Reno City Council Meeting
Wednesday, December 13, 2023
What Happened
Reno City Council held a 7-hour meeting covering 30+ items, including major debates on stormwater utility fees, a Toll Brothers housing development, zoning code changes, and sidewalk vendor licensing. Most routine items passed unanimously; contested items were deferred or continued.
Key Decisions
CONTINUED — Storm Water Utility Fee Ordinance (Items E1-E4) — [vote deferred] — $9.80/month flat fee proposed for residential properties to fund $470 million in infrastructure repairs over 32 years; council extended debate to January to address concerns about automatic CPI increases, credit programs, tax-exempt property inclusion, and impact on School District and airport.
APPROVED — Toll Brothers Querey Ranch Housing Development (tentative map) — [unanimous vote count unavailable] — Allows approximately 1,200 residential units in Verdi with $26 million in special assessment district bonds for water infrastructure; homeowners will pay ~$1,756 per year for 30 years to repay bonds.
APPROVED — Business License (conditional use permit) — [unanimous] — Approved with requirement for 18-month building permit and indoor live entertainment curfew at 11 p.m.
APPROVED — Greystone Castle Historic Resource Designation (Bill 7254) — [7-0] — Rezones 970 Miller Drive property to add Historic Landmark overlay, preserving structure in Newlands district.
APPROVED — Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (fiscal year ending June 30, 2023) — [unanimous] — Clean audit confirms city financial management; pension liability increased 103%; workers' compensation over budget by $18.9 million.
APPROVED — Election Services Agreement with Washo County — [7-0] — Establishes procedures for polling places, ballot counting, and candidate certification for municipal elections.
APPROVED — Bill 7257 (Repealing Sidewalk Vendor Licensing) — [vote count unavailable] — Removes background check and privileged license requirements for sidewalk vendors.
CONTINUED — Bill 7256 (Creating Sidewalk Vendor Licensing) — [no vote] — Deferred due to disagreement over state law restrictions that effectively prohibit vendors within 1,500 feet of resort hotels, potentially pushing small vendors from downtown into neighborhoods.
CONTINUED — Zoning Code Update (Item D1y) — [no vote] — Staff directed to provide detailed annotations distinguishing grammatical errors, substantive changes, and staff interpretations before proceeding to Planning Commission workshops; decision expected March-April 2024.
Debated But Not Resolved
Stormwater fee structure — Should flat rate apply to all residential properties or use tiered system based on lot size? Council split; staff cited administrative complexity as barrier.
CPI automatic increases — Should stormwater fees auto-increase annually or require council vote each time? Business groups opposed automatic increases; council divided.
Tax-exempt property inclusion — Should University of Nevada Reno, airport, and school district pay stormwater fees? Concerns raised about $50,000/month airport impact and $200,000/year school district burden.
Toll Brothers development affordability — Should developers fund market-rate or affordable units? Council noted $1.2 million affordable housing trust contribution insufficient; only market-rate homes built with estimated $800,000–$900,000 price tags.
Polling location adequacy — Are there enough polling places in each ward? City Clerk indicated Washo County controls selections; council asked staff to review availability for improvements.
Zoning code stakeholder engagement — Was redlined code document adequately publicized before council review? Staff to improve documentation for next phase.
What to Watch
$26,000,000 — Special Assessment District bonds for water infrastructure (Toll Brothers Querey Ranch) — SAD bonds backed by land value security, not city tax revenue.
$1,200,000 — Affordable housing trust contribution — Developer fee ($1,000 per door for 1,200 homes).
$150,000 — Roadway safety improvements in Verdi — Toll Brothers contribution.
$470,000,000 — Stormwater infrastructure capital improvements over 32 years — Proposed stormwater utility fees (pending January vote).
Stormwater utility fee vote (January) — Council must decide on final rate, fee structure (flat vs. tiered), CPI escalation mechanism, credit programs, and exemptions. Nevada Resort Association, builders, and School District all requested deferrals or modifications.
Toll Brothers development approvals pipeline — Developer financing agreement, Special Assessment District creation, and bond ordinance approval still pending council votes in coming weeks. Vice Mayor Duer seeking commitment on EV charging infrastructure.
Zoning code cleanup decision (March-April) — Council must approve staff characterization of changes and resolve concerns about consistency, residential protection, and ADU gray areas before final adoption.
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