Redevelopment Agency Board Meeting
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
What Happened
The Reno Redevelopment Agency Board and City Council met for roughly 8 hours, approving water treatment infrastructure repairs, sewer bonds, a controversial North Valley land development, and multiple budget and governance items.
Key Decisions
[APPROVED] — General obligation sewer bonds series 2025A ($69.6M) and 2025B ($401K) for American Flat Advanced Purified Water Facility sewage project — Unanimous — Funds critical sewage infrastructure expansion
[APPROVED] — Stonegate/Hines Ranch master plan and zoning map amendment converting 1,767 acres to industrial (923 acres), residential (386 acres), and commercial (55 acres) — 4-3 votes on each — Allows mixed-use development with 8,800 jobs but only 1,350 housing units; opposed by Mayor and Ward 4 council member over road capacity and water sustainability concerns
[APPROVED] — Aeration Tank 1A rehabilitation contract to Far Construction Corporation — Unanimous — $5M total ($3M Reno share) to replace 60-year-old equipment; improves water treatment efficiency
[APPROVED] — Corillo Engineers consulting agreement for water facility construction oversight — Unanimous — $500K from sewer fund for structural inspection during construction
[APPROVED] — Washoe County P25 radio system interlocal agreement — $700K annually for regional public safety communications
[APPROVED] — 2024 International Building Codes adoption — Unanimous — Updates fire, mechanical, electrical safety standards
[APPROVED] — Downtown Reno Business Improvement District assessments — Unanimous — $3.96M for clean and safe district services; 2.5% increase from property value appreciation, not rate hikes; granted 10 hardship exemptions
[APPROVED] — California Avenue public art mural project — $100K from room tax for community artist mentorship project
[CONTINUED] — School digital signage ordinance — Multiple proposed amendments pending before second reading vote including sign height limits, flip frequency, brightness levels, and consistency with county regulations
[REJECTED] — Initial motion to deny Stonegate zoning amendment — Failed, allowing approval motion to proceed
Debated But Not Resolved
[Water Resources] — Can Spanish Springs basin sustain 1,000+ additional acre feet for Stonegate development when Great Basin Water wells show declining water levels (well drawdown increased from 7 feet to 25 feet) — Council members requested regional water sustainability study; applicant claims water rights sufficient but sustainability questioned
[Fire Service Regionalization] — Whether to consolidate Reno, Sparks, and Truckee Meadows fire dispatch and services, with state legislation pending — Three unresolved questions: Is consolidation necessary given improving inter-agency relationships? What are costs and governance structures? Full automatic aid implementation timeline unclear pending CAD system delays (targeting September but expecting 90-day pushback)
[Community Engagement] — Should council use Neighborhood Advisory Boards, telehealth town halls, or texting platforms for public input; current NAB pause frustrating residents — Manager to explore multiple formats; separate discussion scheduled for June 4th
[Public Art Selection] — Whether unelected boards have too much authority selecting art projects without council input; concerns about lack of local artist inclusion and ward notification — City manager to bring broader boards and commissions governance discussion June 4th
[School Digital Signs] — How strict should brightness, hours, sign height, and flip-frequency standards be; disagreement over consistency with Sparks and Washoe County versus local discretion — Vote pending; council members seeking multiple amendments
[Land Use Appeal Fees] — Should fees increase from $100 to $1,200 (500% hike) to match county, or smaller amount; concerns about access to justice for low-income residents — Council approved increase with commitment to create fee-waiver set-aside funding; mechanism details to be developed
What to Watch
$69.6M — Sewer bonds for wastewater facility — General obligation bonds
$3M — Reno's share of water treatment tank rehabilitation — Cost-shared with Sparks
$500K — Engineering consulting for water facility construction — Sewer fund
$700K — Annual Washoe County P25 radio system — General fund
$100K — California Avenue public art mural — Room tax
$3.96M — Downtown Reno Business Improvement District assessments — Property assessments
Stonegate water sustainability — Regional water study and basin capacity analysis needed before development approval becomes final. Council member raised declining well data requiring resolution.
School digital signage rules — Second reading vote pending with multiple proposed amendments on sign height, brightness, operating hours, and flip frequency. Council members want consistency with adjacent jurisdictions.
Fire service consolidation study — State Senate Bill 319 working group forming to study dispatch/service merger; automatic aid implementation timeline slipping 90 days; regional coordination plan due in two months.
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