The Lyon County Planning Commission on Nov. 10 approved a tentative parcel map from Microsoft Corporation to merge and resubdivide six neighborhood-commercial parcels north of U.S. Highway 50 in Silver Springs into three parcels, a change intended to reflect recent master-plan and zoning updates.

Senior planner Lewis Carriella, presenting the staff report, told the commission that Microsoft owns the six subject parcels totaling approximately 247 acres and that the proposed reconfiguration would leave the largest parcel at about 223 acres. Carriella acknowledged a graphical error in the staff presentation (mislabelled streets) but said legally controlling maps stamped by surveyors are included as attachments to the application and will establish access and boundaries.

Carriella told the commission the master-plan designation for most of the western parcel remains 'employment' while a 21-acre strip was changed to commercial and rezoned to neighborhood commercial in August 2025; staff advised Microsoft to align master plan and zoning changes before final mapping. He cited Chapter 15.606.07 of the Lyon County Development Code as the applicable review criteria and said criteria 2 and 3 in the code were determined not applicable because they address future land divisions or sub-one-acre parcels.

On utilities, Carriella said water service is provided by the Silver Springs Mutual Water Company and sewer service by the Silver Springs General Improvement District (SSGID), which Lyon County utilities administers. He said SSMWC general manager Matt Martinson requested that, as part of final mapping, county staff reaccount existing water rights onto the newly assigned APNs; staff proposed a corresponding condition of approval to address that request.

Carriella also corrected a prior description of the site’s topography, saying the area is not uniformly flat: the average slope is about 4% with slopes approaching 20% on the northern side, and future development would require roadway and utility improvements and review by the Central Lyon County Fire Protection District. He recommended approval.

Stacy Huggins of Wood Rogers, representing Microsoft, said the applicant had no additional comments and stated, "the applicant developer does not have any intention of any more parceling of these 3 parcels," describing the map as intended to reflect earlier master-plan and zoning changes.

No members of the public spoke on the item either in the chambers or online. A motion to approve PLZ2025-035, subject to the conditions listed in the staff report, was recorded by the commission; the transcript records the motion as provided by Commissioner Loomis and seconded by Commissioner Sells. The chair called for the vote and recorded the motion as passing by voice vote (ayes recorded; no nays recorded in the transcript).

Votes at a glance: PLZ2025-035 (Microsoft tentative parcel map) — Motion to approve subject to staff conditions (mover: Commissioner Loomis; second: Commissioner Sells); outcome: approved by voice vote (no nays recorded in meeting transcript). Other procedural votes at the meeting: Agenda adopted (mover: Commissioner Audrey Allen; second: Mark Jones; outcome: approved by voice vote); Minutes (10/14/2025) approved (mover: Commissioner Sells; second: Andrew Marriott; outcome: approved by voice vote).

What happens next: The approval is for a tentative parcel map. Final mapping will assign new APNs and implement conditions (including any water-rights reaccounting). Any future development proposals on the parcels will be subject to separate permitting, improvement requirements and review by Lyon County and applicable agencies.