NRS278.315. Granting of variances, special and conditional use permits and other special exceptions by board of adjustment, planning commission or hearing examiner; appeal of decision.

      1.  The governing body may provide by ordinance for the granting of variances, special use permits, conditional use permits or other special exceptions by the board of adjustment, the planning commission or a hearing examiner appointed pursuant to NRS 278.262. The governing body may impose this duty entirely on the board, commission or examiner, respectively, or provide for the granting of enumerated categories of variances, special use permits, conditional use permits or special exceptions by the board, commission or examiner.

      2.  A hearing to consider an application for the granting of a variance, special use permit, conditional use permit or special exception must be held before the board of adjustment, planning commission or hearing examiner within 65 days after the filing of the application, unless a longer time or a different process of review is provided in an agreement entered into pursuant to NRS 278.0201.

      3.  In a county whose population is less than 100,000, notice setting forth the time, place and purpose of the hearing must be sent at least 10 days before the hearing to:

      (a) The applicant;

      (b) Each owner of real property, as listed on the county assessor’s records, located within 300 feet of the property in question;

      (c) If a mobile home park is located within 300 feet of the property in question, each tenant of that mobile home park;

      (d) Any advisory board which has been established for the affected area by the governing body; and

      (e) If a military installation is located within 3,000 feet of the property in question, the commander of that military installation.

      4.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 7, in a county whose population is 100,000 or more, a notice setting forth the time, place and purpose of the hearing must be sent at least 10 days before the hearing to:

      (a) The applicant;

      (b) If the application is for a deviation of at least 10 percent but not more than 30 percent from a standard for development:

             (1) Each owner, as listed on the county assessor’s records, of real property located within 100 feet of the property in question; and

             (2) Each tenant of a mobile home park located within 100 feet of the property in question;

      (c) If the application is for a special use permit or a deviation of more than 30 percent from a standard for development:

             (1) Each owner, as listed on the county assessor’s records, of real property located within 500 feet of the property in question;

             (2) The owner, as listed on the county assessor’s records, of each of the 30 separately owned parcels nearest the property in question, to the extent this notice does not duplicate the notice given pursuant to subparagraph (1); and

             (3) Each tenant of a mobile home park located within 500 feet of the property in question;

      (d) If the application is for a project of regional significance, as that term is described in NRS 278.02542:

             (1) Each owner, as listed on the county assessor’s records, of real property located within 750 feet of the property in question;

             (2) The owner, as listed on the county assessor’s records, of each of the 30 separately owned parcels nearest the property in question, to the extent this notice does not duplicate the notice given pursuant to subparagraph (1); and

             (3) Each tenant of a mobile home park located within 750 feet of the property in question;

      (e) Any advisory board which has been established for the affected area by the governing body; and

      (f) If a military installation is located within 3,000 feet of the property in question, the commander of that military installation.

      5.  If an application is filed with the governing body for the issuance of a special use permit with regard to property situated within an unincorporated town that is located more than 10 miles from an incorporated city, the governing body shall, at least 10 days before the hearing on the application is held pursuant to subsection 2, transmit a copy of any information pertinent to the application to the town board, citizens’ advisory council or town advisory board, whichever is applicable, of the unincorporated town. The town board, citizens’ advisory council or town advisory board may make recommendations regarding the application and submit its recommendations before the hearing on the application is held pursuant to subsection 2. The governing body or other authorized person or entity conducting the hearing shall consider any recommendations submitted by the town board, citizens’ advisory council or town advisory board regarding the application and, within 10 days after making its decision on the application, shall transmit a copy of its decision to the town board, citizens’ advisory council or town advisory board.

      6.  An applicant or a protestant may appeal a decision of the board of adjustment, planning commission or hearing examiner in accordance with the ordinance adopted pursuant to NRS 278.3195.

      7.  In a county whose population is 700,000 or more, if the application is for the issuance of a special use permit for an establishment which serves alcoholic beverages for consumption on or off of the premises as its primary business in a district which is not a gaming enterprise district as defined in NRS 463.0158, the governing body shall, at least 10 days before the hearing:

      (a) Send a notice setting forth the time, place and purpose of the hearing to:

             (1) The applicant;

             (2) Each owner, as listed on the county assessor’s records, of real property located within 1,500 feet of the property in question;

             (3) The owner, as listed on the county assessor’s records, of each of the 30 separately owned parcels nearest the property in question, to the extent this notice does not duplicate the notice given pursuant to subparagraph (2);

             (4) Each tenant of a mobile home park located within 1,500 feet of the property in question;

             (5) Any advisory board which has been established for the affected area by the governing body; and

             (6) If a military installation is located within 3,000 feet of the property in question, the commander of that military installation; and

      (b) Erect or cause to be erected on the property, at least one sign not less than 2 feet high and 2 feet wide. The sign must be made of material reasonably calculated to withstand the elements for 40 days. The governing body must be consistent in its use of colors for the background and lettering of the sign. The sign must include the following information:

             (1) The existing permitted use and zoning designation of the property in question;

             (2) The proposed permitted use of the property in question;

             (3) The date, time and place of the public hearing; and

             (4) A telephone number which may be used by interested persons to obtain additional information.

      8.  A sign required pursuant to subsection 7 is for informational purposes only and must be erected regardless of any local ordinance regarding the size, placement or composition of signs to the contrary.

      9.  A governing body may charge an additional fee for each application for a special use permit to cover the actual costs resulting from the erection of not more than one sign required by subsection 7, if any. The additional fee is not subject to the limitation imposed by NRS 354.5989.

      10.  The governing body shall remove or cause to be removed any sign required by subsection 7 within 5 days after the final hearing for the application for which the sign was erected. There must be no additional charge to the applicant for such removal.

      11.  The notice required to be provided pursuant to subsections 3, 4 and 7 must be sent by mail or, if requested by a party to whom notice must be provided pursuant to those subsections, by electronic means if receipt of such an electronic notice can be verified, and must be written in language which is easy to understand. The notice must set forth the time, place and purpose of the hearing and a physical description or map of the property in question.

      12.  The provisions of this section do not apply to an application for a conditional use permit filed pursuant to NRS 278.147.

      (Added to NRS by 1969, 734; A 1983, 1247; 1987, 933; 1991, 371; 1993, 2205; 1997, 2422; 1999, 786, 1137; 2001, 1448, 1686, 2806, 2817, 2819, 2824; 2003, 2340; 2007, 351; 2011, 1190)