Opinion ID: 1265640
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: The District Court Decision Granting a Writ of Mandamus

Text: The initial master plan permitted single and multi-family residences in the area in question. However, in 1988, the City of Reno adopted the NN Plan for a portion of southeast Reno which boundaries included the Hawkins House. The Plan resulted from City of Reno officials meeting with residents in the area to hear their concerns and adopt a land use plan specifically addressing them. The major concern of the residents was that multi-family or professional office use was creeping into those areas that had been traditionally single-family residential. To address those fears, transition areas were recognized in which multiple use was permitted, i.e. single-family, multi-family, community commercial and office, and other areas were designated strictly single-family residential. The attorney for the NNA acknowledged before the Reno Council that the use of properties located in the transition area under the NN Plan was to be considered on a case-by-case basis. So at that particular time, we batted it around, and we eventually resolved that we would draw the line [of the transition area] as to where commercial could go up to. As to any property to the east of it, we would take those on an individual and case-by-case basis. Most of the uses of property in the transition area in question at the time of this hearing was for professional offices, with multi-family residences being the second. When the NN Plan was adopted by the Reno Council in 1988, it became an amendment to the master plan. Reno's Land Use/Transportation Guide was also amended to show the transition area as permitting mixed use, and mixed use was defined as office use, multi-residential use, and single family residential. There is no dispute that the Hawkins House is within the transition area, and the district court recognized that the transition designation permitted a mixture of uses. In Nevada Contractors v. Washoe County, 106 Nev. 310, 792 P.2d 31 (1990), we unequivocally held that the granting or denial of a use permit is generally within the prerogative of local governments: Finally, we note it is not the business of courts to decide zoning issues. Because of the Board's particular expertise in zoning, courts must defer to and not interfere with the Board's discretion if this discretion is not abused. Here, the Board acted within its discretionary powers; we cannot intrude on the Board's legitimate exercise of that power. Id. at 314, 792 P.2d at 33 (citations omitted). Once it is established that an area permits several uses, it is within the discretion and good judgment of the municipality to determine what specific use should be permitted. While acknowledging that the transition area permitted the use applied for by Gustin, the district court then held that the NN Plan was ambiguous as to whether such use at the Hawkins House would violate the general language of the plan which states that the area was to provide a buffer for the single-family area. The district court then strictly construed the NN Plan against the City of Reno and granted respondents the requested relief. The City of Reno asserts that the district court failed to give its decision proper deference, and we agree. The decision as to specific uses within the transition zone was for the Reno Council to make and should only be disturbed if not supported by substantial evidence. See Nova Horizon v. City Council, Reno, 105 Nev. 92, 95-96, 769 P.2d 721, 723 (1989). The Reno Council's decision permitted a use not dissimilar to the prior museum use, and credible testimony supported the contention that there would be less traffic generated by the proposed use. Expert testimony was also elicited that the use requested was permitted by the zoning regulations and was compatible with the area. The first structure east of the Hawkins House is a large condominium complex. The City of Reno's planning department supported the use change. There was also some question whether the Hawkins House would be preserved in its present condition as a historical landmark if the new use was not permitted. The Hawkins House was designated a historical landmark in accordance with the historic or landmark overlay district by the City of Reno in 1978, and this designation permitted any use not detrimental to the neighborhood that would contribute to the preservation of the landmark structure. RMC § 18.06.290. This designation of the structure gave the Reno Council additional authority to determine whether the Hawkins House should be granted the amended use permit. We conclude that the Reno Council had the authority to designate what uses should be made of property within the transition area, and that its decision is supported by substantial evidence. Accordingly, the district court erred in granting the writ of mandamus.