The Sparks City Council has voted to move forward with changing zoning codes that could help the Andelin Family Farm expand and host future events.
During the meeting on June 23 the city council passed the motion unanimously for the farm to be preserved and have the ability to grow in the future, as well as being a part of Ward Four in the City of Sparks.
The farm is right off of Pyramid Way, close to Spanish Springs in the Sparks area.
It was formerly in Washoe County, but since the motion passed, it is now a part of Ward Four in the City of Sparks, with Sparks annexing land in that area.
A while back, the Andelin Family Trust requested to annex 164.9 acres of unincorporated land to be given to the City of Sparks, which then can possibly be used by Andelin Family Farm for future expansion.
In 1991, the City of Sparks adopted a master plan for its portion of the Spanish Springs Valley called the Northern Sparks Sphere of Influence (NSSOI). This master plan included unincorporated land that could be used for future development if the council approves it.
The motion passed today was to pass an agritourism zoning code that would help the farm preserve the land for their future growth and give them the ability to hold festivals and other events they choose.
Cameron Andelin, the owner & operator of the Andelin Family Farm, explains, "One of the things we look forward to expanding with is having a year-round farm store and having a food and beverage building. We have our food trucks, but we feel like we can definitely improve on that. We have all kinds of fun ideas, but number one is having an events venue where we can host weddings and receptions and things like that."
Charlene Bybee, Sparks City Councilwoman, Ward Four, tells us, "It really just preserves a legacy; it's a gem in the city, and it just adds so much to what Sparks wants to be as far as family friendly."
As for the agritourism code, Andelin mentions, "It's been several years; it's been kind of a long process because we had to come up with some creative agritourism code for us because we didn't fit in any of the municipal code that's existing."
He adds, "We're annexed into the city, and our tentative handbook is approved, so we'll just have to come back within a year for the final handbook."
Council member Bybee also says, "This is so unique that it gave us an opportunity to do that for them and, most importantly, to preserve it to save the farm."
She adds, "It'll be one of two gems I have. Golden Eagle, which I always say is one of the gems of the City of Sparks, now I'll have another one."
