Planning Commission Meeting
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
What Happened
The Reno Planning Commission approved seven development projects in a single meeting on August 3, 2022, including zoning changes, conditional use permits, and site plans.
Key Decisions
APPROVED — Mountain View Estates Unit 5 zoning change from 11 to 14 units per acre on 33.3 acres — 7-0 — Allows approximately 100 additional multi-family units (466 total instead of 366).
APPROVED — Keystone Commons Pad F drive-through conditional use permit for Panera — 5-1 — Permits drive-through facility on site not originally designed for one; one commissioner voted against due to pedestrian safety concerns.
APPROVED — Viewpoint Apartments conditional use permit and major deviation — Unanimous — 432-unit apartment complex approved with conditions including RTC trip reduction program distribution and modified setback requirements.
APPROVED — DP2 master plan and zoning map amendments — Unanimous — Allows SF8 zoning with hillside development standards limiting actual density to 2 units per acre instead of 8.
APPROVED — DP2 tentative map and conditional use permit — 5-1 — Permits 18 attached single-family homes on hillside with road extension and public parking access.
Debated But Not Resolved
Drive-through pedestrian safety — One commissioner could not make a finding that the design creates a safe environment for pedestrians because the layout forces them to cross the drive-through lane. Staff argued Condition 6 addresses this adequately. Motion passed 5-1 anyway.
Setback reduction for Viewpoint Apartments — Public commenter opposed reducing setbacks from 20 feet to 10 feet, arguing buildings should not be directly on sidewalks and that green space would be lost. Staff recommended 6-foot concrete wall as mitigation. Status unclear from transcript.
Housing affordability for DP2 project — Commissioner questioned how staff could make affordability findings when the 18-unit hillside project includes no affordable units. Staff acknowledged the challenge but offered no solution.
Single-family attached units in single-family neighborhood — Public comments criticized townhomes as inappropriate for the area. Staff defended them as meeting master plan policies on housing diversity, noting high market demand.
Future annexation and Planning Commission involvement — Commissioner argued Planning Commission must participate in growth boundary decisions to effectively implement the master plan rather than being excluded from those conversations.
What to Watch
No spending items over $50,000 reported.
Viewpoint Apartments setback conditions — Confirm whether final conditions require concrete wall only for north property line buildings (as modified) and whether phased construction timeline affects wall installation deadlines.
Keystone Commons pedestrian safety — Monitor whether Condition 6 adequately protects pedestrians crossing the drive-through lane once Panera opens.
Master Plan policy review process — Council requested staff emphasize area-specific policies rather than general policies in future discretionary project reviews.
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