Variance Decisions in Storey County

A variance is an authorized departure from the strict requirements of a zoning ordinance. Rather than changing the underlying zoning classification (which is what rezoning does), a variance allows a property owner to deviate from specific rules - like setback distances, building height limits, lot coverage ratios, or parking requirements - while keeping the same zoning designation. ZoneWire tracks variance activity across Storey County, NV public meetings.

ZoneWire monitors Storey County, NV planning and council meetings, transcribes them, and flags variance activity. As of the latest update we have analyzed 2 meetings and detected 3 variance mentions.

Tracking variance in Storey County surfaces zoning and development signals early, so developers, investors, and brokers can evaluate parcels and approvals before they reach the broader market.

Storey County is a county government, and its zoning is administered by the Storey County Planning Department, located at the Storey County Courthouse, 26 South B Street, Virginia City. Zoning rules are set out in Title 17 (Zoning Ordinance) of the Storey County Code, which is published online through the Municode Library. The Planning Department oversees the county's zoning ordinances and land use policies and can be reached at 775-847-1144 or planning@storeycounty.org.

The Storey County Planning Commission is a seven-member body. Its regular meetings are held on Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. at the Storey County Courthouse, 26 S. B Street, Virginia City. Agendas and minutes are posted through the county's online Agenda Center, and residents can contact the Planning Office to request that an item be added to a Planning Commission agenda.

The Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center (TRI Center / TRIC), a large privately owned industrial park in Storey County east of Reno, is zoned I-2 Heavy Industrial. The county adopted its zoning ordinance in 1999 and designated the TRI Center as I-2, and Storey County maintains the governing documents, including the resolution to I-2 Heavy Industrial for TRI, the 1999 Storey County Zoning Ordinance, and the Design Development Handbook, on its official website.

Storey County publishes its official zoning maps through the Planning Department's Zoning Maps page. The map set is organized as eight zoning plates covering areas such as Virginia City, Gold Hill, Mark Twain, Highlands, River District, McCarran, and Painted Rock, plus additional support maps. The county notes the maps are for display purposes only and recommends contacting the Planning Department to confirm any specific parcel's zoning.

Yes. The Storey County Planning Department creates and coordinates the development, adoption, and implementation of the county's master plan and planning policies, operating under the Nevada Revised Statutes and the Storey County Code. The county has been working on a Master Plan Update (2024), which is referenced among its current planning projects and on its zoning and master plan pages.

Yes. ZoneWire Free sends New Meeting Alerts for Storey County at no cost, with the agenda for each meeting. ZoneWire Pro adds full transcripts, zoning and development analysis, and keyword alerts for $129 per market per month.