Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Reno public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
11 issues in general with high priority
Opioid settlement funds for MOST team and addiction treatment
Reno is sitting on opioid settlement money and council wants to know if $780,000 of it can fund the MOST crisis-response team — clinicians who ride with police on behavioral health calls — and $50,000 for treatment at The Empowerment Center. The catch: settlement dollars have strict rules on what they can pay for, so staff will first check what's eligible.
Surplus City Property Disposition
Reno is about to shop around some city-owned land. The council approved a plan to flag properties that could be sold or leased, which could bring in cash but also change what public space is available and how the city grows. The details—which parcels and what they’re used for—will determine who wins and loses.
Ethics Reform
A Reno City Council candidate wants to shake up local government with a five-point ethics plan. If adopted, it would set up an independent citizen oversight board and make official calendars and lobbying records completely public.
Public Surveillance and Flock Safety Contract Concerns
Commenters challenged the police chief's prior testimony on automated license plate readers, arguing the AI-enabled network is far larger than stated and raises constitutional pre-crime concerns.
Reno City Charter Biennial Review and Proposed Amendments
The Reno City Charter Committee finalized its recommendations for city charter changes, creating a priority tier system to help the City Council evaluate proposals such as City Manager residency requirements, gender-neutral language, and joint meeting rules.
Personnel Decision
Reno's city council is debating whether to hand the recently fired city clerk a 3-month or 6-month severance package. It's basically an argument over how much of our tax money goes out the door as a parting gift for a terminated official.
2026 Consolidated Sewer Rehabilitation and Lift Station Improvements
The city is adding sewer mains to the Rivermount neighborhood during a scheduled street reconstruction project. Instead of an expensive upfront special assessment district, the city will front the costs and allow homeowners to repay via an area-specific connection fee when they tie in or when septic systems fail.
Residential Setback Deviations & Code Enforcement
Two homeowners want to build closer to their property lines than the 5-foot rule allows — one for a home addition, one for a garage. Both got written neighbor sign-off, and neither drew public opposition.
Moratorium on Data Centers
Reno just hit the pause button on new data centers to figure out how much power and water these massive tech hubs actually suck up. City leaders want to get a handle on the resources before greenlighting any more projects.
Capital Improvement Program and Deferred Maintenance
The council reviewed extensive capital improvement requests totaling $118 million for general fund needs, alongside millions more in enterprise and special revenue funds for roads, parks, and wastewater infrastructure.
Waste Management Franchise Fee Increase
The city raised the solid waste franchise fee from 8% to 14% for commercial and residential accounts, linking future adjustments to the Consumer Price Index.