Reno City Council members this week heard the first reading of an ordinance change allowing for density bonuses to spur affordable housing development. The bonuses are for development projects with units priced for people earning 0-60% Area Median Income (AMI).
Under the current code, the city allows density bonuses for developers building within a specific square footage per unit. The changes will enable developers to build more units than zoning codes typically allow.
The ordinance also expedites building permit reviews for projects targeting 0-60% AMI.
To receive these bonuses, the properties must be deed-restricted and dedicate a certain number of affordable units for at least 20 years.
According to Assistant Development Services Director Angela Fuss, the city has a program to monitor affordable housing projects every year to ensure they are adhering to their deed restrictions.
When the affordable housing initiative proposals came before the council in May, they also discussed allowing the expansion of duplex, triplex and fourplex developments within lower-density, single-family neighborhoods. Council members did not approve of allowing this ordinance change.
The ordinance was unanimously approved on its first reading. A second reading must come back before the council and be adopted before July 1.
City annexes land for Valley View Estates
Council members also heard four items regarding the annexation of 81.81 acres of property consisting of two parcels on the eastern hills of south Reno near Claim Jumper Way and Tellurium Mine Drive for the Valley View Estates planned-use development. Currently, 160 acres directly north of the parcels have already been approved for residential development as part of The Canyons development.
The Valley View parcels are not currently part of the city but are in the Reno “sphere of influence” and are under the city’s land use authority.
In addition to an ordinance to annex the land, council members also heard items to amend the city’s master plan, change the parcels’ zoning and create a Planned Unit Development (PUD) designation for the land.
Once the properties are annexed, the proposal is to develop the parcels into Valley View Estates.
The development plan is to create 18.72 acres of single-family neighborhoods and 63.09 acres of parks, greenways, and open space.
Developers intend to create three houses per acre, all of which must be outfitted with fire sprinkler systems as they will be outside of the six-minute response times for emergency fire services. Lot sizes would range from 6,000 square feet to over an acre, depending on location within the PUD. The development is limited to 43 units per the hillside development standards.
Once approved, the PUD will have a 15-year completion timeframe.
Council approved the rezoning bill ordinance introduction with Brekhus voting against it.
Multi-family complex planned for Riverside Drive
Council members also approved an ordinance introduction amending a zoning map from multi-family 30 units per acre to Specific Plan District (SPD). The property spans 1.39 acres west of Riverside Drive, north of the Truckee River.
The developer is proposing a multi-family complex up to 65 feet in height with 180 units and 109 parking spaces. Some neighboring residents said they were concerned about an impact on traffic and took issue with the traffic study performed. According to traffic engineer David Giacomin, the traffic study occurred on Nov. 15, a Wednesday, between 4 and 6 p.m.
Residents said the traffic study should have considered the nearby high school traffic and questioned why it was done in the fall. 
Council member Meghan Ebert agreed and said she found the timing odd. She asked Giacomin if he was familiar with the events downtown and the traffic they bring.
Giacomin said traffic studies are meant to be taken on a standard weekday, Tuesday-Thursday, and during a specific time, 4-6 p.m.
“The reality is there is a lot of stuff that does go on there,” Ebert said. “I just don’t know that it’s necessarily a good baseline.”
Council member Naomi Duerr said she was concerned about the lack of parking even though developers said individuals would likely walk, bike or use public transport.
“I don’t agree with building a brand new apartment complex without sufficient parking,” Duerr said, adding that it wouldn’t only affect residents but would also be an issue for workers at the building.
With its proximity to Idlewild Park, Duerr said she was concerned residents would begin parking at a park that already has its parking challenges and is the city’s second busiest park.
The ordinance was approved on first reading, with Duerr voting against it.
Additional projects approved
Several projects throughout the city are being funded through the Community Development Block Grants. The preliminary projects approved are as follows:
- Wilkinson Park Playground and Dog Park: $990,000
- Canyon Creek Park Pathway: $165,000
- ADA Pedestrian Ramps and Signals: $200,000
- School Zone Flashing Beacons: $668,947
- California Building ADA Improvements: $150,000
Updates on these projects will come back before the council at a later date.
In addition, over $1.5 million of funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will be dedicated toward the HOME Investment Partnerships Program and the Emergency Solutions Grant Program (ESG).
Money from the HOME Investment Partnership Program will support four affordable housing projects.
Arrowleaf on Harvard is a new construction project of 168 low-income multi-family units which include 11 HOME units at 40% AMI.
Hawk View Apartments is a Reno Housing Authority redevelopment project. The 100-unit multi-family development will be demolished and replaced with a 199-unit multi-family development with 12 HOME units at 50% AMI.
Sutro Street Senior Sanctuary is a new construction project that will include 170 low-income apartment units, including 14 designated HOME units at 50% AMI.
The Empowerment Center Phase II is a new construction transitional housing development of 43 low-income studio apartments for households on the path to recovery from substance use disorders. It will include seven designated HOME units at 30% AMI.
All four developments will be deed-restricted for 30 years.
