Reno City Council
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
What Happened
Reno City Council approved $90 million in bonds for a public safety center and swimming pool renovation, green-lit affordable housing projects, and hired a consultant to redesign downtown Virginia Street during a 6+ hour meeting covering 21 major items.
Key Decisions
APPROVED — $90 million general obligation bond for Moana Springs Pool replacement and Public Safety Center construction — vote count not specified — will fund two major city capital projects; bond amount increased from original $38.5 million estimate due to supply chain issues and labor shortages.
APPROVED — Two affordable housing projects: Dakota Crest (132 units) and Carriage Stone (250 units) with 30-year affordability periods — 7-0 — provides 382 new affordable rental homes; affordability contracts reset with new ownership.
APPROVED — $150,000 contract with GAIL consultant for Virginia Street urban design study — split funding with Reno Transportation Commission — six-month study to create downtown activation plan through community engagement and pilot projects.
APPROVED — $16 million in street improvements for southwest neighborhoods (Swope, Humboldt North, Humboldt South) including four miles of new sidewalks and over 100 pedestrian ramps — city capital improvement fund — work designed to minimize tree removal (reduced from 100 to 6 trees through urban forester collaboration).
APPROVED — RISE organization contract for 16-month peer-to-peer homeless outreach services — funding amount not specified — with mandatory 30-day, 6-month, and 12-month progress updates to monitor coordination with other service providers.
APPROVED — Ordinance 6619 increasing cannabis retail licenses from 8 to 10 locations — unanimous — allows two additional adult-use cannabis stores in Reno.
APPROVED — Two zoning map amendments: North Valley Commerce Center rezoning 256.3 acres to industrial commercial (Ward 4) and Little City Landscape rezoning 1.86 acres to specific plan district (Ward 1) — both unanimous.
Debated But Not Resolved
Affordable housing costs — Council member questioned why purchase prices weren't capped and affordability periods weren't longer from the start; staff explained properties are controlled by market forces with no city price guidance.
ARPA funds vs. bond debt — One council member urged using federal COVID relief funds instead of issuing $90 million in new bonds; director indicated Moana Springs pool may be partially eligible but Public Safety Center is not.
RIF program equity — Council member opposed $462,000 fee waiver for Virginia Street widening project, arguing Residential Impact Fees inequitably burden affordable housing development; motion passed despite opposition.
Cannabis license transfers — Council member requested state approval-style oversight for ownership changes similar to alcohol licensing; no policy change made.
Homeless services geographic focus — Debate over whether to concentrate outreach downtown (where majority of homeless population is) or in outlying neighborhoods (Veterans Parkway, South Meadows); council deferred coordination decisions to implementation phase.
What to Watch
$90,000,000 — General obligation bonds for Public Safety Center and Moana Springs Pool — bond issuance.
$16,000,000 — Southwest neighborhood street improvements including sidewalks and pedestrian safety — city capital improvement fund.
$1,500,000 — Clean and Safe Program operations (existing program cited for reference).
$150,000 — Virginia Street urban placemaking study — split with Reno Transportation Commission.
$462,000 — RIF fee offset for Virginia Street developer improvements — Residential Impact Fee credit.
$70,000 — City Hall parking garage mural by artist Charlie Malpass — council member donation covered ~$20,000; remainder from city.
General obligation bond funding — Council approved $90 million in bonds but debate continues about whether ARPA federal COVID relief funds should have been used instead for one or both projects. Staff is analyzing ARPA eligibility.
Homeless services coordination — RISE contract approved but council required 30-day update on how the new organization coordinates with Downtown Reno Partnership, Downtown Reno Ambassadors, Clean and Safe program, and other service providers operating across multiple geographic areas.
Virginia Street consultant deliverables — Study deadline set for end of August (possibly September) with stakeholder engagement prioritized over artificial timelines. Council will review recommendations for downtown activation, cycle track integration, and private business recruitment.
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