Preview: February 26, 2025 Reno City Council meeting
Plus, updates on the J Resort festival grounds, the proposed Grand Sierra Resort arena, and the latest in local urban development news
Right off the bat, I want to express my deep admiration and appreciation for all those who attended, participated in, and spoke at this past week’s City meetings, both in-person and virtually. The turnout at Wednesday’s Reno Planning Commission in particular was extraordinary—especially as the meeting ran past midnight.
In my experience, and perhaps in yours, I find it can sometimes be frustrating to deliver public comments without the ability to engage in immediate dialogue with the appointees, representatives, and staff members on the dais, or to respond to questions or assertions that are raised by them or other members of the public.
Public comment is a channel of communication that only operates in one direction, after all. It’s still absolutely critical, of course, and those constraints obviously make sense during a meeting, when there’s simply no time for extensive discussion. But lately, I do find myself wishing that there were an online space for more conversation and exchange of ideas prior to and between these public meetings, to express viewpoints, share resources, and engage in constructive and interactive public dialogue on the issues being discussed by and with our public bodies.
One potential spot for that is, of course, social media. And I do post news and updates throughout the week on The Barber Brief’s Facebook page, where there’s often frequent discussion in the comments. It’s a place for me to post more information between Briefs, as well. Late-breaking developments that I posted there this week included the City’s last-minute upload of a 500+ page meeting packet on Thursday to accompany Friday’s RAAB meeting; a last-minute post on Wednesday about the J Resort’s Festival Grounds from Downtown Makeover; and the sudden appearance on the City calendar of a “Live Entertainment District Community Forum” on Thursday afternoon that was apparently convened by Mayor Schieve, was publicized only through emailed invitations, had no agenda, and wasn’t streamed live or recorded.
Those Facebook posts can reach some, but of course, that’s not accessible to everyone. I do see relevant discussions all the time on other platforms like Reddit, Discord, and Next Door, but again, those reach somewhat narrow audiences. It makes me wonder whether it’s possible (or desirable) for someone to establish a highly-publicized, centralized online discussion forum, available to all, where issues relevant to City government could be posted and discussed. I don’t know if that would ideally be established by the City itself or by some other entity, or if it could be established on an existing social media platform. What do you think? Would you seek out and use something like that? Let me know in the comments.
Now let’s catch up with some of the big-ticket items from last week and then move on to this coming week’s City meetings.
Reno’s Resort Casinos Double Down on Special Events
Two of the highest-profile decisions and discussions this week involved two of Reno’s large gaming properties—the J Resort and the Grand Sierra Resort—and their efforts to secure City approval and/or funding for their new special event venues.
#1: The J Resort Festival Grounds
On Wednesday, the Reno Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve the conditional use permit (CUP) for the J Resort to operate its 4.5-acre festival grounds between Arlington Avenue and Ralston Street. As reported by This is Reno (below) the venue was authorized to operate until 10pm on weekdays and 11pm on weekends, with two events per year running until 12:15am. When not in operation, the landscaped grounds, which will be surrounded by a seven-foot wrought iron fence, will be closed to the public.
More live music coming to downtown despite resident concerns (Bob Conrad, This is Reno, 2/20/25)
As that article indicates, the Commission also granted the 1up club on West Commercial Row the right to host live music until 3am (two hours less than requested).
#2: The Grand Sierra Resort’s “Reno Arena”
On Friday, the Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board (RAAB) reviewed the initial market analysis of the Grand Sierra Resort’s request for almost $90 million in tax increment financing (TIF) incentives (which returns future property tax growth to the developer). They recommended that the Redevelopment Agency Board (City Council) authorize a full analysis of the proposed deal including a “gap analysis.”
Of note: the developer has stated that this project is contingent upon Redevelopment Area #2 to be extended by a period of 20 years (it’s currently set to expire in 2035).
Here’s a thorough, highly-detailed report of the meeting by Nevada SportsNet:
Reno Arena project takes another step forward while hitting a potential hurdle in process (Chris Murray, Nevada SportsNet, 2/21/25)
As I mentioned above, the informational packet (which included the market analysis of the proposed arena) was posted only 24 hours in advance of the meeting, which itself was only announced on Monday. Deep within the 500+ page packet was the initial Proposal Review from Hunden Partners, which includes a lot of fascinating data about the Reno market and was excerpted in the article above, but is definitely worth a read in its entirety, if you’re so inclined. It covers a lot of terrain.
One of the report’s many tidbits is the observation that the current occupancy of Reno hotels is 64.2% and that “Properties operating independent of casinos exhibit stronger performance with higher ADR [average daily rate] and occupancy levels.” When it comes to multifamily residential units, the study reveals “Greater demand for lower-rent units; 4- & 5-Star properties exhibiting substantially higher vacancies.”
The hotel vacancy stats in particular made me wonder how that compares with other municipalities. For instance, here’s something I found about Boise, Idaho:
‘Demand has grown': Hotels across Boise reach high occupancy levels. As Boise continues to grow, hotels are reaching capacity levels and trying to keep up with the demand of visitors. (Abby Wilt, KTVB7 Boise, 10/20/24)
While we’re on the topic of the future of large-scale casino resorts (and the desirability of their hotels), this week brought a passing reference to the expansive lot across South Virginia Street from the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, a site slated not too long ago as the future home of the Firecreek Crossing Resort Casino, a plan that was placed on indefinite hold in 2023. Here’s the piece referencing it:
Red Rock Could Make Use of Reno Land (Casino.org, 2/21/25)
As to speculation regarding whether a casino property might still be constructed there, the article states, “It’s also possible Red Rock could sell the eight acres in Reno and if it does, the buyer would likely be a non-gaming entity.” Red Rock Resorts president Scott Kreeger is quoted as saying, “But we’re always open to developing that at the right time and the right place given the priorities or if we get an attractive offer for it that we would divest and sell.”
Now on to this week’s City meetings.
City of Reno meetings - Week of February 24, 2025
You can view all of the week’s scheduled City of Reno meetings, agendas and supplementary materials here. Here’s what’s been posted so far:
Mon., 2/24 at 4pm – Arts and Culture Commission (agenda). Items include B.1, the possible acceptance of the Public Art Master Plan Update; and B.2, a “Discussion on strategies to improve community access and engagement in Arts and Culture Commission programs”
Tues., 2/25 at 6pm – Recreation and Parks Commission (agenda). Items include B.2, a possible recommendation to approve the Wingfield/Barbara Bennett Master Plan (the observation tower has been removed from the plan); and B.4, possible recommendations on park signage and a park name for the Riverwalk.
Wed., 2/26 at 10am – Reno City Council (agenda). See below for full preview.
Thurs., 2/27 at 9:15am – Truckee Meadows Stormwater Permit Coordinating Committee
Thurs., 2/27 at 5:30pm - Youth City Council
Preview: February 26, 2025 Reno City Council meeting
Remember that I generally highlight only those agenda items with a relationship to urban development. You can find the full agenda here, so please be sure to skim through it for other items of interest to you.
To comment on any items on the February 26 Reno City Council agenda, you can deliver comments in person or virtually by registering here. Comments can also be delivered in advance by submitting public comment via Reno.Gov/PublicComment; by emailing Publiccomment@reno.gov; or by leaving a voicemail at 775-393-4499.
Comments must be received by 4pm every Tuesday to be provided to Council in advance of their Wednesday meetings. But if you do have a comment, I’d recommend sending something in as soon as possible. You can also find Councilmembers’ individual email addresses in my Citizen Guide.
Wednesday’s City Council meeting brings a true mixed bag of items. I’ll list my highlights in the order they appear on the agenda.
B. 13 - Acceptance of a grant to write a nomination of East 4th Street to the National Register of Historic Places
Acceptance of a Nevada State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) Subgrant for the Phase II East 4th Street National Register Nomination process in the amount of $18,000. As the Staff Report indicates, “This grant will allow the City to engage the business and property owners along the East 4th Street corridor in learning about the history of the area and to create a National Historic Commercial District.”
D.1 - Potential modification of City code regarding Hearing Officers and Code Enforcement
Discussion and potential direction to staff regarding modification of Reno Municipal Code, Chapter 1.05 entitled 'Code Enforcement—Administrative Provisions', Article VI, entitled 'Administrative Hearings', Sections 1.05.500 to 1.05.560, inclusive. The Staff Report indicates that this item was requested by Mayor Schieve, who “would like to discuss the Hearing Officer’s authority.” You can find the current language of the code here, and we’ll have to tune in to see what this is all about.
D. 2 - Potential text amendment regarding Data Centers
Presentation and potential direction to staff regarding initiation of a text amendment to Title 18 Annexation and Land Development Code regarding Data Centers. (Staff Report) This item follows the Planning Commission’s recommendation to place a moratorium on the issuance of permits for data centers, which you can read below.
The materials include recommendations for local guidelines for data center development, written by the Urban Land Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on real estate development and land use:
On a related note, data centers are the subject of a bill currently being discussed by the Nevada State Legislature, SB69. Click on the link to see its current text and status.
Of course, data centers continue to be a topic of national discussion, as seen in a few recent articles from the state of Georgia:
Georgia House Speaker Creates Committee to Address Data Center Surge Amid Environmental and Economic Concerns (Philippa Maister, Globe Street, 1/16/25)
Georgia was about to retire coal plants. Then came the data centers. Utilities nationwide are falling back on fossil fuels to meet huge energy demand. (Emily Jones, Grist, 2/12/25)
D.3 - The Affordable Housing Permit Fee and Building Enterprise Fund
Presentation, discussion and potential direction regarding a spending limit of $60,000 on the Affordable Housing Building Permit Fee Subsidy program and funding from the Building Enterprise Fund. (Staff Report)
D.4 - Update on the Downtown Reno Ballroom
Presentation, discussion, and potential acceptance of the Downtown Management Company, LLC [Caesars], Marketing Plan, Annual Operating Budget & Capital Improvement Plan for the Ballroom Facility for the Fiscal Year ending 12/31/25. (Staff Report) Attachments include marketing and capital improvement plans.
D.5 - Safety concerns for McCarran Boulevard
Presentation and discussion regarding crash trends and safety measures along McCarran Boulevard. This discussion has been requested by Mayor Schieve following two fatal crashes on McCarran Boulevard in January. As the Staff Report indicates, this item will include presentations from various local and state police and transportation agencies about crash trends, enforcement, and road safety.
A report from News4 Reno provides some information about this topic that wasn’t mentioned in the Staff Report (annexation is not up for a vote this week).
Reno mayor wants to annex McCarran Blvd. after rash of deadly crashes near Plumb Lane (Ben Margiott, News4, 2/21/25)
D.8 - Downtown Reno revitalization updates
Presentation, discussion, and potential acceptance of the report regarding downtown updates for the months of November and December 2024. (Staff Report)
D.9 - Potential sale, lease, and transfer of City-owned properties
Presentation, discussion, and direction to staff regarding the disposition of City-owned properties, including potential sales, leases, or transfers to the Redevelopment Agency. (Staff Report) This item includes a table of City-owned properties and current staff recommendations for their disposition, plus site maps and photos.
F.1 - Ordinance to rezone a parcel at Omaha & Western
Bill No. 7294 (For Possible Action): Case No. LDC25-00024 (900 Western Road Zoning Map Amendment) Ordinance rezoning one parcel on the NE corner of the intersection of Omaha Street and Western Road from (SF-3) to (SF-8).
Remember to consult the agenda for other items that might interest you.
Final Two ADA Stakeholder Meetings on Monday, 2/24
To gather input for the creation of a future City ordinance governing Accessory Dwelling Units, the City’s planning staff has been conducting virtual meetings to gather feedback on potential regulations and language. The last two stakeholder meetings are on Monday, February 24th.
For more information including other ways to provide feedback, click on the Accessory Dwelling Units tab on the Zoning Code Clean-Up page.
NEWS DIGEST: Recent development-related articles
Some of this past week’s media coverage focused on a few common topics.
Local housing costs
Reno median home price dips below $600,000 for first time since April; Sparks also down (Jason Hidalgo, Reno Gazette-Journal, 2/18/25)
How much does it cost to build a new house? Here is a breakdown (Jason Hidalgo, Reno Gazette-Journal, 2/19/25)
Reno among least affordable US cities for owning a home. Where does it rank? (Jason Hidalgo, Reno Gazette-Journal, 2/20/25)
News from the Nevada State Legislature
Fact-Check: Did Washoe County mislead the legislature on homeless numbers? Yes. (This is Reno, 2/17/25)
Nevada bill would require cities to prepare for a hotter future (Jeniffer Solis, Nevada Current, 2/19/25)
Can Nevada cyclists benefit from the Idaho Stop? Lawmakers propose a new law that allows cyclists to yield rather than stop. But will the measure help public safety for riders and drivers? Richard Bednarski, Sierra Nevada Ally, 2/14/25)
Miscellaneous Development-Related News
NDOT contract involving missing $9.1 million 'totally flawed,' state Sen. Ira Hansen says (Mark Robison, Reno Gazette-Journal, 2/19/25)
VOA recommended to take over Our Place women and children’s shelter (Bob Conrad, This is Reno, 2/20/25)
Ward 3 neighborhood improvement mini-grants
The City’s new “Love Your Block” Mini Grant Program invites residents to apply for assistance for neighborhood improvement projects in Ward 3. Projects can include but are not limited to the following: small home repair, community clean-ups, neighborhood improvements, public art, and more. Applications will be accepted through March 22, 2025. For more information, consult the City’s website here.
City of Reno Historic Preservation Awards
Nominations are open for the City of Reno’s annual Historic Preservation Awards, honoring historic preservation efforts and projects, historically relevant buildings and landmarks, adaptive re-use of historic buildings, individuals or groups that have made an impact on historic preservation in the City of Reno, and local businesses that contribute to the history, culture and authentic identity of the city.
Benefits of award recognition include the following:
Formal recognition at the HRC annual award reception in May.
Presentation of an award certificate.
Award recipients will be mentioned on the City’s social media channels and will be recognized in city newsletters and the city website.
Nominations for the 2025 award cycle are due on March 30, 2025. For more information including explanations of categories, the Award Nomination Form, and lists of past winners, visit the Historic Preservation Awards webpage here.
That’s it for today—enjoy these unseasonably warm temperatures while they last!
Be sure to check out my Citizen Guide for helpful resources and links for anyone hoping to become more informed and engaged in issues related to urban development (& more) in Reno.
You can view this and prior newsletters on my Substack site, subscribe to receive each new edition in your email inbox, and follow the Brief (and contribute to the ongoing conversation) on X, Facebook & Instagram. If you feel inspired to contribute, you may purchase a paid subscription through Substack or contribute via Venmo at @Dr-Alicia-Barber or via check to Alicia Barber at P.O. Box 11955, Reno, NV 89510.
I would love a centralized forum - throwing in a vote for a platform within the Fediverse, such as Lemmy or Mastodon. Any move away from Meta is a positive.
Regarding D.5. Safety concern for McCarran Blvd.
It is amusing to me that an apartment building with 273 units and 400plus parking places has been approved for the corner of Plumas and McCarran. The egress and ingress are off Plumas. Another exit is a free right turn at the corner of Lakeside, very dangerous. There is an appeal in an effort to address this problem, add egress and ingress to McCarran.
The builder Thompson Thrift and their attorney Garrett Gordon refuse to entertain any changes. This intersection was approved by Planning Commission while the intersection has a F rating. Where is common decency, common sense, respect and care for Reno citizens.
Jori Benjamin
Thank you for great reporting.