Reno City Council Meeting
Wednesday, August 23, 2023
What Happened
Reno City Council met for roughly 7 hours and approved 30+ items including property sales, redistricting, healthcare contracts, and affordable housing projects.
Key Decisions
[APPROVED] — $16.3 million volume cap allocation to State of Nevada for Hawkview Apartments redevelopment (demolish 100 units, rebuild 200+ affordable units) — unanimously — Enables financing for major public housing expansion.
[APPROVED] — Sell city-owned Zero Riverside Drive property to Built for $850,000 for attainable housing development — 6-1 vote — Below fair-market sale to spur downtown infill housing; estimated $92,000 annual property tax revenue.
[APPROVED] — Redistricting map creating sixth city ward — 5-2 vote — Changes how council members are elected; new ward primarily covers south/west Reno. Two council members opposed, citing equity concerns about resources in new Ward 4.
[APPROVED] — Switch city employee health insurance from two administrators (Hometown Health, Prominence) to single UMR administrator — vote count not recorded — Consolidates plan for 90%+ local provider coverage; some council members worried about losing plan choice and provider options.
[APPROVED] — Transfer $870,000 West Fourth Street property to JM Ranches for Eagle Window & Door expansion — unanimously — Fair-market-value sale for commercial development.
[APPROVED] — Marvel Way Apartments (45 units, low-income) — 7-0 vote — Waived sewer connection fees; 23 units at 50% area median income ($900/month), 22 units at 30% AMI ($450/month).
[APPROVED] — Mill Street widening project street abandonment and development agreement — Abandons small right-of-way portion to enable intersection improvements near freeway.
[APPROVED] — Jacobs Engineering consulting for Torf Dewatering Building Project — 6-0 vote — $4 million contract; one council member recused due to business relationship.
[APPROVED] — Traffic signal maintenance on-call contract extension — unanimously — $400,000 increase; locks in 2022 pricing for emergency repairs.
[APPROVED] — Bird scooter franchise amendment adding 1-cent per ride fee for adaptive recreation programs — Revenue funds wheelchair sports and accessible equipment despite 1,100+ complaints about scooter obstructions.
Debated But Not Resolved
Midtown median removal — Business owners want median removed or modified for access; others defend it for pedestrian safety. Data accuracy disputed. Next step: Staff to meet with council member to review accident documentation.
Ward 4 resource equity — Newly created Ward 4 (largest by area, lowest income) has only 4 parks and no recreation center. Addressed during redistricting debate; Mayor said to revisit during budget cycle.
Property sale price and public benefit — Council member Breuss wanted higher price ($937,000 vs. $850,000) to compensate for lost affordable housing component. Countered with tax revenue and blighted-property cost savings; motion passed anyway.
Fire code emergency access requirements — Debate over alley width and fire department coordination language in development agreement. Developer says 20-foot minimum required by code; some wanted language stripped out to SPD process.
Appointing vs. electing City Artist — Should Arts Commission select or City Council? Left unresolved.
Departments created without council approval — City manager created Infrastructure and Utilities departments without council action. Council member Breuss wants retroactive approval process before voting on related ordinance.
What to Watch
$4,000,000 — Jacobs Engineering consulting for Torf Dewatering Building — general fund/project budget
$850,000 — Property sale to Built (housing) — general fund proceeds
$870,000 — Property sale to JM Ranches (commercial) — general fund proceeds
$62,500 — Professional services for business licensing code — city manager authority
$450,000 — NEA grants distributed to local arts — National Endowment for the Arts
$400,000 — Traffic signal maintenance contract increase — CIP funding
SPD process for Zero Riverside Drive. Final design, parking, flood mitigation, and affordable housing provisions must be approved by Planning Commission and City Council before closing. Developers committed to exploring affordable housing financing; council wants specifics before final sign-off.
Affordable housing sustainability workshop (Nov. 1). Council deferred broader discussion of sewer fee waivers (like Marvel Way's) to address how city can fund low-income housing without draining utilities fund.
Ward 4 budget priority. Resources for new ward's parks and recreation center will be examined during FY 2024-25 budget season. Ward has 5 of 83 city parks.
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