September 10, 2025 Reno City Council Meeting Highlights

In our ongoing commitment to keep residents and media informed we've summarized the outcomes of a few key agenda items from Wednesday's Regular Meeting of the Reno City Council. Staff Reports with more information are linked below.

B.3 & B.4 - Amended Agreements for Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility Dewatering Building Project
Council approved updates to agreements with PCL Construction, Inc. and Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. for the Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility (TMWRF) dewatering building project. Dewatering is an important step in the wastewater treatment process, where machines separate solid waste from water so the water can be reused.

During the initial design phase, project cost estimates came in higher than expected. City staff worked with PCL and Jacobs to redesign the project to save money while still meeting all project goals. With the redesign complete, Council approved amended agreements:

• PCL Construction, Inc. - Owner-CMAR Pre-Construction Services Agreement increased by $321,117, bringing the total contract amount to $1,313,656. The City of Reno's share of this total is $901,562.11, which will come from the Sewer Fund.
• Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. - Amended Consulting Agreement for Design and Construction Manager at Risk increased by $1,897,438, bringing the total contract to $5,963,934. Reno's share of the cost is $4,093,047.90, which will be funded through the Sewer Fund.

The City of Reno will administer the agreement and be reimbursed for a portion of the costs by the City of Sparks through the current cost sharing agreement for TMWRF operations and maintenance.

B.5 - Historical Documents and Portraits Transfer Related to Civil War Union Army General Jesse Lee Reno
Council approved the transfer of historical documents and portraits related to Civil War Union Army General Jesse Lee Reno to the Nevada Historical Society (NHS). The City originally purchased these items in 2004 and loaned them to the NHS in 2005. For the past 20 years, the NHS has preserved and displayed the collection for the public in its Research Library, while framed replicas have been on display at City Hall. With this approval, the NHS now has full ownership of the collection, ensuring it will remain protected and accessible to the community for years to come.

B.14 - Tax-exempt Bonds for Affordable Housing Complex
Council approved to send a letter of support for Washoe Mill Apartments LP to receive up to $31 million in tax-exempt bonds from the State of Nevada. These bonds would be used to purchase and renovate the 115-unit Washoe Mill Apartments, an affordable senior housing project with project-based vouchers, located at 1375 Mill Street in Reno. The funds will help renovate the property. Although the City has already used all of its allocated Private Activity Bond Volume Cap, state law allows the state to issue bonds for a project if the local government sends a letter showing support and there is enough bond capacity. Each year, the state sets aside a certain amount of tax-exempt bond capacity for local projects.

C.2 - Presentation on Property Tax in Nevada and Impact on the City of Reno
Council heard a presentation on property tax, which is the second largest contributor to the City's General Fund and the largest contributor to the City's Street Fund. The presentation provided an overview of the tax structure and explained how the funds are distributed, eventually making their way to the City. Nevada's property tax rules are unique due to the depreciation rule and no reset of taxable values when a property is sold. Nevada law caps property tax rates at $3.66 per $100, limiting local governments from raising more taxes despite a higher $5.00 constitutional limit. The City launched a new property tax web page that can be viewed at reno.gov/propertytax.

C.4 - Annual Update on Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Master Plan Council heard a presentation on the progress that has been made toward the Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces (PROS) Plan's implementation. The adopted PROS Plan contains ten overarching goals reflecting the desires of the Council, the community, and City staff. These goals and the actions needed to accomplish them are outlined within the PROS implementation plan (pages 156-217). Some key highlights include securing $320,000 in new grants for Park upgrades; expanded recreational activities, such as Rolling Recreation and new camps; and increased River Ranger presence along the Truckee River Corridor.

D.1 - Draft Ordinance on Accessory Dwelling Units
Council approved a draft ordinance with stipulations regarding Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) within the city. An ADU is a small, separate home that can be built on the same lot as a regular single-family house, which was previously not allowed in most areas of Reno. In November 2023, the Reno City Council began the process of changing city rules to allow ADUs and gathered feedback from Neighborhood Advisory Boards, community members, the Planning Commission, and City Council. City staff made updates based on the Council's suggestions, and the Planning Commission gave its official recommendation.

Council requested the following changes:

• Remove a 28-day prohibition on Short Term Rentals (STR)
• Adopt design standards from Reno Planning Commission recommendations
• Setbacks would be required to be the same as primary residences

Staff will now make updates per Council's request and present the ordinance for a second reading and adoption at a future Council meeting.

D.2 - StoneGate Heinz Ranch Appeal from the Reno Planning Commission
Council directed staff not to file an objection to the determination of nonconformance for the Master Plan amendment for the StoneGate Heinz Ranch project located partly north of U.S. 395 and west of White Lake Parkway and partially south of White Lake and U.S. 395 in Cold Springs. On August 4, 2025, the Regional Planning Commission made a determination of nonconformance with the adopted 2019 Truckee Meadows Regional Plan despite the Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Agency staff recommendation for conformance. The StoneGate applicant may appeal the Regional Planning Commission's determination of nonconformance directly to the Regional Planning Governing Board.

G.1-3 - Board Appointments
-Nichole Paul and Brian Erbis were appointed to the Civil Services Commission
-Cynthia Albright and Debbie Leonard were appointed to the Urban Forestry Commission
-Abbie Laugtug was appointed to the Ward 5 Neighborhood Advisory Board

Other Headlines

-Council accepts $50,000 grant by the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation (CHNF) to go toward continued efforts to plan, develop, manage, and implement a community-based sled hockey program
-Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada gives an annual update to Council on the northern Nevada economy
-Reno Police Chief Kathryn Nance and Supervisor Christy Butler present on RPD's Mobile Outreach Safety Team (MOST)

Reno City Council meetings are streamed live at Reno.Gov/Meetings and televised live on Charter Spectrum - Channel 194. Past public meetings can be viewed on YouTube.