Guiding Principles:
The city’s vision is guided in seven Guiding Principles: Well-managed growth; access to open lands and recreational opportunities; economic vitality; vibrant downtown and gateway corridors; livable neighborhoods; unique history and culture and; a connected community.
Today, we’re continuing our series on the Master Plan draft currently under review by the city and its leadership.
A Master Plan is essentially the city’s blueprint for the next 20 years, which includes guidance and goals for growth, housing, economic development, natural resources, aesthetics, and much more.
The first Master Plan was adopted by Carson City in 1958, followed by five additional updates, the last being in 2006.
You can read the full overview in our previous reporting here.
The first topic covered by the Master Plan was the goals and priorities for well-managed growth.
The second was Access to Open Lands and Recreational Opportunities.
Today, we’re taking a look at the third goal: Economic Vitality.
Carson City’s identity and economy are heavily influenced by its role as the state capital. Public Administration is the largest employment industry in Carson City (representing nearly one in every four jobs), followed by the Health Care and Social Assistance industries. The State Legislature meets every other year, bringing with it an influx of legislators, lobbyists, and aides from around Nevada that fill the City’s hotels and restaurants. Carson City’s economy also benefits from the City’s proximity to Lake Tahoe, an abundance of outdoor recreation opportunities, arts and cultural events, and historical tourism.
As with other communities in Nevada and around the country, Carson City has experienced the effects of a changing workforce and retail trends. Remote and hybrid work options have become commonplace as employers struggle to attract and retain skilled workers. While the State’s Administrative and Legislative Branches both maintain a workforce in Carson City, many employees commute from neighboring communities and some work remotely at least part of the time. Rising housing costs have also made it increasingly challenging for young adults, families, service workers, and others with more limited resources to live and work in Carson City. As a result, there are more jobs in Carson City than there are working residents to fill those jobs.
While retail jobs are increasing, the City has added very little net new retail or office space since 2014, and vacancies along major commercial corridors have posed persistent challenges due to their age, condition, and in some cases, absentee owners. While residents note they are generally able to meet their day-to-day needs within Carson City, there is interest in expanding retail and entertainment options.
Carson City also has a large inventory of industrial and industrial/flex space, primarily concentrated near the airport and at the eastern portal. The inventory of industrial space in Carson City has experienced modest growth over the past decade but growth has been limited in part because of land constraints.
Economic development in Carson City is supported by the Carson City Chamber of Commerce, the Carson City Downtown Business Association, as well as the State of Nevada Department of Business & Industry Business Resource Hub, the Northern Nevada Development Authority (NNDA), various Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) programs, and the Nevada Small Business Development Center. The City also participates in tourism campaigns led by Visit Carson City, Travel Nevada, and others.
Goals
Carson City is projected to see a steady increase in jobs over the coming decades, bolstering the City’s primary jobs base and providing opportunities to enhance the vitality of the community. The City will continue to seek opportunities to diversify the local economy, including focusing on ways to support industrial development, expanding the local retail base, and supporting the retention and growth of local small businesses. The City will continue to leverage its many assets and overall quality of life as a means of generating tourism revenue and attracting new employers to the community.
The City will continue to approach economic development activities using a collaborative approach that leverages available state resources, and encourages cooperation between the public and private sector, and with other agencies and jurisdictions as appropriate. However, achieving the objectives of this Master Plan require the City to take a role in economic development moving forward.
The main goals to achieve economic vitality include:
Promote a Collaborative Approach to Economic Development
- Promote collaboration between the city and public and private partners
- Maintain understandable, predictable land-use regulations and consider streamlined permitting procedures to encourage desired development objectives
- Provide planning flexibility to changes in business cycles
- Promote economic development alternatives that protect or enhance existing and future property values
- Recognize the importance of adequate infrastructure in economic development and long-run economic stability
Maintain and Enhance Carson City’s Primary Job Base
- Retain and support the expansion of major employers in the city such as the state, Carson-Tahoe Hospital, WNC, and other industries.
- Use available resources to support existing businesses and recruit new companies
- Collaborate with local educational facilities and foster public-private partnerships to cultivate new opportunities for employers
- Prioritize initiatives that attract high-tech, manufacturing, healthcare, and creative industries
- Promote activities that could upgrade the skill and wage levels of the city’s resident labor force
Recognize and Adapt to the Impact of Technology on Work and Workforce Patterns
- Support home-based occupations and remote/hybrid work through the incorporation of live-work units
- Ensuring reliable high-speed internet access and establishing public Wi-Fi hotspots in parks, libraries and community centers
Promote Revitalization and Re-investment in Underutilized Areas
- Work with local businesses and property owners to assist in redevelopment efforts
- Encourage higher intensity and mixed-use development in downtown and along major gateway corridors
- Encourage the creation of destination retail developments that include shops, restaurants, entertainment or recreational venues, hotels and more
Promote the city’s assets as Economic Development Tools
- Expand visitor revenue by promoting the community’s sports complexes, aquatic facility, community center and theater for regional, state-wide or national sports tournaments
- Highlight the city as a gateway to Lake Tahoe to attract tourism
- Encourage the development of airport industries such as sightseeing flights, skydiving, extreme skiing tours and more
- Promote tourism activities associated with the historic resources of the community like the westside historic district, V&T Railroad, historic Nevada State Prison and more
Priorities
From these goals, staff is recommending the following priorities, which means that the city should begin working towards these goals immediately following plan adoption:
Promote a Collaborative Approach to Economic Development
Establish an Economic Development Strategy for Carson City that defines economic development roles and responsibilities in coordination with state and regional partners, identifies target industries, and articulates near-term priorities to support the implementation of this Master Plan. Align the Economic Development Strategy with periodic updates to the City’s 5-year Strategic Plan to support implementation.
Expand and maintain capacity to support economic development initiatives, as identified in this Master Plan and the City’s 5-year Strategic Plan, as amended.
Complete a comprehensive review and update of Title 18 and the Development Standards (building on efforts that are currently underway) to ensure they are in alignment with the goals and policies of this Master Plan.
Conduct an analysis of the City’s current development and permitting fees and update as needed to ensure the City’s fees capture actual costs of doing business.
Check back tomorrow for Part IV: Vibrant Downtown and Gateway Corridors
The entirety of the Master Plan Update 2024 can be viewed here.
