During its first meeting for the month of July, the Fallon City Council tentatively approved a request from Sierra Manor Townhomes to convert their existing 30-unit rental apartment complex to individual condominiums subject to numerous conditions before the re-subdivision and tract map can be accepted by the city and recorded.
The complex, known as Childers Estates, is located on the north side of West Center Street between Tedford and Whitaker Lanes originally constructed in the 1970s. According to the Churchill County Assessor's records, Childers LLC sold the property to Farrokh and Aminian Valeh Yazdi in October 2016.
City Engineer Derek Zimney told the council that if approved, the map will subdivide the apartment complex into 30 condominium units to be sold individually as town homes. He described the conditions and stipulations the city fills are necessary to record the new tract map. “We request a third-party building inspection and safety report for each unit to address any live fire safety hazards. They need to replace the driveway on Center Street to meet city and ADA standards. They need to repave the alley between Whitaker and Tedford Lane, as the alley is the only access to most of the units. We request that they install two additional streetlights in the alley for safety purposes back there. City staff is also requesting that the City Council authorize the City Engineer to record the merger and re-subdivision tract map upon satisfactory completion of the above-mentioned conditions.”
Mayor Ken Tedford pointed out that there are three or four sections of the sidewalk along Center Street that are in disrepair, and those should be fixed as part of the project. “They may be small sections, but they are deteriorating and need to be repaired, along with the driveway. I also have real interest in the dirt plot of land in there, and it can't just stay a dirt lot.” Zimney responded that after speaking with the applicants that morning, they would provide a landscaping plan. “We can make that a condition of approval as well. I will mark the sidewalk panels that need to be replaced, and those will be a condition of approval too.”
Councilwoman Kelly Frost asked, “Is there going to be a playground area, or grass area maintained by a homeowner’s association? What's the concept there?”
Zimney replied that a homeowner’s association would be responsible for the maintenance, and CC&Rs would have to be recorded along with the new map.
Frost followed up by asking, “Currently, are those units occupied or will the tenants be evicted?”
Zimney replied that the tenants are being given first right of refusal to purchase their unit, “or at least that is what has been conveyed to our staff.”
CFA Engineering of Reno Planning Manager Dave Snelgrove told the council, “The packet of information I handed out this morning includes color diagrams, one of which shows the parking and amenity areas for the complex. We would provide a drought-tolerant landscape plan for that lot which is about 9,700 square feet. All but three of the units are occupied today, and 27 of the 30 units have had remodeling done to them.”
KRCH Realty Broker/Salesman Edward Lord then addressed the council. “This is a project we purchased approximately six years ago and have done extensive remodeling and improvements since then - hardwood floors, new kitchens and baths.”
The mayor asked, “How is this transformation going to occur? Will these people have to purchase, or will they get evicted? How is this going to work? Occupancy rates here are full.”
Lord replied, “We're going to be as flexible as we need to be. We will offer them the first right of refusal to purchase their unit,” then went on to describe the current real estate needs within the city, the common area improvements planned, and other topics until the mayor said, “Back to my original question. The law provides you have an eviction process. If you have 27 occupied, you only have three to sell to start. There is no place for these people to rent in our community. Are you working with a bank to help these people get financing? It's going to be difficult for us to put 27 families out on the street.”
Lord told the council they are currently working with Rogne Real Estate, the current property manager. “We would work with her to assist any tenant that would like to buy or relocate. We would give them ample time to relocate, 60 to 90 days.”
The mayor said his Chief of Staff's office has fliers for a program that can help first-time home buyers get down payment assistance and financing. He also added that approval would be conditioned on a follow-up for the relocation of the tenants.
When Lord was asked after the meeting about the anticipated sales prices of the condos, he said the 2-bedroom 1,000 square foot units would start at $149,000, and the 3-bedroom 1,150 square foot units would sell for up to $299,000.
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