Reno City Council Meeting
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
What Happened
Reno City Council held its April 22, 2026 meeting, approving annexations, housing developments, utility rate increases, and initiating a zoning review of data center regulations while deferring a decision on whether to impose a data center moratorium.
Key Decisions
APPROVED — TOGO Grid annexation (53.49 acres for battery energy storage facility) — Motion carries — Adds land northeast of Rio Wrangler Parkway to city with SF3 and UT10 zoning for power storage and substation expansion.
APPROVED — Clearacre Commons zoning amendments (27.32 acres) — Unanimous — Enables 400 affordable housing units and 240 workforce units required by 2024 purchase agreement.
APPROVED — Title 18 zoning text amendment initiation (data centers) — Vote count not provided — Council directed staff to review and modify data center requirements addressing water use, energy demand, air quality, siting, and scaling concerns. Does not include moratorium.
APPROVED — Sewer rate increase compliance — 6-1 vote — Increases residential sewer fees $3 per month annually for three years, effective July 1, 2026, for enterprise fund operations.
APPROVED — General Commercial zoning consolidation (1.57 acres) — Unanimous — Removes split zoning to enable consistent development standards.
APPROVED — Commission appointments — Unanimous — Taylor Chase, Tina Davis, and Mercedes Dela Garza appointed to Historical Resources Commission. DB Finel reappointed and Jennifer Guzman appointed to Urban Forestry Commission.
APPROVED — Waste Management in-kind donation — Waste Manager contribution of $14,000 to Reno Fire Department's fuel disposal program.
Debated But Not Resolved
Data center moratorium — Council divided on whether to pause new data center approvals while regulations are written. Some members cited groundwater depletion, excessive water use (600-1,600 gallons monthly for Keystone facility), high electricity demand (10,950,000 kilowatt hours monthly), and minimal job creation (11 jobs at Keystone). Others cited state-level jurisdiction and economic benefits. No moratorium voted on; separate request to be placed on May meeting agenda per city code procedures requiring two-step approval process.
Regional vs. local decision-making — Debate over whether Reno should act independently on data center standards or wait for regional planning report due August 2026. Regional planning director indicated other jurisdictions question value of local moratorium. Ward 4 councilmember opposed moratorium, citing lack of prior regional coordination and frustration with exclusion from regional boards despite ward containing most open development space.
Battery facility fire safety — One councilmember withheld support for TOGO Grid annexation pending fire chief documentation on lithium battery fire mitigation plans, foam contaminants that could cause soil pollution, and wildlife passage setback requirements. Applicant agreed to 20-foot fence setback where feasible for animal passage.
What to Watch
$14,000 — Waste Manager donation to Reno Fire Department fuel disposal program — Waste Manager in-kind contribution.
Data center moratorium decision — Council will vote on separate moratorium resolution at first May meeting. Outcome determines whether new data center applications pause during regulatory review or continue being processed.
Title 18 zoning amendment completion — Staff will investigate water, energy, air quality, siting, and scaling standards for data centers and return with proposed code changes. Timeline not specified.
Battery storage facility fire safety documentation — Fire chief must provide clarity on lithium battery fire response protocols and thermal runaway mitigation before facility can be finalized.
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