The City of Reno in an after-hours press release today announced a $4.5 million settlement with plaintiffs affected by Swan Lake flooding in 2017. The city faced dozens of lawsuits alleging negligence for allowing development in flood-prone areas.
Plaintiffs were recently awarded more than $750,000 in damages from the Second Judicial District Court, which also fined the city attorney’s office for failing to admit to facts in the case.
The city did not provide further details about the settlement other than to say the $4.5 million is for all claims in all cases.
Questions sent to the City of Reno’s media line seeking additional information about the settlement were not returned by the time of publication.
The City Council, which recently voted to appeal the district court decision, will vote on the settlement at its May 12 meeting.
The city also used the evening press release to share a message about Earth Day and environmental justice:
“This global settlement is a significant step forward for proper stewardship of our delicate ecosystem in the North Valleys and underscores the importance of our ongoing efforts regarding sustainability in the Biggest Little City. We’re committed to protecting all of our citizens and our environment, and it’s fitting that we arrived at this agreement on Earth Day. The fight for economic and environmental justice never ends and we will move forward together, as a community.”
