't remember how that works.

1:01:55 – 1:02:09•Mark Wetmore

No. Application ROWVAC 26-003, Isaac Levanos and Dave Robertson.

1:06:01•Mark Wetmore

So the north side of those double 33s, is that a road in there?

1:06:19 – 1:06:53•Mark Wetmore

I see. Montrose Way comes into that. Not from the south. No, from the north. So right now Montrose Way just kind of and goes into two driveways, I'm assuming? Yes, that's correct. Okay. Sorry, I didn't mean to... Corey asked a question.

1:06:56 – 1:07:07•Mark Wetmore

Okay, so is there a reasonable terminate? Excuse me, is there a reasonable termination at the end of Montrose Way? Is that, it just...

1:07:14•Naomi Roche

Well, in Montrose Way itself, I always assumed it was a driveway. I mean, it's not something that the public is taking generally.

1:07:31•Mark Wetmore

Okay. Is there anyone else that would like to speak on this? Go ahead, Bob.

1:08:52•Mark Wetmore

Yeah, they're kind of, well, they need to be put into use.

1:09:07•Naomi Roche

Can Bob just bring a stamp with his signature on it for the next time that he needs to sign in?

1:09:13•Mark Wetmore

Yeah. Sure, I'd be fine. Business is good tonight, Bob.

1:09:26•Mark Wetmore

We're going to start selling this stuff.

1:09:32•Mark Wetmore

All right. If there's no further comments, do we have a motion on this?

1:09:43 – 1:10:13•Dena M. Hartley

I will make a motion to refer application ROW to the county commissioners with a recommendation of approval granting staff's recommendations, findings, and conditions. I will second that.

1:10:14 – 1:10:36•Mark Wetmore

Okay. Commissioner Hartley has made a motion to forward this, forward a recommendation onto the county commissioners to approve this right-of-way vacation, seconded by Commissioner Roche. Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion at hand, please signify by saying aye.

1:10:41•Mark Wetmore

Opposed, same sign. I'm in favor. Motion carries.

1:10:56•Mark Wetmore

Staff updates. Staff update. Commissioner comments. Do you have anything, Corey?

1:11:41 – 1:12:34•Mark Wetmore

Okay, thank you any Commissioner comments. You got something like eight Appellants people either eight or nine for one of them and one for the other one I Was thinking along the lines of This issue with the storage sheds or greenhouses or whatever and I in the setbacks, does it make sense that instead of stressing whether they're attached or unattached, gravity is attaching most of them anyway, that it's based off of whether it falls within the square footage of permit requirements or not?

1:12:56•Mark Wetmore

Okay. So, but... There is, you can pour a flat work.

1:13:08•Mark Wetmore

And you can set a shed on it. So I'm looking at the actual letter of the law here at this point. It is the attachment that's the problem.

1:14:14•Mark Wetmore

Looking at it from different perspectives.

1:14:19 – 1:14:32•Mark Wetmore

Yeah, because my understanding, I guess, has been that as long as it's not attached... affixed, there's not an issue with it.

1:14:40 – 1:15:26•Mark Wetmore

Okay. Any other discussion from commissioners or staff? All right. Comments by the general public. Pursuant to NRS 241, this time is devoted to comments by the general public, if any, and discussion of those comments. No action may be taken upon a matter raised under this item on the agenda until the matter itself has been specifically included on a successful Agenda and identified to be an action item is there anyone that has anything further to say Okay hearing none meeting adjourned

These excerpts are remarks by officials whose identity a person confirmed, from a transcript generated automatically from the official public meeting video and presented unedited. Accuracy may vary; view the original recording for reference.