Not all anniversaries are celebrations.

In case you missed it, November 15, 2024 marked the one-year anniversary of Jacobs Entertainment’s promise to Reno City Council (at the 12-month review of their Development Agreement) to release their “10 year master plan” in the “next 60-90 days.” And here we are, more than 365 days later, no closer to knowing what more this company has planned long-term for their massive assemblage of parcels than we were a year ago, making it literally impossible for the City (and its residents) to make informed decisions about anything on the west side of downtown.

I have periodically referenced the number of days since this promise was made as they have slowly ticked by, but it’s truly no joke. We’ve heard Jeff Jacobs and his representatives allude to their grand “master plan” for years now, when it seems quite clear that either A) there is no master plan, or B) the company simply doesn’t want us to know what it is until each component is well underway or even completed—making it, by definition, not a “plan” at all. More news on Jacobs below.

City meetings galore

This coming week is packed with city meetings in advance of the Thanksgiving week lull. They include the Reno City Council and Redevelopment Agency Board, Reno Planning Commission, Wards 2 and 4 Neighborhood Advisory Boards, and many more. Each one presents an opportunity for engagement on the local level on issues that impact you, and where your participation truly can make a difference. 

You can find agendas and supporting materials on the Current and Upcoming Meetings page. As usual, I’ll be highlighting some items related to urban development.

Mon-Wed: Downtown Stakeholder Sign meetings

As I wrote last week, the City will be conducting three virtual “Downtown Business Stakeholder” meetings about the Sign Ordinance on November 18, 19, and 20:

• Monday, November 18 from 12-1pm. Register here.
• Tuesday, November 19 from 5:30-6:30pm. Register here.
• Wednesday, November 20 from 9-10am. Register here.

These meetings are part of the City’s Sign Code update and will focus specifically on the question of whether downtown’s “Entertainment District” (not just casinos but every property there) should be allowed unlimited by-right (i.e. approved without any public meetings) signage. Historic signs would presumably be grandfathered in. 

You can read more about this issue (and Scenic Nevada’s position on it) in my November 11 Brief. Input from these meetings will help inform the City staff’s future presentation to Reno City Council. For more information, see the “Signs Ordinance” section of the Zoning Code Clean-Up webpage.

Tuesday, 11/19: Ward 2 NAB 

The Ward 2 Neighborhood Advisory Board will also meet on Tuesday, November 19, at 5:30pm. On their agenda is discussion of LDC25-00016 (Plumas Redevelopment), a proposed 273-unit apartment complex on the former site of the Lakeridge Tennis Club, at the corner of Plumas Street and South McCarran Boulevard. Here’s one of the renderings found in the application (there are many more, plus site maps). 

To view the application yourself, visit the project page on the Accela website and select “Attachments” from the drop-down “Record Info” menu. The most recent plans are titled “Plumas Revisions” and dated 11/12/2024. You can attend this meeting in person at 1190 West Moana Lane or virtually by registering here.

Tuesday, 11/19: Recreation and Parks Commission 

On Tuesday, November 19, the Recreation and Parks Commission will review and potentially approve the Wingfield and Barbara Bennett Park Master Plans. I wrote about this master plan in my November 3 Brief, so check that out and please consider taking the survey as soon as possible, so your opinion can factor into the commission’s discussion and deliberations. 

The commission will also be discussing Stantec Survey results for Paradise Park. You can attend the Recreation and Parks Commission meeting in person at the McKinley Arts and Culture Center at 6:00pm or virtually by registering here.

Wednesday, 11/20: Reno City Council

I’ll just highlight one item on the Reno City Council agenda for Wednesday, November 20: Item D.2 – Presentation and status update on the Jacobs Glow Plaza and Festival Area Conditional Use Permit (LDC22-00038). The full agenda is here.

This item is a required annual report by Jacobs Entertainment regarding the Conditional Use Permit they were granted in May of 2022 regarding the operation of the Glow Plaza and Festival Grounds on West 4th Street. You can view the Staff Report for this item here and the letter outlining all 23 conditions of approval here.

I wrote about this Conditional Use Permit approval when City Council granted it, back in May of 2022. My grave concern at the time was something not stated in this week’s Staff Report—namely, the excessive decibel allowances granted their activities.

The permit approved back in 2022 requires re-evaluation annually, at which time it can be revoked, re-evaluated, or modified. If you want to comment on anything related to Glow Plaza operations, decibel levels or otherwise, now’s your chance. Maybe someone can also ask them about that 10-year master plan and YET ANOTHER “festival grounds” they plan to develop just south of the J Resort, for which they submitted a permit application in September, while you’re at it.

You can attend the Reno City Council meeting in person beginning at 10am or virtually by registering here. Comments can be delivered in person, by submitting an online public comment form at Reno.Gov/PublicComment; (2) emailing [email protected]; (3) leaving a voicemail at 775-393-4499; or 4) participating in the meeting via Zoom.

Read the rest at The Barber Brief.

The Barber Brief is an independent e-newsletter and blog written by Dr. Alicia Barber on the Substack platform. It is reposted by This Is Reno with her permission.