Council declines to object to RPC non‑conformance finding on Stonegate rezoning; developer appeal expected

The Reno City Council voted on Sept. 10 not to file an objection to the regional planning commission’s August 4 finding that the proposed Stonegate rezoning did not conform to the 2019 Truckee Meadows Regional Plan. The council’s 6–1 decision leaves the matter to the developer and the regional governing board through the appeal channel.

The council’s vote followed hours of public comment both in person and by Zoom. Speakers who opposed the rezoning urged the council to defer any action until hydrological studies of the Cold Springs basin are complete, to protect groundwater and spring flows, to prevent truck traffic and air‑quality impacts from proposed industrial uses, and to preserve plans calling for housing in the area. Sierra Club volunteers, neighborhood leaders and other residents repeatedly pointed to uncertainty about water supplies and regional infrastructure as reasons to block the rezoning.

Staff briefed the council on the conformance review process set out in Nevada law and explained two procedural options: (1) file an objection and send the matter back to the regional planning commission for reconsideration (the statutory course); or (2) decline to file an objection and allow the developer’s appeal to be heard directly by the Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Governing Board. After discussion, the council chose not to file an objection; councilmembers said they did not want to ask city staff to prepare new evidence for the same commission given the close votes earlier in the process.

The vote, 6 in favor of not filing an objection and 1 opposed, was recorded as: Vice‑Mayor Kathleen Taylor — no; Councilmembers Kate Dewar, John Martinez, Devon Ebert, Brandon Reese, Brandy Anderson, and Mayor Hillary Schieve Sheehy — yes. The council’s decision means the developer’s appeal will proceed to the regional governing board, where the final regional decision will be made.

Several councilmembers said they were sympathetic to residents’ concerns about water and transportation but were constrained by the procedural posture of the case and the fact that the applicant has the independent right under regional rules to pursue an appeal. Councilmember Devon Ebert, whose ward includes the North Valleys, said he could not support an objection because he believed core infrastructure — especially water and a second vehicular access — is not in place to serve the scale of industrial development proposed.

Staff noted that portions of the Stonegate application will require separate future approvals and environmental or engineering studies; those technical requirements will be considered at subsequent permitting stages if the project proceeds. The regional governing board is scheduled to consider appeals from regional planning bodies under the statutory timeline once an appeal is filed.