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Council adopts rezoning at 900 Western Road to SF‑8; staff, neighbors flag tree loss and density questions
Summary
The council approved rezoning of a 0.83‑acre lot at the northeast corner of Omaha Street and Western Road from SF‑3 (3 units/acre) to SF‑8 (8 units/acre). Staff said the change aligns with surrounding SF‑8 lots; neighbors raised concerns about mature trees and potential multiunit development.
The Reno City Council on Feb. 12 adopted a zoning map amendment reclassifying a 0.83‑acre parcel at the northeast corner of Omaha Street and Western Road from single‑family 3 units per acre (SF‑3) to single‑family 8 units per acre (SF‑8).
Jeff Foster, associate planner, said the lot currently contains a single family house built in 1940 and is surrounded by properties already zoned SF‑8, including the nearby Panther Valley Estates. Staff recommended approval on the basis that the requested zoning is compatible with surrounding development and the city master plan’s single‑family neighborhood land‑use designation.
Neighbors and councilmembers asked about possible development scale and tree loss. Foster said the SF‑8 zone reduces minimum lot sizes and setbacks compared with SF‑3; under typical subdivision layouts the parcel could yield multiple lots (staff estimated up to six lots depending on lotting choices) and SF‑8 allows duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes by conditional use permit. The applicant’s representative said there is no final development plan yet and the owner was “leaning toward exploring keeping the structure” and connecting to city sewer while studying how to develop the remainder of the property.
Why it matters: Council discussion emphasized that a zoning change is legislative — it sets the allowable envelope of future uses — and that any specific multiunit proposal would later require a detailed review and, where applicable, a conditional‑use review to mitigate impacts such as noise, lighting and tree removal.
Vote: The council approved the rezoning on a unanimous voice vote. The ordinance was introduced during the public hearing (C‑1) and adopted by the council during the meeting.
