Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Regional Utilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Regional board adopts plan amendment to relocate portion of 120 kV Riverbend transmission line
Summary
On April 9, 2026, the Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Governing Board adopted RPA 26-001 to establish a regional utility corridor for relocating a roughly 14‑acre portion of a 120 kV transmission line; staff said the amendment conforms with the regional plan and minimizes impacts to steep slopes and nearby natural resources.
The Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Governing Board on April 9 adopted a regional plan amendment (RPA 26‑001) to create a regional utility corridor enabling relocation of a segment of an existing 120 kilovolt electric transmission line, staff said.
Staff planner Shawni Sousa told the board the amendment covers a relatively small, roughly 14‑acre portion of the Riverbend line south of Highway 40 West near Edinburgh Drive and that the proposed blue alignment on the agency map moves the line away from steep slopes and reduces interactions with nearby natural‑resource consideration areas and the Truckee River. "This is to establish a regional utility corridor to accommodate the relocation of a portion of an existing 120 kV electric transmission line," Sousa said.
The City of Reno planning commission previously approved a tentative map and conditional‑use permit associated with the project and the city council sponsored the utility map amendment before it was submitted to the Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Agency. Sousa said staff determined the proposed amendment conforms with Map 3 (Regional Utility Corridors and Sites) and cited Policy PF11 and the agency's Project of Regional Significance guidelines as the basis for the Regional Plan amendment requirement.
A board member asked whether homes are adjacent to the site and whether public facilities are available; staff responded that imagery shows the parcels to the north are mostly built out and that public facilities and services are in place for the area. Staff also noted that utilities are exempt from the agency's slope‑over‑30% development constraint and that the new alignment generally shifts the line away from steeper terrain.
A motion to adopt the amendment (discussed during the meeting as RPGB resolution 26‑01 after an initial misstatement of the number) was moved and seconded; the board carried the motion by voice vote.
The board did not receive public comment on RPA 26‑001 during the public‑hearing period. The amendment will be reflected in the agency’s Map 3 updates planned in the October annual update cycle.
