Reno Pauses Data Center Approvals 30 Days

Reno City Council voted 6-1 on May 14 to adopt a pending moratorium on new data center-related conditional use permit applications, putting a 30-day stop on the city’s ability to accept new filings. The move came after the council had already opened a broader rewrite of its data center rules on April 22. City officials said the pause is the first step in a two-step process that could lead to a longer moratorium and new standards on siting, water, energy, noise and community benefits. Councilmember Kathleen Taylor cast the only no vote. ### What exactly did Reno approve on May 14? The May 14 vote approved what Reno calls a “pending moratorium” resolution, not a final long-term ban. Under Reno’s process, the council first adopts a pending moratorium and then must return within 30 days to consider a final moratorium resolution. City of Reno development staff said that sequence is required to put the pause into effect. (reno.gov) Senior Planner Lauren Knox said the immediate effect is procedural and direct: the city cannot accept a data center conditional use permit application during the 30-day window unless the council acts sooner on a final resolution. KUNR reported the special meeting ran nearly eight hours and drew a packed chamber, with dozens of residents and advocates attending. (reno.gov) ### Why were data centers already under review before the moratorium? The Reno City Council on April 22 initiated a text amendment to Title 18, the city’s land development code, to review and modify rules for data center uses. City Hall said that review followed a January 2025 ordinance that formally added data centers as a land use and required conditional use permits with initial development standards. (kunr.org) City staff said interest in northern Nevada data center projects has grown because of regional activity, land availability, climate and tax incentives. Reno said it has reviewed four data center projects to date, each with different utility needs but similar land-use characteristics. The city also said it plans to work with the Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Agency, Washoe County and the City of Sparks on a more consistent regional framework. (reno.gov) ### What concerns did officials and opponents put on the table? Lauren Knox told council members the city is considering more specific rules on where data centers should be located, along with more detailed requirements tied to sound, energy and water impacts, and possible community benefits agreements. Those issues became central in the May 14 debate over whether Reno’s current warehouse-style rules are enough for a fast-growing industry. (reno.gov) Olivia Tanager, executive director of the Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter, said data centers have “an outsized impact on community members,” citing air quality, water quantity and quality, and grid stability. KUNR reported that tribal members and environmental advocates also tied the issue to watershed protection and Nevada’s arid climate, while residents raised concerns about noise, light and air pollution. (mynews4.com) The Nevada Independent reported that Councilmember Devon Reese, who proposed the moratorium earlier in the process, suggested adding a permitting checklist that would include water and power impact studies. That proposal reflects the city’s broader effort to test developers’ resource claims before additional projects move forward. ### Who opposed the pause, and on what grounds? (mynews4.com) Tray Abney of the Nevada Data Center Alliance said a moratorium sends “the wrong message” for development in Reno. KUNR also reported that Jacob Haas of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 401 and other labor representatives spoke against a blanket pause, arguing that data center work can support construction and trades jobs. (thenevadaindependent.com) Since December 2024, three data centers run by Colovore, Oppidan and Centra have already received Reno approvals, according to The Nevada Independent. The outlet said those projects are smaller than some others in Nevada but can still require significant electricity, with one approved facility projected to use as much power annually as roughly 11,000 to 26,000 homes. (mynews4.com) ### What happens when the 30 days run out? The City of Reno said it anticipates discussing a final moratorium resolution in early June 2026. A city calendar notice lists a special Reno City Council meeting on data centers for June 1 at Reno City Hall, where the council is expected to consider the next step and could also discuss regulations tied to the separate text amendment process. (thenevadaindependent.com) Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Agency staff are expected to lead public engagement and produce a recommendations report for Reno as the code rewrite continues. Reno said that report is intended to inform proposed amendments to data center regulations after stakeholder outreach, public review, Planning Commission review and City Council action. (reno.gov)