Robin Palmer, a climate and community advocate, told the Reno City Planning Commission that a grassroots coalition wants the commission to begin a formal zoning text amendment process focused on data centers.

Palmer, who identified herself as "a member of a grassroots coalition of about 20 individuals from a number of organizations including Sierra Club, Third Act, Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, Climatiers, Make Roads Nevada," said the commission's Feb. 5 resolution asking the City Council to pause data‑center permitting and direct a comprehensive study was a step forward. "I encourage the Commission to initiate a text amendment on data centers," Palmer said during public comment.

The coalition said the City Council did not place the commission's resolution on its Feb. 26 agenda and declined last week to direct staff to prepare a Title 18 text amendment and a pause on permitting. Palmer referenced the city's January 2024 administrative interpretation and Title 18 provisions to argue that the interpretation's standards do not adequately protect the Truckee Meadows community from potential harms posed by uncontrolled data‑center growth.

Why it matters: The group framed the request as a policy gap between a growing local appetite for hosting large computing facilities and the community limits for equitable, affordable energy and climate impacts. Palmer said a text amendment could provide a consistent regulatory standard rather than reliance on an administrative interpretation.

What the transcript shows: Palmer thanked the commission for the Feb. 5 resolution and said the council "did not agendaize your resolution for their February 26 meeting and furthermore voted not to direct staff to initiate a text amendment." She cited a portion of city code related to who may initiate a text amendment and urged the Planning Commission to act.

Next steps noted in the meeting: Commission staff later told the public that council action would be required for any city‑led pause or direction; the commission can initiate text amendments under Title 18 but any code change typically follows the standard public‑hearing and adoption process and, if required, Council review and action.

Ending: The transcript records the public comment but does not show a formal commission motion or staff commitment to open a text amendment file that evening. The topic was entered into the public record via correspondence and public comment forms.