SPARKS –– At its meeting Tuesday night, the Spanish Springs Citizens Advisory Board voted to support a contentious new development on the corner of Pyramid Highway and Calle De La Plata, which will include commercial, housing and industrial development.

The approval of Village at the Peak was not without debate. If approved by the Washoe County Planning Commission, the development will raise the area’s commercial land cap from 9.1 percent to 9.86 percent because of the requested comprehensive land use amendment needed to move the project forward.

The land use amendment asks that about 110 acres be changed from general rural and low-density suburban designations to industrial, neighborhood commercial and medium-density suburban designations. Project manager Melissa Lindell explained that 25 acres of medium-density suburban land would allow for 50 more homes to be built than if the land stayed in its current zoning.

Other CAB members were concerned about the increased traffic and accidents that could come with the new development.

Board member Darcy Smernis questioned the road safety of the project. Lindell and traffic consultant Loren Chilson tried said the Village at the Peak developer cannot help alleviate current traffic issues at the intersection. In order to calm traffic, many residents are asking for a stoplight to be installed at the intersection. But Lindell said that stoplight would have to be installed and paid for with impact fees that would be collected at the time a building permit is requested.

Chilson estimated the impact fees for the Village at the Peak project would cost the developer about $3 million. Lindell also said she does not believe the project would break ground for five to 20 years.

Both Lindell and Chilson also addressed the gas station that is being built on the west side of Calle De La Plata. Both said that while they do not know directly what is going on with that project, they believe the business would result in enough traffic flowing through the intersection to cause the Nevada Department of Transportation to install a traffic signal.

In addition to traffic concerns, Lindell addressed concerns the CAB had about residents’ lack of knowledge about the project.

“Since our last meeting we did reach out to the community,” Lindell said. “We sent out notices to about 80 property owners and we had a meeting at the library on Oct. 5. We had about 10 people in attendance and we got some good feedback.

“We have also met with the Theiss family and are working on an agreement with them,” Lindell added.

Spanish Springs resident Ken Theiss expressed his concern over the project since his property directly backs up to the Village at the Peak property line. Lindell said the agreement with Theiss would include possible berms, trees and limiting the building height within the view of his property to 25 feet, as well as limiting signage in that area.

“So, they’ll still be able to have their view,” Lindell said. “We’re working very closely with them and we’ve given them an agreement.”

Lindell said the agreement was given to Theiss prior to the beginning of the 7 p.m. meeting. Theiss said that besides a few questions to clarify the agreement, he was OK with the project moving forward.

Before voting to send the project to the county planning commission with recommendations, board member Greg Prough said he was still concerned about traffic at the intersection of Pyramid Highway and Calle De La Plata.

“Without the road improvements we’re endangering the residents who travel on the road daily,” Prough said. “I would feel a lot warm and fuzzier if I knew there would be a light there in six months. I travel that every day.”

The board voted 4-2 in favor of the project with the recommendation that no development take place before a signal is installed at the intersection. Ed Goodrich, Richard Johnstone, John Bilka and Max Bartmess voted for the project. Smernis and Prough voted against it. CAB chair Steve Grosz abstained from the vote.

Village at the Peak should go before the planning commission on Dec. 1.