Reno City Council & Redevelopment Agency Board
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
What Happened
The Reno City Council and Redevelopment Agency held a combined meeting lasting roughly 9 hours across two sessions, addressing downtown redevelopment proposals, marijuana licensing decisions, infrastructure projects, and budget adoption.
Key Decisions
APPROVED — FY 2020 city budget — 7-0 — Authorizes $3 million drawdown from fund balance to balance the budget. Includes $825,000 for housing and homelessness support and $1.5 million in one-time funding for fire apparatus replacement.
CONTINUED TO JUNE 12 — Cannabis retail dispensary licensing moratorium — Unanimous direction — Council directed staff to return with a proposal for a 60-day moratorium on new cannabis retail applications while pending lawsuits challenging the state licensing process are resolved.
APPROVED — P3 Partners selected for downtown bowling stadium redevelopment — Unanimous — P3 Partners will conduct 120-day due diligence period to develop a sports/entertainment complex that could reduce ongoing city financial burden (currently $3.5-4 million annually for capital improvements plus $4.4 million in annual bond debt service on $85 million outstanding debt).
APPROVED — Exclusive negotiating agreement with Galgon family for riverfront property — City authorized to negotiate purchase and sale agreement for land along West 2nd Street and to reserve potential pedestrian/bicycle easement pending adjacent property development completion.
APPROVED — City leases two downtown office suites — 7-0 — City leases 1,521 total square feet on 14th floor of City Hall to Reno Tahoe Open (5-year lease with two 1-year renewals) and AECOM (1-year lease). No public auction conducted.
APPROVED — Speed radar feedback units for region — 7-0 — $136,000 federal transportation funding allocated for region-wide installation of speed radar feedback units to address speeding concerns.
APPROVED — Municipal wastewater services agreement — Washoe County designated service provider for Stonegate development with connection fees funding expansion, following "growth pays for growth" principle without cross-subsidization from other service areas.
APPROVED — Three adult business ordinances — 7-0 each — Ordinances 6516, 6517, and amendments regulating adult business licensing, definitions, and permitted uses.
Debated But Not Resolved
Marijuana licensing moratorium timing — Council divided on whether to implement moratorium now versus waiting for legal clarity from pending Clark County lawsuits. Some members favored waiting; others concerned about applicant litigation threats. Decision: defer to June 12 to allow five-day preliminary injunction hearing (May 24-31) to conclude.
Pedestrian trail through industrial area — Councilwoman Breckis advocated for reserving trail easement through private property along railroad tracks between Keystone and Dickerson Road. Staff and public commenters raised safety concerns about unmanned, unlit trail through high-crime industrial area. Property owner opposed easement citing reduced property value and safety concerns. Decision: staff to explore alternative West 2nd Street complete street project instead.
Downtown development site permanency — Council questioned whether proposed temporary structures (containers, temporary plaza) at downtown sites risked becoming long-term parking lots rather than permanent development. Developers requested more time to finalize acquisition plans for adjacent parcels. Decision: deferred pending staff follow-up on concrete future vision.
Housing location suitability — Councilwoman questioned whether downtown lacks necessary services (grocery stores) to support residential housing. Developer Palindrome argued location matters less than project thoughtfulness. No resolution; discussion continued.
What to Watch
$136,000 — Speed radar feedback units — Federal transportation alternative funding
$230,000 — City Manager compensation adjustment — General fund
June 12 marijuana licensing decision — Council will vote on 60-day moratorium on new cannabis retail applications. Outcome depends on pending preliminary injunction ruling (May 24-31) challenging state licensing process integrity. Three applications waiting in pipeline.
Downtown redevelopment selection — Council must reconcile competing proposals: P3 Partners (stadium repurposing) versus Eldorado Resorts/Row (temporary plaza). Staff exploring potential collaboration between both parties.
Riverfront property easement negotiation — City will negotiate final terms with Galgon family on pedestrian/bicycle easement reservation pending appraisals and redevelopment plans. West 2nd Street safety concerns unresolved.
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