By Mark Waite
Developers of a proposed assisted living center and senior housing facility at 780 West Gamebird Rd. scaled back the project from four stories to three and requested the Pahrump Regional Planning Commission table action on their project Wednesday while they look for alternate sites, planner Beth Lee said.
Lys L. Barawid, who owns assisted living centers elsewhere in the country, won’t have to acquire a waiver from a restriction of a 30-foot height in the rural estates zone with only three stories, Lee said.
The original four-story structure was to be 52-feet, 9-inches and raised concerns by Pahrump Fire Chief Scott Lewis over the ability of his department to combat a fire should one ever occur in such a building.
The original plan was for a four-story, wood-framed building with a 64-bed assisted care facility on the first floor and a 128-bed, independent, senior housing facility on the second, third and fourth floor levels.
They also planned to build an 8,000-square-foot retail building along Gamebird Road that could house facilities like a doctor’s office and pharmacy.
Developers would use a private well and septic system or ask Utilities Inc. of Central Nevada to extend water and sewer lines.
The RPC Wednesday was set to consider a master plan amendment and zone change to convert the .9-acre commercial strip to the general commercial zone. There was also a request for a conditional use permit for the three-story assisted living and independent senior housing facility in the rural estates zone.
After meeting with planners Jan. 22, developers presented a modified plan with two, three-story buildings containing a total of 171 units, with construction of one assisted living/independent senior center building first, then the commercial center, then the second assisted living/independent senior center.
Planners still didn’t have enough information to make a recommendation on the fire suppression and septic system at the Gamebird Road site. The planner’s report states the facility must have a sprinkler system and meet the gallons per minute required under the International Fire Code.
They noted the location is several miles from the nearest available water lines.
Residents will want adequate fire suppression, quick response times and effective response of fire and medical personnel, planners said, the selected location, in a largely undeveloped area of Gamebird Road west of Blagg Road, increased risk factors for providing those services. Chief Lewis said the original site was about as far as possible from two fire stations.
RPC member Joe Goode Sr. is the architect on the project and recused himself from the discussion.
If completed, it would be the second major senior assisted living center to be constructed in Pahrump recently. Inspirations Senior Living is set to open a center on Java Street next month.
“Lys L. Barawid, who owns assisted living centers elsewhere in the country”–Mr. Barawid, warning, this is NYE COUNTY. They don’t do things like ‘elsewhere in the country’ lol. You won’t get all the facts/guidance/restrictions, etc. until you are knee deep in your project. Nye County departments are not coordinated, communicative, consistent, educated or act in the best interest of Pahrump or you–unless you have an insider on your team…
Kam, clearly you have no idea what you are talking about here. I happen to know that the applicant was advised some time ago about the issues of developing that particular piece of property when they first brought it to the planning office. They took that information and mulled it over. They, then again, brought it back to the planning office after working with their local architect, consulting with UICN and investigating other water and sewer options, and they were told the exact same thing by another person. Unfortunately, they didn’t speak with the Fire Department about their project.
The applicants did their due diligence after receiving the same information and recommendations from two different planners.
All applicants have an insider on their team, it’s called the Planning Office. Stop by any time and speak with them. Find out for yourself, you may be surprised.