Reno City Council & Redevelopment Agency Board
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
What Happened
Reno City Council held a 9-hour meeting with 30+ items covering zoning changes, police labor agreements, fire equipment financing, downtown shadow rules, and school safety funding. The Redevelopment Agency also met.
Key Decisions
APPROVED — Police labor contract with 2.5% immediate raise, 1.25% raise July 2020, 1.25% raise January 2021, 2.5% raise July 2021 — Unanimous — Three-year deal increases salaries and sick leave for Reno police officers.
APPROVED — Borrow $6.375 million for fire truck replacement over 10 years at 1.7% interest — Unanimous — Funds new engines, aerial ladder truck, and water tender starting in 2020.
APPROVED — Downtown building shadow rule change requiring special use permits instead of bans — 7-0 — Buildings over 35 feet can now cast shadows on parks and plazas if they get public review; previously prohibited outright.
APPROVED — Electric scooters and bicycles permitted on city streets under state law — Unanimous — Establishes franchise agreement requirement for scooter operators; allows regulation of rental companies.
APPROVED — Rezone 5.1 acres on Main Avenue from professional office to neighborhood commercial — Vote count not recorded — Enables assisted living facility development next to shopping center.
APPROVED — Extend RDA One plan period by 15 years to 2043 — Vote count not recorded — Prevents default on $18.3 million bond debt; extends tax increment collection.
CONTINUED — Golden Valley commercial zoning amendment — Not voted — Applicant presentation postponed; equipment malfunction prevented presentation.
CONTINUED — Affordable housing fee reduction program — Not voted — Staff to return in December with refined criteria tied to master plan elements.
Debated But Not Resolved
School zone safety — Council wants faster improvements (3D crosswalks, flashing lights, signal upgrades) at older schools; staff says projects are complex and require NDOT/school district coordination. Next step: 3E Roundtable (Engineering, Enforcement, Education) approach approved; staff to research and report before next Program of Projects fall 2020.
Package liquor store regulation — Some councilmembers want land use controls and special permits to limit geographic concentration; staff favored business licensing approach. Next step: Council directed staff to include both land use component and operational standards in revised ordinance.
RDA debt restructuring — Councilmembers concerned about exposing general fund to bond obligations; discussed merging RDA One and Two but city attorney said it violates state law except under specific stadium financing provisions. Next step: Staff to negotiate bond restructuring with lenders; return with proposal late January and ordinance in February.
Water importation to Cold Springs Valley — Appellant argued project is premature for 2035 planning horizon and violates regional water commission review requirements; council majority voted to affirm planning commission approval. Next step: Hearing continued; tentative map vote scheduled for following night.
What to Watch
$6.375 million — Fire truck and apparatus replacement — 10-year debt issuance
$150,000 — Apple corporate grant donation — Three-year commitment from Apple
School safety improvements — City, RTC, and school district must coordinate on crosswalk upgrades, signal installations, and traffic calming around legacy schools (Gom, Wooster, Stead, O'Brien) before next Program of Projects approval. Specific funding amounts and timeline still TBD.
RDA One bond restructuring — Staff negotiating with bondholders to avoid default on $18.3 million debt. Formal restructuring ordinance due February after public hearings in December-January.
Affordable housing program — Refinements to SB 103 fee reduction/subsidy program return in December with master plan alignment and council criteria clarification.
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