Reno City Council Meeting
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
What Happened
Reno City Council held a regular meeting lasting several hours and voted on 25+ items including homeless ordinances, a new city manager, zoning changes, and wildlife protection projects.
Key Decisions
• APPROVED — Jackie Bryant as City Manager — unanimous — Bryant, the interim manager, is now permanent. Her starting salary is $236,728.
• APPROVED — Four ordinances prohibiting camping, sitting, lying, and sleeping on city public property — vote counts not recorded — Creates one unified city ordinance to replace separate rules. Enforcement starts with warnings and service offers before arrest. Council Member Ebert voted no, arguing people should be directed to services, not jailed.
• APPROVED — Data center regulations requiring conditional use permits — vote count not recorded — Data centers near homes (within 300 feet) must now screen their buildings, control lighting and noise, and get city approval before opening.
• APPROVED — Cannabis facility relocation licenses (Items B5 and B6) — 7-0 — Allows existing state-licensed cannabis businesses to move to new city locations if they meet distance and zoning requirements.
• APPROVED — Wildlife protection and horse-vehicle collision prevention — $280,000 from Nevada Department of Transportation; $660,000 contract for installation — The state will reimburse the city for installing wildlife fencing along State Route 341 to reduce horse-vehicle collisions in South Reno.
• CONTINUED — Lear Theater restoration options — no vote — Council divided on next steps. Options under consideration: stabilization only ($438,000-$440,000), community arts center, or performing arts center ($25 million to make habitable). Staff recommends market study and community engagement before proceeding. Some council members want action now; others want more planning.
Debated But Not Resolved
• Homelessness ordinances — Opponents argue criminalization is unconstitutional and ineffective; supporters say ordinances protect public spaces while emphasizing compassionate enforcement — City will enforce with warnings and service offers first; arrests only as last resort.
• Cannabis business ownership transparency — Council concerned that Canadian companies now own licenses without city visibility — Staff will bring nonprofit registration requirement back to council in early 2025 to track nonprofit locations near cannabis facilities.
• Lear Theater path forward — Disagreement over whether to issue RFP for proposals, stabilize first then fundraise, or pursue external funding — Decision deferred to January; staff will bring recommendations during spring budget process.
What to Watch
• $660,000 — Wildlife fence installation for horse protection project South phase — funding source not specified in contract authorization.
• $280,000 — Nevada Department of Transportation reimbursement for wildlife fencing along State Route 341 — Nevada Department of Transportation.
Lear Theater decision in January — Council must choose between stabilization-only, adaptive reuse, or full performing arts center. This decision affects budget planning and could require bonding or tax increases.
Homeless ordinance enforcement starting — Police will enforce new camping/sitting prohibitions with warnings first. Watch for how Community Court diverts people to services and whether jail time becomes the norm.
Nonprofit cannabis tracking system — Staff returns early 2025 with registration requirement. This addresses council concern that foreign companies now own licenses without city oversight.
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