Reno City Council & Redevelopment Agency Board
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
What Happened
The Reno City Council and Redevelopment Agency Board met for roughly seven hours and took votes on 30+ items, including major spending approvals for sewer expansion, housing incentives, and zoning changes, plus extended debates over affordable housing policy and regional planning that remain unresolved.
Key Decisions
APPROVED — $22 million capital projects augmentation including sewer fund improvements, public safety center ($2.5M), and City Hall elevators ($1.2M) — 7-0 — Funds ongoing contracts and critical infrastructure.
APPROVED — $55 million bond authorization for Reno Stead Sewer Plant expansion (2 MGD to 4 MGD capacity) — Requires repayment through future sewer connection fees; final ordinance returns December 2019.
APPROVED — $330,800 contract with Reno Administrative Professionals Group for 15-month period with 3% raises — Unanimous — Covers July 2019 through September 2020.
APPROVED — Sewer rehabilitation projects covering 3.1 miles of sewer lines and 44 manholes — 7-0 — Addresses corroded infrastructure.
APPROVED — Rezone 74.62 acres from mixed-use to industrial near North Virginia and West Golden Valley Road — 7-0 — Enables Reno Logistics Centers development.
APPROVED — Regional Road Impact Fee Program — 5-1 — Charges developers fees for regional road capacity; one council member opposed citing missed master plan implementation opportunity.
APPROVED — Housing incentive pilot using fee deferrals for developers in opportunity zones — Unanimous — Defers up to $10,000 in traffic and sewer fees per unit; SB 103 ordinance change for outright waivers still in draft stage.
APPROVED — Tenant Issues and Concerns Citizen Advisory Board with two-year sunset — Unanimous — Creates formal mechanism for rental housing feedback; board size and composition details pending.
CONTINUED — Indigenous Peoples' Day resolution — Council requested modification to explicitly replace Columbus Day recognition; reword to be reconsidered.
CONTINUED — $55 million sewer bond ordinance — Returns December 2019; council wants differential connection fee structure and comprehensive financial analysis before final approval.
CONTINUED — West View Estates annexation (80 acres) — Awaiting Westview Estates subdivision review completion and road study; no date certain set.
Debated But Not Resolved
Affordable housing requirements — Debate over whether fee deferrals alone address housing crisis or if inclusionary zoning and rent control needed; no vote on mandatory affordability language for mixed-use projects.
Sewer expansion cost allocation — Council divided on whether urban core or outlying areas should bear more costs; differential rate structure under study.
RDA 1 bond restructuring — Disagreement over extending general fund backing, separating baseball agreement, and potential RDA consolidation; continued October 23 for additional modeling.
Regional Plan tier designations — Council concerned about development density allowances in unincorporated areas and whether infrastructure will be funded; vote scheduled October 10 at regional governing board.
Impact fee geographic distribution — Proposal for quadrant-based benefit districts rejected; would require fee recalculation; deferred to future cycle.
What to Watch
$22,000,000 — Capital projects: sewer fund, public safety center, City Hall elevators — Proprietary funds and year-end fund balance
$55,000,000 — Reno Stead Sewer Plant expansion bond — Bond issuance; repaid via future sewer connection fees
$3,800,000 — Sewer infrastructure expansion debt — Sewer fund
$330,800 — Administrative Professionals labor contract — Existing budget
Sewer bond final vote (December) — Council wants detailed differential connection fee structure showing how costs split between growth areas and urban core before approving $55M debt. This determines who pays how much.
SB 103 affordable housing ordinance (by next meeting) — Staff drafting three-part process for fee waivers/reductions on units serving 60% of area median income. This expands pilot beyond deferrals.
RDA 1 restructuring decision (October 23) — Council split on whether extending bonds needs general fund backing and how baseball agreement ties in. Outcome affects long-term debt obligations.
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