Planning Commission Meeting
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Note: This summary is based on published meeting minutes.
What Happened
The Planning Commission met for about 1.5 hours on January 21, 2026, and approved two zoning cases while deferring three items.
Key Decisions
APPROVED — Military Road Secure Storage conditional use permit (6-0) — A 6.3-acre mini-warehouse facility west of Lemmon Drive can operate between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. with non-residential use allowed within 300 feet of homes. Tenants will access personal belongings only; no repair or industrial work permitted.
APPROVED — Whispering Road zoning change from Public Facility to General Commercial (6-0) — A 0.23-acre property at 595 Crystal Park Road rezoned to allow general commercial uses. Buildings can reach 65 feet tall if redeveloped, with a one-foot stepback required after 35 feet.
CONTINUED — South Valleys Park Expansion Phase II — Applicant requested postponement; case will be re-noticed for a future meeting.
CONTINUED — Regional Planning Commission appointment — Decision postponed to next Planning Commission meeting. Three candidates remain under consideration: Alex Velto, Christina Del Villar, and Manny Becerra.
Debated But Not Resolved
Ward 4 land use pattern — Commissioners Becerra and Del Villar expressed concern that permanent storage facilities limit future housing and mixed-use development in Ward 4, which they said receives a disproportionate number of storage uses. Chair Giacomin countered that storage is less impactful than other permitted uses like the adjacent 7-11. The commission approved the facility anyway but the underlying question about zoning priorities remains.
What to Watch
No items over $50,000.
Regional Planning Commission appointment — The commission will vote on which candidate to recommend to City Council. This fills a seat on the regional body that coordinates planning across Truckee Meadows.
South Valleys Park Phase II — Watch for re-notice of this expansion project, which appears to involve park improvements in south Reno.
Ward 4 zoning trends — Two commissioners flagged concerns about storage dominating mixed-use zoning in Ward 4. This may prompt future discussions about master plan implementation.
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