The Reno City Council last week approved at new parking zone near the University of Nevada, Reno in order to deter student parking in residential areas. Residents on Putnam Drive and Creighton Way have asked for a resident-only parking zone in their neighborhood due to the number of cars that use the neighborhood for parking at the university. 

City of Reno Code Enforcement officials say 75% of vehicles parked in the northeast area of the neighborhood between North Sierra and Washington Streets do not belong to residents. Public Works sent surveys to 56 property owners about the residents-only parking proposal.

A city staff report indicates 84% of property owners support the proposed parking district. The district will include Creighton Way, Colgate Court and Putnam Drive between Washington Street and San Rafael Drive. 

Guests of residents will be allowed to park on the street if they display a guest pass which is provided free of charge, and residents can purchase passes limited to the number of bedrooms in their homes. 

Parking zones come with more restrictions on the streets. For example, parking passes cost $26 annually and there is a limited number of spots available due to street space—specifically, only 112 parking passes can be approved for the 56 properties. 

Council member Meghan Ebert took issue with the way the surveys were counted. Out of the 56 properties sent the survey, only 33 property owners responded with nine saying they were against the proposed parking district. The city counts non-responses as not against the proposal—in favor, by default. Reno Municipal Code allows the city to move forward with the parking zone if fewer than 50% of property owners object. 

“Less than half of the people responded,” Ebert said. “There is a pretty significant amount of people who did respond and said no we don’t want it. I’m a little concerned about making this decision to do this with only 22 people out of 56 saying they do want to move forward with it—there’s a significant number of people who didn’t even respond.” 

Council member Jenny Brekhus used the agenda item to discuss what she sees are flaws in the city code as it relates to parking, and believes that parking issues have become “exacerbated” in the last two years. 

“The city council needs to do what we said we were gonna do in 2017 and look comprehensively at the parking division and program,” she said. Brekhus also said that park users at Rancho San Rafael often park in the neighborhood because park gates close at dusk during the winter and people still use the park after dark. She also questioned how many of those houses contained renters rather than homeowners, and how a parking district would affect those renters. 

“Parking on street is a public resource,” Brekhus said. 

The district was approved with Brekhus and Ebert voting against. 

$1 million awarded to nonprofits

The council approved four local nonprofits to be awarded $1 million to support community projects. Out of the 18 organizations that applied for funding, the Reno Initiative for Shelter and Quality, Karma Box, Children’s Cabinet and Bristlecone were selected for funding. 

Funding was determined through scoring which included federal compliance, council priorities and potential success of the projects. 

The allocations are: 

• The Reno Initiative for Shelter and Equality: $397,604 to implement professional intervention teams with the goal of minimizing the trauma associated with relocations and will increase the likelihood of future successful permanent housing. 
• Karma Box Project: $342,396 for the Street Outreach Program that will engage unhoused people to clean up trash throughout the city and they will receive a gift card. 

• Children’s Cabinet: $60,000 to help fund a new position to aid in the mental health crisis with youth. 
• Bristlecone: $200,000 for facility and building renovations to help the organization expand its outreach.  

The $1 million is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. 

Council member Ebert said, moving forward, she would like council to be granted access to all of the applicants and to see their scores. She advocated for Northern Nevada HOPES and said she would like to see them provided ARPA funding in the future. 

Allocation was approved by council with Brekhus voting against. 

Budget discussions devolve into accusations of ‘improper government actions’ 

During a routine budget augmentation discussion, Brekhus accused city staff of barring her from budget discussions. Prior to the meeting, Brekhus said she sent an email to council staff stating that she was being forced to attend council meetings to vote on important budgetary decisions without “the benefit of briefings by staff.” 

She further said she had specifically asked to meet with Finance Director Vicki Van Buren to be briefed on the budget, which she said Van Buren agreed to during a council meeting. However, Brekhus said, Reno City Manager Doug Thornley barred her access to Van Buren following the council meeting. 

Brekhus wrote this is a “consistent treatment and denial of access and information that I have encountered for more than one year,” in the email. She made the same allegations at an August council meeting.

Brekhus said Thornely told her that she has been restricted from meeting with staff due to her “memorialized hostile treatment of [his] team,” which Brekhus denied, and said it is a personal retaliation by Thornley against her. 

She went on to say that due to Brekhus being barred from staff, council launched an investigation into Thornley’s “improper government actions.” 

In a response email, Thornley reiterated that Brekhus is not allowed to meet with staff and that all questions should be provided to him in writing. “No other member of the body has to provide information in writing to Mr. Thornley,” Brekhus said. 

As to the actual budget augmentation, $12 million was added to the budget which can be found in a full breakdown here. 

Central fire station project approved for next phase

The new Reno Fire Department Central Station in downtown Reno received approval to move forward with city staff soliciting for a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) for the project. 

A CMAR functions as a construction manager, but also assists with final design to deliver a project within a guaranteed maximum price and reduce concerns over surprise additional costs. 

Once completed, the Central Station will consist of a three-story facility with six apparatus bays, two ambulance bays, and around 80 parking spaces at 455 E. Second Street, which is the current site of the Reno Police Department. 

Once RPD moves to its new Public Safety Center facility at 911 Kuenzli Street in Fall 2024, the building will be demolished. The new facility will also replace Fire Station No. 1 located at 495 E. Fourth Street which was initially built in 2008 as a temporary facility. 

With the approval to seek out a CMAR for the project, the city will initiate a Request for Qualifications for interested contractors. 

Pre-construction services provided but the CMAR starting after the schematic design phase, or 30% completion of design, is required for successful coordination with the design architect and civil engineer according to Justin George, senior civil engineer. 

The final design of Central Station is slated to be completed in 2025 with the construction beginning in 2026 and continuing through 2027.