The Sparks Planning Commission agreed in a workshop Tuesday to create a report for the City Council on why members denied a land use change for the proposed Lazy 8 casino project. Thursday, commission members will make that agreement official at their 6:30 p.m. meeting at City Hall.

The commission denied Lazy 8 developer Harvey Whittemore’s request for a land use change at their April 2 meeting.

The report is due to the council no later than June 22 at 5 p.m., according to Sparks assistant city attorney Doug Thornley.

If the planning commission had decided not to file the report, Whittemore’s requested land use change would be automatically approved, Thornley added, sending the proposed casino’s land use approvals toward their final hurdle — the Regional Planning Commission.

The report will now be a part of the official record as the Sparks City Council continues to mull over the approval.

The report was requested by the City Council at a May 11 meeting where the members questioned the commission’s April 2 denial.

Council member Ron Schmitt said at the time that he needed more findings to justify a denial.

The planning commission’s denial, according to meeting minutes, was based on commissioners’ beliefs that surrounding land uses weren’t compatible with a casino.

The Lazy 8 project has been at the center of heated debate among area residents, casino developers and John Ascuaga’s Nugget. All three of these groups are currently involved in a lawsuit that could possibly change the land use approvals. However, city attorneys are still waiting to hear back from the Nevada Supreme Court where the issue is being considered.