Reno City Council Meeting
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
What Happened
Reno City Council met for 12+ hours to approve rezoning, settle developer litigation, fund public safety programs, and debate downtown gaming and dispatch consolidation. Roughly 40 items on agenda.
Key Decisions
• APPROVED — Ballardini Ranch developer settlement for $3.5 million to dismiss litigation — unanimous — City avoids potential $6+ million judgment; settlement funded from annual risk fund.
• APPROVED — Fire Apparatus Replacement Program continuation — $3,000,000+ — Reduces average equipment age from 18 years to 12 years.
• APPROVED — Sixth Ward creation (redistricting ordinance) — 5-2 vote — Redraws city boundaries; Council Members Stewart and one other voted no over concerns about timing and vacancy fills.
• APPROVED — Police Pedestrian Safety Sweep Grant — $60,000 — Funds traffic enforcement and pedestrian safety activities.
• APPROVED — Adaptive cycling center and veterans programs grant — $25,000 — Supports ongoing operations.
• REJECTED — RightWay Market beer and wine sales license — motion carried — Downtown location denied based on proximity to substance abuse treatment facility and transit station; calls for service data factored into compatibility analysis.
• CONTINUED — Reno City Center (Parkway Tavern) conditional use permit — to future meeting — Council expressed concerns about project timeline, completion guarantees, and mix of residential/gaming use; applicant pledged commitment but specific timeline not provided.
• CONTINUED — Sidewalk vendor ordinance amendments (Chapter 515) — staff direction given — Council wants staff to reduce barriers to entry; possible shift from privileged to non-privileged licenses and roaming versus stationary vending.
Debated But Not Resolved
• Gaming expansion characterization — Does increasing from 16 to 197 slot machines in reduced space constitute a non-conforming use expansion requiring conditional use permit? Staff says no (gaming measured by square footage, not machine count); Council Member Breakfast disagreed, citing planning expertise — unresolved but staff interpretation prevailed.
• Regional 911 dispatch consolidation governance — Should Reno cede dispatch control to regional board with equal representation from Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County despite Reno's larger service area? Council Member Breakfast concerned about operational delays requiring consensus — approved but concerns flagged.
• Settlement value in San Lucas developer litigation — Is $3.5 million reasonable or should city litigate further? Council disagreed on mediation process, mediator selection, and whether alternative remedies (land acquisition) were explored — unresolved in public record.
What to Watch
• $3,500,000 — Ballardini Ranch settlement — City general fund (risk reserve)
• $3,000,000+ — Fire apparatus replacement — Existing financing program
• $60,000 — Police pedestrian safety grant — Grant funding
• $25,000 — Adaptive cycling/veterans programs — Unspecified source
Reno City Center project return — Council must decide whether residential-gaming mix in downtown mixed-use building is compatible and whether timeline guarantees sufficiently protect city interests. Applicant promised plaza completion before other components open.
Sidewalk vendor ordinance rewrite — Staff returns with recommendations on licensing tier changes and roaming permissions under SB 92 compliance. May significantly lower barriers for street vendors.
Regional 911 consolidation final approval — Awaiting votes from Sparks, Washoe County, and REMSA before vendor contracts finalize. City loses independent dispatch control.
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