2026-10-05 - Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board

00:05extended the window, the application

00:07window till October 16th. Uh so people

00:10have another week, week and a half uh to

00:12get those applications in. Um we did

00:16that just typically because when people

00:18start gathering their quotes and start

00:20putting their packages together, they

00:21usually need a little bit of extra time.

00:23So um but we're happy with what we've

00:25seen so far. uh existing restore

00:28projects. Uh these have come up in the

00:30past. Uh I'll just give some updates on

00:32those. Uh we expect to see scaffolding

00:34going up on the Bington building which

00:36is right on the corner of Virginia and

00:38Second Street here. Uh they've been

00:40giving their permits uh but they do

00:42believe that their scaffolding

00:44contractor should start going vertical

00:46uh to do the exterior improvements um

00:48October 12th is what I was told. Uh you

00:51may have noticed in Midtown on Virginia

00:53Street, uh the old Pinghorn accounting

00:56building is under construction for

00:58Michaels and Sons. They're doing a

00:59totally new facade and extending the

01:02building in the back. Uh that was a

01:04surprise to me as I was driving down

01:06Virginia Street the other day. Uh and

01:08then the Neon Museum, uh the Light

01:10Circus Neon Museum is very close to

01:12closing. They're uh opening, sorry. Uh

01:15they're closing on some final permitting

01:17uh and electrical issues, but it's the

01:19signs up. Um the lights are in. Uh it

01:22looks magical and we expect to

01:24participate in that grand opening fairly

01:27soon. Uh 521 Lake Street. At the last uh

01:32agency board meeting, uh 521 Lake

01:34Street's project was approved for TIF

01:37financing participation uh for 3.1

01:40million uh with the increment coming as

01:43well as a supplemental assistance. If

01:45RDA2 does get extended, that

01:47supplemental assistance stops and we

01:49would just keep uh

01:52reimbursing them to increment until our

01:54financial obligations met. Uh so thank

01:56you for your guidance on that. Uh the

01:59agency board also approved the

02:00resolutions for both the TIFF

02:02participation program and the catalyst

02:05uh project assistance program. Uh so

02:07those updates are all made. Uh you all

02:10sort of help draft those guidelines. And

02:12so we are in the process of updating the

02:15uh final guidebook document that'll get

02:17uploaded on the website as well as the

02:19application process. That way if anyone

02:21has questions on how the process works,

02:22we can kind of give that to them and

02:24it's pretty self-explanatory.

02:27Uh the next few ones, uh the Amtrak

02:30bathrooms are near completion. I would

02:32say they're done done. Uh but there are

02:34some small fine-tuning uh elements, but

02:37uh they it's it's done. So, thank you

02:40Dan Tresley uh for getting that done. Uh

02:43the dog park shade on uh Commercial Row

02:47over there is in design as well as the

02:49four street beastro lights uh going

02:52along from Evans all the way to Sutro.

02:54uh those are those ideas and designs are

02:56starting to come together. Uh the Lear

02:58project is delayed for the moment uh

03:01primarily due to some some lic licensing

03:04issues but we expect to see that come

03:06back.

03:08Uh the parking gallery we have brought

03:10on a new parking operator called Pro

03:12Park at the parking gallery. They

03:14started taking over operations September

03:161st. They've done some painting. uh

03:18they've transitioned over to some new um

03:21software to help manage monthly parking

03:24accounts. So now if you're a monthly

03:25parker, you can manage your own account

03:26online. You don't have to actually go to

03:28the kiosk on the first floor uh to get

03:30your monthly parking permit. Um and

03:33we're working through some short-term uh

03:35improvements and just cleanliness over

03:36there as as they get ramped up. And then

03:40last uh on the city side uh 264 Keystone

03:43which is the building on uh Keystone and

03:46Vine uh the city put that off for RFP

03:49proposals have been received and that

03:52those will come back November for 4th at

03:55the city council meeting to uh select an

03:57awardee uh to dispose of that property

04:00and it is in RDA uh one so that's kind

04:04of [clears throat] relative to these

04:05discussions

04:06>> and that is all I have as a review

04:08committee. done.

04:10>> Sorry, Curt Stitzer for the record. Has

04:11the review committee done any like

04:14scoring on that or is that still under

04:17under way?

04:19>> Nope. The committee has done uh the

04:21scoring. Uh we're drafting the staff

04:23reports and the staff report will have

04:25the total average scores. Uh staff won't

04:29be making a recommendation to select one

04:31project over another. We're just uh

04:33going to show the scores and allow

04:36council members to review those and

04:38engage with the proposers uh on the

04:42appropriate path forward.

04:47>> Any other questions for Brian?

04:51>> Mr. Chair, can I note something for the

04:53record? Apologize. Thank you.

04:55>> Ashley Turn city manager for the record.

04:57Just noting for those watching and Judy,

05:00just for you to know, we had some

05:01technical issues at the beginning. So,

05:03just wanted to note for the record, we

05:04do have a quorum present. Uh, attendance

05:07has been logged accordingly in the

05:09minutes because Judy got that and we had

05:11no public comment in person.

05:14>> Thank you, Mr. Chair.

05:15>> You're welcome.

05:16>> All right, let's move on to B3,

05:18presentation, discussion of the trekking

05:20river vision plan.

05:23>> Mr. Chair, Brian Mardo, revitalization

05:25manager. Um, I'm going to go through and

05:28quickly summarize uh the Chucky River

05:31vision plan that was completed in 2023

05:34that covers 17 miles of uh city of Reno

05:38riverfront as well as Washa County. And

05:40I'll note that Washa County did

05:41participate in funding of this plan. So,

05:43it's kind of both a city of Reno and a

05:45county plan. Um,

05:48it is a lot of slides, but I'm gonna fly

05:50through them fairly quickly.

05:54and Netty Alario, I just want to

05:56comment. Thank you so much for the great

05:58provision of that because it really gave

06:02um a wonderful sense of the history of

06:04us trying to use our assets to their

06:07best asset class.

06:09>> Thank you. Well, I'll mention that uh

06:12almost every downtown study or plan for

06:14the past 40 years has mentioned that the

06:17river should be a core asset. Uh but

06:20it's never been addressed independently.

06:23Uh, a lot of previous plans that I can

06:25get to have have mentioned the river,

06:27but when they talk about the river, it's

06:29usually the quality of the river and the

06:31river water itself. There's never been

06:33sort of a focus on I would say

06:35riverfront development and activity. And

06:37this is what this plan attempted to do.

06:43So, how the plan is organized? So, the

06:44first one was uh safety, water and

06:46ecological systems. First and foremost,

06:48we didn't want to um make any changes to

06:51the river in its form, function, and

06:53safety. Uh the next one was how we treat

06:55land use along the river and the design

06:58of those spaces. Third one is parks and

07:01open space primarily uh maintenance and

07:03as well as oversight of the of the river

07:05going forward. Uh mobility and

07:08connectivity because it is a a bike lane

07:10and a walking path. uh making sure that

07:12people have the ability to get around

07:14and then including public art was the

07:16last uh pillar of plan.

07:21>> Okay,

07:23>> do that. Um just on how the plan is

07:26organized. So it is 17 miles. It starts

07:29at the California border through Verdi.

07:32We've treated that as a the rural

07:33section. If you go from I would say

07:36Mayberry Park all the way to uh just

07:39past Idle Wild that is called Reno West.

07:41Uh primarily single family homes are

07:43along those river sections. Then you get

07:46into downtown uh that goes from I

07:48believe Booth Street all the way to uh

07:51we'll say um

07:54second Street Ballpark and then left is

07:57East Reno that goes from Broadhead Park

08:00all the way to Mil Street through um

08:04through uh yeah to the Spark City

08:07border. Um primarily that's mostly

08:09industrial and some some actual

08:12riverfront space.

08:15So there had been a lot of plans none in

08:17the past uh and as I mentioned none of

08:20them really gave direction on how to

08:22treat the river frontage. Most of them

08:24focused on uh water quality and sort of

08:27the environmental factors of the river

08:30itself.

08:32Uh but our consultant dig studios did go

08:34through and incorporate they went

08:35through every possible plan and sort of

08:37summarize every sort of design

08:39improvement or recommendation from those

08:41past plans. It's a lot, but they are

08:43colorcoded in depending on which plan

08:45said what. Uh, but they consolidated all

08:47those things. Uh, we didn't want to

08:49recreate the the wheel. Uh, and they

08:51incorporated some of those

08:53recommendations into the plan.

08:56Next, uh, we did go out to the

08:58community. The campaign was called

08:59SpeakUpy for the Chucky. Uh, and since

09:03in my time being here, it's probably the

09:05most engagement we've ever received on a

09:07campaign. We had over 30,000 people

09:09engaged. Uh there was a survey, but

09:11there was also an interactive map where

09:13you could go and you could pinpoint

09:14something you like or dislike about the

09:16river. Uh and so it was all interactive.

09:18So you could tell, you know, the path is

09:21broken here or I really love this part.

09:23And a lot of people engage with that.

09:25The three main things that came up are

09:27cleanliness and aesthetics, safety, and

09:29then the connectivity of the river trail

09:31itself.

09:33Uh so after that, the goals started to

09:35materialize. We want to encourage a

09:37clean and safe river. Prioritize the

09:39ecological function. Uh treat the river

09:41as a as a recreational asset.

09:45Plan for consistency of design and

09:47maintenance. What we wanted to say is

09:48once somebody engages the river, whether

09:50they go east or west, they should have

09:52sort of like a uniform experience. It

09:53shouldn't be broken up or u

09:55disconnected. And then making sure that

09:57it's a connected river so that they can

09:59sort of utilize the river uh throughout

10:02its throughout its course.

10:05So recommending what the plan said.

10:07First one enhancing ecology and safety.

10:12First one was uh recommendation was to

10:14provide uh setbacks and buffer access

10:16from the river. Uh some parts along our

10:18river it is very tight where we allow

10:20property lines to come up directly to

10:21the river bank and some of those saw

10:23development that close. So one of the

10:26recommendations to give us ourselves a

10:27little bit more breathing room and the

10:29ability to uh provide a little bit more

10:32access along the riverfront.

10:36Next one was to provide consistent uh

10:38lighting um envir environmentally and

10:41ecological sensitive lighting. Uh so we

10:44have a couple different light poles but

10:45these were actually installed uh going

10:47east there are solar light poles. We

10:51have the traditional light poles right

10:52downtown and I will say that um along

10:55the Riverside Drive uh also received new

10:58light poles. And just for clarification,

11:01we are not installing palm trees.

11:04>> No, no,

11:05>> actually that those aren't the ones

11:06those are the poles that were installed,

11:08but those aren't actually the ones that

11:10were installed. Uh yeah, good point.

11:14Um next one was uh managing vegetation.

11:18There's a lot of comments of the

11:19overgrowth along the river and how it is

11:22not the real safety is perceived safety

11:24along the river mainly due to areas that

11:26you cannot see in a lot of places where

11:30um maybe the overgrowth provides line of

11:33sight. Uh we call it septed kind

11:35prevention through environmental design.

11:37Uh that is the area along museum drive.

11:40And so one of those things is to make

11:42remove the overgrowth and vegetation in

11:44invasive species river.

11:49Uh and then last one was just to have a

11:51standardized site furniture package

11:53where I said where whether you go east

11:55or west it kind of feels like there's a

11:56cohesive design that include benches,

11:59trash cans, uh way stations, a lot of

12:02the materials, a lot of things like

12:04that.

12:07And then the last one on uh water

12:09quality and safety. We noticed through a

12:11lot of surveys that there are a lot of

12:14hazards in the river. There are some old

12:16dams that they just demolish them and

12:18let all the concrete uh sit there. There

12:21are some areas where you have to exit

12:22the river um to get around those

12:24obstacles as well as like rebar and some

12:27other things. And so when we when we say

12:29we want to use the river as a

12:30recreation, there is some cleanup we

12:32have to do just on uh former debris and

12:36you know safety hazards. Yes.

12:42Next one is uh promoting great

12:43neighborhoods.

12:47First recommendation was to create a

12:50overlay zone. Uh this would be 200 ft

12:52north and south of the river. If if you

12:54have a parcel that touches within that

12:57200 ft, you would be um susceptible to

13:00current design and maintenance

13:01standards, a different sort of zoning

13:03overlay, uh setback requirements, things

13:06like that. There are some riverfront

13:09codes in currently in code, uh but

13:12they're not that expansive. So what the

13:14proposal was is to create an entire

13:16overlay zone that really d drills down

13:18into the materials, the lighting, the

13:21setbacks, uh the landscaping, things

13:23like that.

13:26Um when asked uh through the survey

13:29whether you think that the city should

13:31have tools to regulate river

13:32development, 79% of people said that is

13:35important. I don't think you ever get a

13:37response that high. Uh and then people

13:40say uh 50% of people said that we should

13:43use uh economic development incentive

13:45tools to uh facilitate riverfront

13:48development and then 28% of the people

13:49had no opinion whatsoever. Uh

13:54when looking at some of those design

13:56standards, uh there were recommendations

13:58on how you mass buildings. So don't put

14:00very tall buildings right on the front.

14:02You want to set those back off the

14:04river. uh they call those point towers

14:06where the front is short but the back

14:08end is is much taller. Uh materials and

14:11design that can be sort of the materials

14:13they put on the buildings, the type of

14:15sighting, type of lighting, etc. Um

14:19access and parking was one. Uh no

14:21parking structures on the riverfront,

14:22you have to push those back.

14:25or development that is along the river.

14:26They propose a lot of like they call

14:28them Texas rafts where you do the

14:30parking structure and then do the

14:31housing around the exterior so you can't

14:34actually see the parking structure.

14:36Connectivity and open spaces. You'll see

14:38a lot of the lines of site are

14:40perpendicular to the riverfront. That

14:42way every path sort of leads its way to

14:45the riverfront. And then just focusing

14:47on green infrastructure as well as more

14:49trees, landscaping, lighting.

14:54Uh public parks and public spaces were

14:56the next one.

14:58Uh this one uh our parks director Nathan

15:02Oya will kind of highlight this, but one

15:04of the recommendations was to establish

15:06the truck uh parks district, but also um

15:09inside the parks district have sort of a

15:12highlight of how the Truckucky River

15:13gets gets managed. This would provide

15:16for the long-term management and funding

15:17needed to maintain uh the river and all

15:20the new nice stuff that's going to go

15:21along it.

15:24They did give an example of the three

15:26Rivers Parks District

15:29Rivers.

15:31It might have been Fort Wayne.

15:33>> Was Fort Wayne on the Mississippi. Okay.

15:35Anyways, um similar to how the bid

15:38operates, uh they kind of have this

15:40parks district that manages the trails,

15:42manages, uh the recreation of using

15:45those spaces, does some programming, and

15:47also manages uh all the natural

15:50resources along that area.

15:53And then they recommended the redesign

15:55of some key parks and plazas all the way

15:57through the river. to actually go

15:59through this quite expansively and give

16:01proposed recommendations to every park

16:03and plaza, not only city of Reno in the

16:05county. Uh the one on the left is

16:07obviously city plaza. We've seen a lot

16:09of design proposals here. The middle,

16:11one in the middle for West Street Plaza,

16:14uh right by Winko Park. And then the

16:17last one is

16:21a former RDA project. It's the prominade

16:23in front of the Eddi and Wild River

16:26Grill. uh they recommended be

16:27reveitating that area and doing these

16:29sort of canal lever lookout paths right

16:32there.

16:35So an example, this was West Plaza uh

16:38three years ago before it uh saw a lot

16:40of the tactical design improvements that

16:42that have been done with ARPA funding.

16:45Next,

16:48this is the proposed design where you um

16:52flatten the space, add some activation

16:54kiosks, add a little bit more

16:56landscaping, uh making a making it a

16:59little bit more modular, and then adding

17:00a plaza up in the upper right hand

17:02corner.

17:06Uh this is that prominade that I

17:08mentioned. This was a past redevelopment

17:10agency project.

17:14As I mentioned, they recommended

17:15removing all that, reveating it, doing

17:18uh can levered lookout areas. Next

17:20slide.

17:23This is the area in front of the post

17:25office. Uh when the post office was

17:28owned by the RDA briefly, there were a

17:30lot of design recommendations that this

17:32not be a parking lot, that this be some

17:33sort of plaza to marry uh marry and be

17:38designed with uh the city plaza across

17:40the way so that both areas kind of enter

17:43into the river. The next slide.

17:46This area was proposed as sort of like a

17:48flexed plaza um with new pathway going

17:51through that uh and some temporary

17:54seating and an activation retail

17:57[clears throat] activation space.

18:01Last one is city plaza as as it is

18:03currently. Uh

18:07and this is the proposed redesign. A lot

18:09of shade. Uh shade was the one thing

18:12that was notice noted when when thinking

18:14about redesigning city plaza, keeping

18:18the believe sign, keeping the space

18:20whale, keeping the uh the tree that is

18:23used for Christmas tree lighting, but

18:25also keeping it uh as a plaza so you can

18:28add a lot of people to that space. Also

18:30doing some amenities for uh children um

18:33possibly some play structures. And

18:38there's no splash pad on there. Yes. All

18:41right. Next slide. Uh that's just

18:44another rendering of that redesign.

18:48And the last was uh and this was in our

18:50CIP plan that you all saw was doing some

18:53park improvements to Broadhead and John

18:55Champion Park as we go east. That is

18:57something that could be included in

18:58phases two and three of the riverfront

19:00development is improving those parks.

19:03not a redo of those parks, but just

19:05adding some play elements.

19:10Last one. Uh this is the same massing

19:12recommendation, but if you notice, this

19:14is um the area of where waste management

19:16currently is along the river and the

19:18city's corpyard. On the tail east end is

19:21uh the existing fisherman's park. Uh so

19:24some recommendations to expand

19:26fisherman's park along the river right

19:28there.

19:31Uh, as I mentioned, every single park

19:32along the river has recommendations for

19:35improvements. Next slide.

19:38And, uh, second to last is creating

19:41connectivity. You'll notice that this

19:43pathway right behind the auto museum is

19:45really bad. That is why it's going under

19:47construction in the spring.

19:51Um, in the plan, thank you. in the plan.

19:54Uh towards the end, you'll notice that

19:56there's um you can pinpoint every

19:58proposed design change uh throughout the

20:01plan, whether it's an art element, uh

20:04something needing improvement, uh

20:06pedestrian improvements,

20:08design changes, things like that. So, it

20:10really is sort of like a just a guide

20:13book to say if you want to do something,

20:15this is where we propose you do it.

20:18Last one is uh recommending pathway

20:21changes. So this is the uh rural area u

20:24where it would be a softer pathway uh

20:27wide enough for for bikes and

20:29pedestrians with permeable shoulders and

20:32some improvements on bike infrastructure

20:34and seating and wayfinding.

20:37This is the area along Riverside Drive.

20:39It already has seen some improvements

20:41lately. Uh it does have that river uh

20:44retaining wall. This would be the

20:46redesign of that where you actually uh

20:49create a separate biking path along with

20:52the riverfront trail path that's more

20:55for pedestrians and then doing some some

20:57landscaping and some permal

21:00areas there. Uh as you get to downtown

21:04proper where we have the flood wall

21:05area, you would expand that, make it a

21:08little bit uh wider. also doing some

21:10different design materials on the ground

21:13with permeable pavers and possibly some

21:14art elements.

21:17Then this is the area behind the auto

21:19museum that is really bad. This asphalt

21:21is crumbling uh which creates a hazard

21:24but also is crumbling right into the

21:26river. And so part of that design was a

21:29canal lever trail because the area

21:32between the auto museum uh and the

21:34riverbank is so narrow that the design

21:37the initial design recommendation was

21:39canal lever trail. Fortunately the auto

21:41museum has worked with us to give um a

21:43little bit more space back. So we're

21:45going to be uh moving into their

21:47existing plaza. uh that saved us a lot

21:50of time and effort and money especially

21:53uh so that we don't have to do no longer

21:54have to do a can lever path.

21:58Last one on that is to devel develop a

22:00blueway plan. I love this idea. Uh it's

22:03sort of like wayfinding if you were in

22:05the river. So if you were tubing down

22:07the river, kayaking, swimming along the

22:09river, um how would you orient yourself

22:12if you were on the river itself? So if

22:14you're tubing, it would say, you know,

22:16this street is here, you're here, get

22:18out here, there's something else

22:19approaching, uh here's where to exit the

22:22river, etc. It is a wayfinding from uh

22:25the river being in the river primarily.

22:30Last is public art. Uh there's sort of

22:33some different levels of public art. One

22:35was to create an icon or symbol for the

22:37whole entire river utilizing art for

22:40trail white finding. Functional art was

22:42one that was mentioned. Uh using art to

22:45promote safety and discovery of elements

22:48and then moving the belief sign so that

22:50it doesn't block the the view of the

22:52river. But this is something I really

22:55liked. If you break out art into

22:58different uh categories, the first one

22:59is iconic. It's a big statement piece.

23:02It's likely to stay there forever. We

23:04would say the space oil is one of those.

23:06Temporary art can be a mural, something

23:08that uh is placed uh or moves around per

23:12for a bit. Uh a mural is one discovery

23:15is, you know, artwork that has some

23:18connection to where it's placed. And

23:20last one is functional, turning bike

23:22racks and benches into art.

23:26And again, that plan has every single

23:28art recommendation, the entire scope

23:30scope of the river. Last one is now that

23:33the plan is done, how do we implement

23:35it? Um the dig studios went through and

23:39created a matrix on funding, priority,

23:42cost, etc. It's kind of really nice how

23:44they did it. We have incorporated all of

23:47this into our CIP planning based on what

23:49needs to be done immediately, uh the

23:51cost to do it, and who is the lead

23:53agency to to get that done. Uh so those

23:56all those recommendations have been

23:58included in that master CI CIP list that

24:01we showed you. Uh so the plan's been

24:04adopted. Um we used ARPA funding to

24:07kickstart a lot of these projects.

24:09Improvements to West Street Plaza was

24:11funded. Uh the wayfinding signs, trash

24:13cans, as well as the design of the river

24:16path, phase one river was designed using

24:19ARPA funds, but it is the RDA that's

24:21going to come in to pay for the

24:22improvements. uh creating a service plan

24:25uh for future parks district. Uh the

24:27idea of doing an overlay zone. Um no

24:30progress has been made on that, but

24:31we're all aware that that is uh likely

24:33needed in the future. And then a funding

24:35plan for these things.

24:38I just want to show you what has been

24:39done since this plan was completed. Uh

24:41we worked with Dig Studios and using

24:44ARPA funds uh to redesign West Street

24:47Plaza. This was the rendering of that

24:49site and this is how it turned out. Very

24:52rarely do you get renderings that turn

24:54out exactly or projects that turn out

24:56exactly like the rendering, but this

24:57came really really close. Uh this has

25:00been a success. It has been programmed

25:02with also on the river. Um what are the

25:06programs?

25:07>> Phil by the river.

25:08>> Uh yeah, Harmony on the river, the Phil

25:09Harmonic playing in the space. Uh this

25:12was a problem area that just kind of had

25:14a lot of transients uh lingering all

25:15day. It is nice to see it naturally

25:17activated now throughout the day. You'll

25:19see a lot of residents downtown just

25:21utilizing the space. It's really nice.

25:27There's agreeing to that. Uh through

25:29ARPA funding, uh you'll see from Boost

25:31Street all the way to Broadhead new

25:33trash cans that are branded as the

25:35Riverwalk as well as Riverside Drive did

25:37receive some new lighting light poles.

25:41Uh and the next one is the phase one of

25:43the uh riverfront from Lake Street to

25:46Broadhead Park. You may be seeing some

25:48of these renderings uh for the first

25:50time, but this is uh the new experience

25:53proposed that will go under construction

25:55in the spring. This is the intersection

25:57of Lake Street right by the audi museum.

26:00That is that expanded path. So, no

26:02longer do we have to do a canal levered

26:04path. The fencing for the auto museum is

26:07moving back and we have enough room to

26:08do the improvements there as well as put

26:10in a new fence.

26:13This is Museum Drive. uh that'll get

26:16some improvements as well as some way

26:17finding and a statement art piece.

26:22The path that is the historic bridge.

26:25What bridge was that?

26:28Was it Hulkcom that went? It's the old

26:31It's the old

26:33frame path that used to go up to

26:34Virginia City. So, that's a historic

26:36landmark.

26:37>> You'll notice as the river goes down, it

26:39goes below the 100red-year flood plane.

26:41So, there's minimum improvements we can

26:43do in this area. uh but it will get

26:45rellandscaped. There will be new

26:47lighting.

26:49Those red and blue lines are the

26:51existing blood levels just to um get

26:55aware. There is a a light image there of

26:58what the ex this is the area behind the

27:00former police station. There is an

27:02existing retaining wall. What is being

27:04proposed is that gets removed and it

27:06gets uh graded back with a bunch of

27:08landscaping and instead of those steps

27:10that go up to Second Street, uh this

27:13will have a meandering path that

27:15connects um to that area. That's it from

27:18looking at the old police station down

27:20into the river with some waying signs.

27:23And then last is Broadhead Park. Uh that

27:26improvement was with Renown and the

27:28parks department. So that actually

27:30exercise structure is there but there is

27:33improvements to lighting path design

27:36that

27:38I got through 68 slides as fast as I

27:40could. Uh and

27:43the the plan is quite robust extensive

27:46encourage you to look through this. We

27:48do have some hardbound copies not

27:50hardbound but bound copies if anyone

27:52does want to see those. Um, they're few

27:54and far between, but happy to lend them

27:56out to anyone that wants to see them.

27:58And I'm happy to answer any questions

28:00related to that plan.

28:02>> Do you need any cooperation from Washo

28:04County because portions of the river,

28:06especially west, are in their

28:07jurisdiction?

28:08>> Uh, yeah, that's a really good question.

28:10Um,

28:12we we will need cooperation. I imagine

28:14at some point there needs to be a

28:16concerted effort between not only the

28:18redevelopment agency but also the city

28:20parks and county because this is a plan

28:23that covers 17 miles of the river. Uh

28:25and there there needs to be a lot more

28:27coordination if we're going to see this

28:29plan sort of be put into effect all the

28:31way from the Spark City line to

28:32California border. Uh there is some

28:35discussion that uh we don't want to push

28:37people as you go west uh you get pushed

28:40onto Mayberry Drive with cars going 50

28:42miles an hour mainly because we let

28:44single family homes be built right up to

28:46the river. Uh but there is a possibility

28:49that you could get people to the north

28:51side of the river with a a bridge or two

28:53and work with NB Energy Tumbla and the

28:56railroad to do a new north path that

28:58would connect you to uh Darkstar Park.

29:01That way you never have to leave the

29:03river. And with improvements from

29:06through Mogul and Very, there is an

29:07opportunity where you could stay along

29:08the river the entire pathway.

29:10>> Not through my backyard.

29:14>> Well, we'd be on the different side of

29:15that, Kirk. But yeah. Um, so that would

29:19be uh the plan is to make sure that

29:21people have again a unified experience

29:24if they want to experience the river.

29:26>> The park district contemplated to be a

29:28regional park district ultimately. Yes,

29:31actually to answer that question, it

29:32would be much easier once a parks

29:34district are created. That way you're

29:35not dealing with city or county proper.

29:37Uh you would have an entity that kind of

29:39takes responsibility of of achieving

29:41that vision all the way through as well

29:42as the overlay zone would give some

29:45additional tools.

29:46>> Any funding required from or

29:49contemplated from the redevelopment

29:50agency right now?

29:53Yeah, everything that was inside uh

29:56everything in the implementation

29:57[clears throat] plan that is inside RDA

29:59was included in our sort of master CIP

30:02planning process because RDA2 has the

30:04funds at the moment. The idea is to do

30:06phase one is what's going under

30:08construction in the spring. And then

30:09phase two and three would get us all the

30:11way to uh about GSR um through RDA2. So

30:16you would have going east from Lake

30:19Street a brand new improved and

30:21consistently designed uh riverfront. Uh

30:24as RDA1 improvements come online or uh

30:28funding comes online uh as I mentioned

30:30it could be uh river path improvements

30:33and then plaza improvements. Uh one

30:35thing that wasn't in this plan that

30:36Nathan will cover is improvements to

30:38Barbara Bennett in Park that are

30:40proposed. Um unfortunately ID wild isn't

30:44in RDA1 but there their suggestion

30:47improvements style well area as well.

30:50>> Now the elevio um

30:53you know we've especially in the

30:55downtown area um there have been as we

30:58know you know a lot of different plans

31:00and a lot of attempts to make the spaces

31:02that we have the concrete spaces be

31:05really utilitarian and welcoming. And

31:08across the board, a big issue has always

31:11been shade.

31:13>> And um and I, you know, I remember one

31:16of the plans um that for uh Believe

31:20Plaza before it was Believe Plaza that

31:23incorporated um what what we saw

31:26illustrated there in a really wonderful

31:28shade structure, but it was so expensive

31:31at the time that it's just like, okay,

31:33we'll do this and not that. And um that

31:37I think has continued to be a challenge

31:40with the real genuine utilization of

31:42that to really have a good experience

31:45there. Brick Park, you know, now

31:48referred to as West Street Plaza, but

31:50Brick Park was so hot that nobody could

31:54use it. You couldn't do events there.

31:56You couldn't have a dance concert. You

31:59couldn't do anything because it was just

32:01so hot. And so this new you know um uh

32:06small um shade structure there has been

32:09really really helpful. So um and and on

32:14top of that we know that recently um

32:16Reno was laed as being the fastest

32:20elevating in temperature of any city in

32:23the US. And so when I look at that, I

32:26think um about our our priorities in in

32:30where our money goes to do um work on

32:33this that um you know, we only have so

32:37much money and we have a lot to do and a

32:39lot of opportunities to make this really

32:42great, but if we don't address shade, I

32:45think it'll still be more of the same.

32:47It's like, oh, great idea, but

32:50>> So, Mr. Chair, if I may respond to that,

32:53Ashley attorney, city manager for the

32:55record. That's part of why uh staff will

32:57be bringing you each of these plans over

32:59the next several months is to really set

33:01the table for your CIP conversation that

33:03will happen after the first of the year.

33:05>> Yeah.

33:05>> Um to your point, uh one your question

33:08of RDA funding. So, this board made a

33:11recommendation of funding phase one of

33:14the river project, which is $6 million,

33:16and then funding designs for phase two

33:18and three that was approved in this

33:20budget cycle. So that is $7.2 million of

33:24RDA2 funding that is in this current

33:26year being expended. Uh we anticipate

33:28bringing you in next year's CIP plan a

33:31request to fund construction for phases

33:342 and three. That will be another 12 to

33:3715 million depending on how budget

33:39shakes out. Um and then with believe as

33:43we know the space is heavily utilized

33:46but it could be more so if we had shape

33:49uh the anticipated numbers of redoing

33:51believe plaza are somewhere around the

33:53$20 million mark is what we've seen give

33:55or take depending on how expensive you

33:57want to go. So there will be a

33:58conversation for this board. Do you want

34:01to do smaller tactical improvements like

34:03we've seen at West Street for a few

34:05million or is the decision to save four

34:10or five years of increment as we know

34:12we're looking at about $5 million in

34:14increment a year coming in downtown for

34:15RDA1. Do you set aside four or five

34:18years in order to do something larger in

34:20belief plaza? So those are some of the

34:22conversations um that we'll be bringing

34:25you in your CIP process. Any

34:29questions online for staff?

34:36>> I've got a question. Oh, go ahead,

34:39Taylor.

34:42>> Oh, no. I was just saying no questions.

34:44I'm good. Sorry.

34:45>> Okay. [clears throat]

34:46Kurt

34:47>> Kurt Stitzer for the record. So, as we

34:48look at the different zones, if you

34:50will, right? Rural

34:52neighborhood, downtown, industrial to

34:56the east. Do we have a prioritization of

35:00how money would be rolled out?

35:03Are we going east first, then west? Are

35:05we going downtown, then the

35:07neighborhood, then east, then west? Like

35:09what's do we have a plan for that? Is

35:11there is that part of this

35:14strategy or is it just kind of as we get

35:16money, we see what the next priority

35:18project is?

35:20>> Yeah. to uh assist city manager Ashley

35:22Turn's point um RDA2 does have the

35:26funding available and so the priority in

35:28the action that you all have sort of um

35:32recommended is uh going east with RDA2

35:36funds and supporting phase one

35:38construction, phase two and three design

35:40and then this year we'll be asking for

35:41phase two and three construction.

35:43That'll take everything going east to at

35:45least GSR. Uh but then you get into

35:48flood authority land and you also get

35:50out of RDA's uh areas. Um so that kind

35:54of priorit prioritization wise uh those

35:58are the things that have been approved

35:59that we have the funding for. When you

36:01start to look at downtown which is

36:03redevelopment area one uh the

36:05limitations there and the priority is

36:06mainly funding. Uh so either

36:09uh you reserve some funds to do the big

36:12projects or you start to do a little bit

36:14more tactical improvements uh with the

36:16funds that you do have. The challenge

36:18going west is you start to get into city

36:21of Reno um areas. Uh that'll be based on

36:25the city of Reno's budget and then you

36:26start getting into county uh and then

36:29county's budget. Uh so in the impro

36:31implementation plan there are

36:33recommendations and the highest

36:34priorities from do it now uh and costs.

36:37So you can go through that.

36:40Are those conversations happening? Maybe

36:42not. Uh but with a parks district

36:45conversation, those could likely start

36:47picking back up.

36:49>> And the city of Reno doesn't have in

36:53their current budget

36:56the money to start allocating to this.

36:58they've got other issues, right? So,

37:00like are we just talking and focusing on

37:03the areas within RDA 1 and two and this

37:06is just another plan further east and

37:09further west that will likely get

37:11mothballled or what's what's the

37:13likelihood that this comes together

37:16because I mean I can see eminent domain

37:19lawsuits. I can see Carson Truckucky

37:22Water Conservation District issues. I

37:25can see the new flood plane that FEMA is

37:28adopting that should have been adopted

37:30by now but still hasn't been um that's

37:34changing flood planes for the worst not

37:36better through the Truckucky River

37:38corridor making improvements that much

37:41more expensive or completely unviable

37:43along the banks of the Truckucky River.

37:45Um like how are we how are we addressing

37:47that or are we just as RDA saying we're

37:50focused on RDA?

37:52So, I can speak to that. Ashley J

37:54assistant city manager for the record.

37:56Yes, is the answer to all of that. Um,

37:59ultimately this body's oversight and

38:02authority and recommendation is to the

38:04RDA which can only control where RDA

38:07boundaries touch. And so, we are

38:10bringing forward items that are in

38:12executable plans that we have the

38:14authority based off of geography. We

38:17understand that there is a massive gap.

38:19As uh Brian mentioned, this plan covers

38:2217 miles. Of that 17 miles, RDA only

38:25covers five maybe.

38:28>> Um so we understand that there are 10

38:30[snorts] plus miles of area that we have

38:33no authority nor funding that we can

38:34help with. Um I think that is part of

38:38the importance of a larger policy

38:40conversation happening with the elected

38:42bodies on the importance of a parks

38:44district. There have been some

38:46additional understandings that we found

38:48that parks districts can be created.

38:50However, they can only pay for capital

38:52improvements. They can't pay for

38:54maintenance. And so that puts us in the

38:56same issue where we are with RDA. We can

38:59create it, but we can't take care of it,

39:00which doesn't help governing bodies on

39:02the go forward. So, you're not wrong,

39:06Kirk, that there needs to be a wider,

39:09longer term solution, but it ultimately

39:11comes down to funding and then authority

39:14of which we lack outside our borders.

39:20>> Okay.

39:23>> Anyone else online have any questions

39:26for staff or comments?

39:32I see. And I'll just close with I I

39:34think the river is a huge asset. It's

39:36probably from everybody. It's I see what

39:38Boise does with their standpoint versus

39:40what we do. So I think focusing on it is

39:43is a great idea.

39:46All right. Item four

39:50presentation onfield and Barbara Bennett

39:52Parks.

39:56>> It's a scroll. The first ones

40:00Nathan Elliot, parks and recreation

40:01director for the record.

40:06I mean, we have the scroll for me or

40:07does it work even?

40:09>> It should work.

40:10>> That's nice.

40:11>> You have all your coins activities, too.

40:15>> All right. Um, just a uh want to I'll

40:18make this a little more brief. spend a

40:19little more time on our parks recreation

40:21open space master plan which is the next

40:23item. But um we uh completed a master

40:27plan for Wingfield and Barbara Bennett

40:29Park which is uh obviously a key area

40:32for what we just observed in the the

40:34river in the downtown area. Um this was

40:37adopted by council in in 2025 after some

40:42lengthy input from the community. Um but

40:44there's those the three the three sort

40:46of um converging sections of of public

40:49space with uh brick and west brick

40:52Westery Plaza, Wingfield Park, and then

40:55Barbara Bennett Park um sort of all as

40:57this nexus point for downtown gathering,

41:00recreation, uh events, things like that.

41:02So um so this is the the results of that

41:05master plan. Um again it was completed a

41:07while ago so some of this is a little

41:09stale but um first want to talk about

41:12the vision uh the mass of why did we

41:15start with this as I kind of just

41:16explained um we wanted to make this area

41:18a regional uh destination as part of the

41:21Reno parks uh recreation and open space

41:24master plan is to make uh our parks in

41:26the Truckucky River corridor a regional

41:28destination and this is is sort of the

41:30epicenter of that. Queenfield Park,

41:33Barbara Bennett Park and and West Street

41:35Plaza along with the whitewater

41:37improvements that are in there. So, um

41:39so as it gets into that uh part of those

41:42these are again from the parks

41:43recreation open space master plan part

41:45of the implementation plan in that

41:46space. So that's where this uh vision is

41:49coming from.

41:52All right. Um, so as I'll get into some

41:54maps here in a second, but um, we have

41:58uh we settled on concept C which you'll

41:59see, but the the priorities that we

42:01could do in the meantime, sort of those

42:03tactical improvements that Brian

42:04mentioned in the other spaces, security

42:06and safety, adding lighting, cameras,

42:09um, improving our our visibility from

42:11trees and vegetation. Uh again, as we

42:15plant new trees, choosing trees that

42:16will create a better canopy and allow

42:18you to view through the park rather than

42:20have uh the low the low branches that

42:23will would block visuals. Um and then

42:26also removing other items that would

42:27obstruct views, walls, other structures,

42:29things like that. So that was a lot a

42:31lot of the philosophy and what was uh

42:34put in as a part of the design. Uh one

42:36of the key elements especially in

42:37Barbara Bennett is uh improving

42:39vehicular circulation. If you've ever

42:41been to Barber Bennett Park, it's sort

42:42of wild that you uh go in one way and

42:45then you go out this other uh this other

42:47side at a a different elevation, one

42:50lane, very limited visibility, things

42:51like that. So, um so improving that as

42:54well. Um obviously trees are very

42:58important uh not only to to our

43:01community but as a part of um our

43:03council and things like that. So, a big

43:05part of this plan is how do we keep our

43:06our big trees that provide shade and

43:09keep our spaces loved and usable. Um, so

43:11that's that's the why that information

43:13is added specifically is how it would be

43:15impacted. So, this was the map uh we

43:17settled on. So, um

43:20it's obviously difficult to see each

43:22number. So, I'll get a little bit

43:23closer. Uh is it easier for me to be

43:25over here so the online people can see?

43:26Is this the better spot?

43:28>> I think they're only seeing your

43:29presentation.

43:30>> Oh, they're only seeing see me.

43:32>> Put on a coat. Oh, well. [laughter]

43:36>> All right. Well, um either way,

43:39>> so the the biggest change that we need

43:40to look at here for Barbara Bennett,

43:42we'll start at the bottom. Um is is

43:44realigning the road. We have significant

43:46challenges of where the current roadway

43:48is along the north side of the park. Um

43:51so the the preferred proposals all

43:54included realigning the road through the

43:55middle of the park. So it creates a big

43:57challenge but it also creates we we

44:00believe is the best opportunity for for

44:02the space and creating connectivity for

44:05uh Winfield Park and all the way

44:06through. So now you have almost a

44:08festival level space between the three

44:11right rather than just what is almost um

44:15siloed or cut off space here where the

44:17only way to currently access is to come

44:19across the bridge and come in this way.

44:20Uh adds a pedestrian thing. Uh it has it

44:24would have a lot of sloping here that

44:26would add more space for the the river

44:28to be utilized and accessed from a

44:29recreational component. Um so those are

44:32some of the big things. We'd reduce some

44:33of the park elements um that are more of

44:36the neighborhood park side, but most of

44:38those elements would be included now on

44:40the south side of the road. So think of

44:41your neighborhood park down here. Think

44:43of this more general event and uh

44:46community gathering space uh north of

44:48the road that would go in. So, um,

44:51reimagine the courts. Right now, we have

44:53two side by side courts as you drive by

44:55on Arlington. U, this would allow the

44:58same amount of hoops but have, uh, take

45:00up less space and again allow the road

45:01to be realigned. We'd go down to to one

45:04tennis court, uh, probably shared use

45:07with pickle ball. U, this is a very

45:09flexible space. This I and O space could

45:12be dog park. It could just be open

45:15space. There could be playgrounds added.

45:17Uh we do imagine a play structure in

45:18this space too. So moving that to the

45:20other side of the road. Um improved

45:23public bathroom spaces that would serve

45:25as the public restrooms for um the

45:28majority of the space between the three.

45:30Right? We can't put restrooms in on the

45:32island. Um we can have water uh but not

45:35much else going in there from an

45:36infrastructure standpoint. So no

45:39bathrooms there. So we want to improve

45:40and move those closer to the river for

45:42our public restrooms.

45:45Okay. Okay. And then as you go to

45:46Wingfield or Wingfield,

45:48um the biggest change here would be we

45:51right now this this part of the park

45:53seems cut off from the road. So the big

45:55part is to move um the uh amphitheater

45:59from from what would be the uh western

46:01part of the east side to the uh eastern

46:04part of the east side. So that that

46:06really opens up the space and you can

46:08look both directions as you go into the

46:09park. Right now it's a huge brick wall.

46:11It's obviously dated. Um it's it's well

46:14utilized. It's well appreciated, but

46:15that's the big change in windfield. Not

46:18a lot of ability to uh build up or come

46:21out of the ground obviously from flood

46:22flood restrictions and things like that.

46:24So there would be a lot of process that

46:26would go into that. Um likely we would

46:28try to use sloping to create the

46:30seating. Uh right now that's limited

46:33impact. So we would be taking out we

46:35more and putting in more of a flat and

46:37flowth through design for for the

46:40amphitheater. This you can see at the

46:42point here adding some shade to your

46:44point. Netty, is that right? It's my

46:46grandma's name. So, um Netty, this would

46:50be an opportunity for for shade in

46:52what's a great space, great visual

46:54point. Awesome to watch the white water

46:56elements. Now, there's the new uh

46:59relatively functioning surf wave that's

47:01in there um that we're still working on,

47:03but uh to be able to to be a spectator

47:06and to observe that, to have art shows,

47:07to have um vendors, things like that,

47:10and be in the shade would be an

47:12opportunity there. And then, of course,

47:13as I mentioned before, the big

47:14pedestrian bridge that would connect the

47:16two spaces. Uh and really now you could

47:19look at an opportunity where there's a

47:21stage here, there's amphitheater here,

47:23stage here, there's something done at

47:24West Street. you're really starting to

47:25look at really a festival opportunity in

47:27that space.

47:29>> Nathan, I'm sorry. Could I ask you a

47:31question about the reorientation of the

47:34stage at Wingfield? Um if if the flip is

47:38from west to east, it means that the

47:42performers um if they are there from

47:44noon on have sun on them.

47:47>> Yeah, there is.

47:48>> Of course, until the sun goes down.

47:50>> Absolutely. Thanks for the question. And

47:52that was it was a point of contention

47:54especially for the Phil um and when it

47:56came to to the instruments and the

47:57instruments being in the sun before the

47:59sun would go down. Um and so part of the

48:01conversation there is what what do we do

48:03for the it's not unimportant but

48:07relatively few times that the fill would

48:08actually play. Um what can we do to

48:10modify for those few times whereas this

48:13would be uh a better user experience in

48:15most cases. And so how do we modify that

48:17from an overhang standpoint things like

48:19that? show times, understanding the

48:21study, how are our tree growths going to

48:23impact when the sun would go down and

48:25things like that. So,

48:26>> well, and and may I just point out it's

48:28not only the fill um dancer, she's in

48:31the stage, they put down Marley and

48:33Marley gets boiling hot for the feet

48:35when the sun hits it like that.

48:38>> Fair point. Fair point. Absolutely.

48:40>> So, that was May I be Mr. Chair? This is

48:44Taylor Adams. Can I be recognized

48:45quickly?

48:46>> Yes, Taylor.

48:48I have to tell you where where I think

48:49all of these are great improvements. I

48:51struggle mightily to find how any of

48:53this qualifies as redevelopment. This is

48:55a this is a functioning park. Everything

48:57that you're talking about here sounds

48:59like a general fund capital improvement

49:01to me. I mean I you know I recognize

49:03you're optimizing an existing facility

49:05and you're trying to you're trying to

49:07you're trying to fit improvements into

49:08an existing facility, but what I can't

49:10find in my head on the river I got it.

49:12There are vast sections of the river

49:14that that desperately need

49:15redevelopment. But as it relates to what

49:18you're doing here, I'm struggling to

49:20find how this how this fits within our

49:22mission. Um because all of this seems to

49:25me just the work of of the park and

49:27recck department and the citycip

49:29um planning process. But I'm I'm I'm

49:32happy to hear more and I think this is a

49:33great plan, but I struggle to see how it

49:36how this directly fits within the

49:38redevelopment bucket given the limited

49:40resources we have.

49:43So, I don't know if Ashley or Brian, you

49:45want to mention that, but uh this I

49:47think the intent that I was uh asked to

49:49come here was to talk about the

49:50different plans that are in place along

49:52the river and in downtown uh to see how

49:54those tie together. I think that's

49:56that's the overall thing what we're

49:58trying to accomplish.

49:59>> So, member Adams, I

50:00>> Yeah. So, if it's if it's your position

50:02that these do better fit within the

50:04city's budgeting process than is a CIP,

50:06then then then I'm happy to hear the

50:08plan. But if if the thought was this

50:10would come forward for redevelopment

50:11funds, I'm just I'm uh uh I'm just sh

50:14I'm just sharing my opinion on that.

50:17>> Thank you for that. Member Adams, Ashley

50:19Attorney, assistant city manager for the

50:20record. Um this item as well as B5 were

50:24requested by member Robertson in a

50:29previous item. Uh he had asked for pros

50:31plan updates and then updates as these

50:33relate into the parks district. So, you

50:37are absolutely not off in questioning if

50:40this should be a general fund item. Uh,

50:42the RDA has looked at some improvements.

50:44We brought forward the river east

50:47because we do believe that there's

50:49opportunity for redevelopment to come

50:51from those improvements once that part

50:53of the path is improved. Um, so these

50:56are on here because you got a member,

50:57but you are not wrong in your approach.

51:00>> There's no specific funding request

51:02right now.

51:02>> No.

51:03>> Perfect. And by the way, that context is

51:05is incredibly helpful. And also, I'm I'm

51:07willing to say going back to member um

51:09Oliviverio's point, I do think

51:12performance spaces that enhance the

51:13broader district absolutely are within

51:15bounds for us to discuss, but but

51:18looking at sort of the looking at park

51:20buildout uh in existing parks that I was

51:22struggling to get there. That context

51:23from the deputy city manager helps me or

51:25excuse me, assistant city manager helps

51:27me considerably. Thank you so much.

51:30>> Yeah, thank you for the question. And I

51:32think as we get into more of the park

51:34district discussion and I'll I'll give a

51:36little bit update on that in the next

51:37item. Um I think that that's really the

51:40answer um member Adams for the uh for

51:43the opportunity to improve and create

51:46better park spaces whether it's in the

51:48RDA along the river in the county in

51:50Sparks. Um that's really uh the

51:52opportunity for the public to say

51:54similar as uh it happened with the RDA

51:56creation u hey we want better here and

51:59we're willing to pay for it.

52:01Um, here's some zoom in on that. I could

52:03have got that probably a little bit

52:04faster, but there's the zoom in on

52:05wingfield. Um, you can kind of see where

52:08those elements are are from. The overall

52:11plan is, you know, uh, removing walls,

52:14things like that to to make it more

52:16visible.

52:18Uh, trying to save as many trees as

52:19possible. The shade's an awesome part of

52:21the spaces currently. We don't want to

52:23lose that. Hopefully, we would like to

52:25see the enhancement there. As you can

52:26see, a lot of new trees added in this M

52:29section to to try to help and get get

52:32tall um to to block as much of the sun

52:34as early as possible for performances.

52:39Visuals on field park amenities.

52:42There you can see sort of a terrace idea

52:44for um our seating. Obviously not a a

52:48brand new idea for for amphitheaters,

52:51but that's what we'd be looking at

52:52instead of what currently is a raised

52:54stage, more of a sunken and the water

52:56could flow out and over if there was

53:01u just some pictures. Uh

53:04Whitewater Park is something we're

53:06currently working on with uh some local

53:09folks who want to see it improved. Um

53:11we've had a very similar conversation.

53:13there is lot not a funding source to uh

53:16improve this space. So they are setting

53:18off on their own to try to uh to raise

53:20money. Um we've made it pretty clear

53:23that the RDA is not prioritizing a white

53:26water park as a part of the budget at

53:28this point. Um and to your point, member

53:32Adams uh probably shouldn't prioritize

53:34that ahead of the other items.

53:38So, I'm just going to flip through these

53:39relatively quickly to get to I think the

53:41bigger item, which is our recreation

53:43open space master plan. Uh, so here

53:45another zoom in on Barbara Bennett Park.

53:48Uh, O for flexibility in this space down

53:51here. Um, we would probably go back to

53:53the community at that point and and uh

53:56understand what the the need is. If we

53:58can get these things done, the road

54:00realigned, what would be the things that

54:02are currently there? Is there's no

54:03timeline for funding. We don't want to

54:05say, "Hey, O is definitely going to be

54:07this or that." when the community may

54:09not need it at that point.

54:15>> Yeah. Just some more visuals.

54:17There's the uh budget. Uh that's already

54:20a little stale, but uh 12 million is is

54:24what the initial uh engineering estimate

54:26was for the improvements across the

54:29three different parks, the Barbara

54:30Bennett Park, Wingfield Park, and

54:31Whitewater Park. Uh obviously that's not

54:34getting cheaper. So um we have we did

54:37include um the projects that were uh on

54:41the list in the overall and submitted

54:43them into the RDA uh budget for

54:46consideration uh as we did with

54:48Broadhead Park um John Champion Park and

54:51the parks that go through RDA2. So um

54:53they were submitted obviously all

54:55prioritized the list and council made

54:57selections. So, and I don't believe any

54:59of those were made for Barbara Bennett

55:00at this point for the whiteboard.

55:03Any questions on that one?

55:06Any questions online?

55:10All right. Thank you. Let's go to B5

55:13update on parks and recreation open

55:15space master plan. Again, this is kind

55:17of the same item. Uh Mr. Robertson's one

55:20this coming forward just for

55:21information.

55:22>> That is correct. He requested this for

55:23information and so we asked director

55:25Olad to give an update as this is a

55:28larger conversation and again lends to

55:30the policy conversation from this board

55:32of what if any improvements in these

55:35plans should the redevelopment agency be

55:37supporting. Obviously they create

55:40property tax that's something that this

55:42board is targeted with hitting.

55:44>> Okay. So I'll be using a presentation

55:46that uh we recently gave to council. One

55:48of the items um on our parks,

55:51recreation, open space master plan which

55:53was adopted in November of 2023, one of

55:57the items is to make sure we give

55:59updates on what we've accomplished. Um

56:01there was obviously concern and fair

56:03enough that a lot of plans get um

56:06presented, adopted, and then they just

56:08sit. So um we're committing to not doing

56:10that. So we have uh two out of two years

56:12provided an update to council and

56:14quarterly updates to the parks and

56:16recreation advisory board. Um so a

56:19little background this plan again was

56:21adopted in uh November of 2023. Within

56:24there there's about 70 pages of

56:25implementation um kind of step by step

56:29objective by objective uh implementation

56:31planning. And so we've broken that down

56:34um to provide those updates each year uh

56:37at each one of these overarching goals.

56:39So there's the the 10 goals that are

56:42sort of summarized here and then within

56:44those there are several objectives. I

56:46believe we had about an 18page uh memo

56:49update that was sent to council. I think

56:51that was shared as a part of the packet.

56:53Not we can get that. Um but obviously

56:56don't expect everybody to read it but we

56:58want to be clear we're we're moving

57:00forward with those. So um some of the

57:02highlights for that um

57:05the biggest hurdles you know usually

57:07hurdle one through seven are funding um

57:10as as we're mostly talking about today

57:13um a we want to create a sustainable

57:15department as much as possible um our

57:18department cost recovery in FY25 was up

57:20from 32% in 23 u to 37% we've continued

57:26to improve our cost recovery to 40.5%

57:29uh of what's roughly an $18 million

57:31operational budget. Um the national

57:33average is somewhere between 25 and 30.

57:36So uh we're doing really well on our

57:38recreation side um to to meet what is um

57:43more of a nice to have um when it comes

57:45to programs and services versus the uh

57:49sort of standard uh access to public

57:51spaces that park maintenance provides

57:53which doesn't usually create a revenue

57:56on that side. So uh as a part of that

57:58goal also was to hire a fund development

58:00manager um which we've had for two in

58:03place for two years and has added nearly

58:05a half million dollars in nonoperational

58:07revenue could be grants, sponsorships,

58:09things like that. So the that's an

58:10increased amount not a uh carry on of of

58:13other agreements we have with turf and

58:15things like that. This is new money that

58:17have been brought in by that position.

58:19um moving into the sponsorship realm of

58:21of you know rebranding our spaces to uh

58:25provide opportunity for community and

58:27and business input to to help uh improve

58:29our spaces and and from a maintenance

58:32standpoint you know things like

58:33resurfacing a court adding a name on the

58:35court uh helps us do that and keep money

58:38into in our maintenance budget for other

58:39areas that don't have those

58:40opportunities.

58:43Uh so our biggest goal and and probably

58:45the most relative and I know um the RDA

58:48has uh participated in helping to fund

58:50the u completion of a park district

58:52service plan which is a required element

58:55to create a park district. Um we are are

58:58deeply engaged in that process and have

59:01a joint meeting scheduled at the end of

59:03this month with the other advisory

59:05boards for uh Wo County City of Sparks

59:08and then the Sun Valley General

59:09Improvement District. uh we are hoping

59:12for a recommendation to take that then

59:13to council um with a framework that

59:16would uh support a regional park

59:19district. So a lot of what we're talking

59:20about on the river um could be made more

59:24simple um by the creation of a park

59:26district that would oversee at least in

59:28the proposed framework the the length of

59:31the river from a recreational space and

59:33opportunity. So it's not four different

59:36um three or four different uh

59:38jurisdictions that are working on it.

59:39there would be one jurisdiction that's

59:41sort of taking the lead when it comes to

59:43recreational opportunity path

59:44improvements, things like that um to

59:47help navigate that rather than you step

59:49across the line and you're in the county

59:50versus or Sparks versus the city of

59:52Green. So again, we expect uh what we

59:55hope is an early decision point in early

59:572027 from the elected bodies um that

1:00:01would say yes, go forth, create the

1:00:03district, which would then now we get

1:00:04into the implementation of which

1:00:06employees move over, which programs and

1:00:08services move over, what budget gets

1:00:10moved over from potentially the city,

1:00:12county, and uh sparks into uh the park

1:00:15district. And then uh what are funding

1:00:18initiatives that would need to get

1:00:19started um to move uh new money into the

1:00:22space. So, uh, one of the key key

1:00:24tenants of that is we should not do this

1:00:25if it doesn't improve anything. Um, it's

1:00:28not the efficiency by itself of having

1:00:32um, one director or something like that.

1:00:34It's not going to make the difference

1:00:35that the public will see that we would

1:00:37hope by itself. So, it has to be the

1:00:39opportunity for for new funding and

1:00:41expanded funding um, to support parks

1:00:43and recreation services in the area. Uh,

1:00:46I know this is a big one. So, um, if I

1:00:49want to stop here for a second and if

1:00:51there's any questions on the park

1:00:52district, I know we provided, um, at

1:00:54least, uh, through handouts and, uh, an

1:00:57item several months ago, an update of

1:01:00where we're at. I tried to give you the

1:01:02high points going forward, but any

1:01:03questions on where the park district is?

1:01:05Well, not on what a park district is,

1:01:07but I might ask in terms of funding

1:01:09Netty Olive for the record. Um, is there

1:01:12still in place the 1 half of 1% of

1:01:16funding from room tax that goes to parks

1:01:18and rec?

1:01:19>> It is. Yes, that that there is money

1:01:21that is coming from room tax into uh

1:01:23help offset the cost of parks and

1:01:25recreation, park maintenance

1:01:26specifically.

1:01:27>> And is there any plan to renegotiate

1:01:30that or to see if there's more? I well I

1:01:33believe that's from council's discretion

1:01:34each year as a part of the budget

1:01:36process to say once again this money

1:01:39would go in as a part of I know Vicki uh

1:01:41our director of finance presents that

1:01:43each year is like hey here this is where

1:01:44the room tax breakdown is and this is

1:01:46what's going in park maintenance is

1:01:47listed as part of that so

1:01:49>> yeah it it's an opportunity certainly

1:01:51>> it's actually attorney assistant city

1:01:53manager for the record it's actually

1:01:54codified in Reno municipal code that

1:01:56half of the room tax allocation goes to

1:01:58parks maintenance right

1:02:00>> so we did more than the half cent of a

1:02:02half% % and it's just very clearly 50%

1:02:04goes directly to Nathan and then 50% is

1:02:06on the council discretionary

1:02:08>> to park maint

1:02:09>> for Nathan for fixing things.

1:02:12>> Um yes, any other questions on

1:02:15>> questions online

1:02:16>> park district I'll move on.

1:02:20Okay. So, um colorcoded that was part of

1:02:23goal number one. How do we create a

1:02:25financially sustainable operation for

1:02:27our parks and um that was item 1.1 of

1:02:32that goal of the whole implementation

1:02:34plan is to pursue um the creation of a

1:02:37park district or at least that that

1:02:39service plan to say hey we need a

1:02:40decision point. Um this was an

1:02:43opportunity I believe in 2012 I think is

1:02:46when the legislation was done and um so

1:02:48it's taken us a while to get there but

1:02:50we're moving um moving through that

1:02:52process now.

1:02:55>> Great. Um, one of the things that we're

1:02:57doing from a maintenance standpoint is,

1:02:59uh, as I talked about a few slides back,

1:03:02uh, as we charge fees for services and

1:03:05programs, uh, we asked permission from

1:03:08council to create a, um, sort of an

1:03:11allocation for for our assessments for

1:03:14any sort of if you use if you do a swim

1:03:17lesson, 5% of your fee would go towards

1:03:19an asset replacement. We didn't have

1:03:21that. We're always up against the garage

1:03:23door at a firehouse or a lease cruiser,

1:03:26things like that. We're coming in third,

1:03:28fourth, fifth generally. So, we bring

1:03:30the public chooses to use our spaces,

1:03:32pays a fee to do that. Um, most of that

1:03:34fee would continue to go to the general

1:03:36fund to offset costs, but 5% is going to

1:03:38be set aside now going forward to do uh

1:03:41asset replacements and things like that.

1:03:43So now we're not talking about um

1:03:46funding Barbara Bennett master plan with

1:03:48that, but if we if we wanted to upgrade

1:03:50a playground or replace a playchange or

1:03:53a structure, it could be used to fund

1:03:54some of those efforts, a basketball

1:03:56hoop, those types of things.

1:04:00Another thing is is how can we be more

1:04:02efficient even if without a park

1:04:04district of uh working with um Wo County

1:04:08and uh primarily Wo County since we're

1:04:11integrated into that space where if they

1:04:14have a space that's next to a space we

1:04:16maintain uh but not one that they

1:04:18maintain, how about we look at moving

1:04:20the deeds over and uh getting that

1:04:22property to um the closest jurisdiction

1:04:25from a maintenance standpoint. So good

1:04:27examples of that if the county has a lot

1:04:29of open space and trails that they

1:04:30manage and then we'll have one swath of

1:04:33land in the middle of that that um we

1:04:35would have to manage. So they would take

1:04:37on that and then we're looking at a

1:04:39place like Horseman's Park where it's

1:04:41split um

1:04:43it's split where the fire station

1:04:45literally has a county line going right

1:04:47in the middle of it. of the parcel. So,

1:04:50uh, how do we get those things aligned?

1:04:51And then we take on maintenance because

1:04:52we're already there every day and we

1:04:54don't pass each other as as a maintainer

1:04:56goes one way or the other. So, those are

1:04:58some things we're doing in in a lot of

1:05:00different spaces, but Horseman's Park is

1:05:01very close to being adjusted and, uh,

1:05:04that will then become a city park and a

1:05:05city facility.

1:05:09Uh, one of the relatively low hanging

1:05:11fruit, but um, it's something that

1:05:12people are starting to notice is new

1:05:14signage that's being put up in parks

1:05:15that u, we have very sort of bland white

1:05:18signage that um, has just become a part

1:05:20of the landscape and no one's really

1:05:22paying attention to has uh, all of the

1:05:25rules you could imagine listed. And so

1:05:27we think nobody's reading any of them.

1:05:29So we've tried to create um, hey, here's

1:05:31the big five things that you most likely

1:05:33would make a mistake and do in our

1:05:35parks. Uh we'll still hold people

1:05:38accountable for rules that aren't

1:05:39posted, but that comes with education

1:05:41and warning and things like that, but uh

1:05:43making sure that people understand um

1:05:46some of the main rules of alcohol,

1:05:48smoking, motorized vehicles is obviously

1:05:50a big one with ebikes. Um so trying to

1:05:52make sure those big things are posted

1:05:54and then hopefully read as people are

1:05:56walking in. Trying to keep it uh short

1:05:58and sweet and then educating on the

1:06:00other opportunities.

1:06:04Um something we're very proud of is

1:06:05obviously with the investment in uh the

1:06:08Moana Springs Pool and Fitness Center.

1:06:11Um swim lessons is one of the most

1:06:12important things that we do for our

1:06:14region. Uh over uh 100% increase from uh

1:06:19the opening of Moana Springs to now of

1:06:21of swim lessons for the area. Uh we

1:06:24think we still have opportunity there,

1:06:26but now we have space to start

1:06:28increasing those numbers even further.

1:06:29Now we need people to teach. So, uh, we

1:06:32presented on that to council and, uh,

1:06:34continue to work hard to make sure that

1:06:36our kids have a variety of access to our

1:06:38water and our spaces.

1:06:42Uh we also started as a part of that

1:06:44Arena Swims pilot program where um our

1:06:47hope long term is to work with the

1:06:48school districts and uh private schools,

1:06:51charter schools uh to create this as a

1:06:53part of the school day where um when our

1:06:55pools are a little slower during the uh

1:06:57school day, bringing kids over as a

1:06:59three to four week field trip that would

1:07:01allow um them to get water safety

1:07:03lessons where um if they fell in the

1:07:06water, they would go from not being

1:07:08likely to survive to um being able to

1:07:10get get out of the water on their own.

1:07:12So, it's very simple, very low low bar,

1:07:15but we want to make sure that if a child

1:07:16falls in a body of water, they have a

1:07:18chance to float and get to the side. So,

1:07:21um we did a pilot program with that and

1:07:23we're hoping to expand that atmosphere.

1:07:26Uh we've also been working closely as a

1:07:29part of goal five. Um, Pembroke Flat

1:07:31Fields is another opportunity that's

1:07:33been sort of laboring over over the last

1:07:36uh I don't know 8 to 10 years to try to

1:07:39get Flatfields built at the uh Pemroke

1:07:41property which is right off of uh

1:07:43Veterans Parkway and Pembroke. Um we

1:07:47have moved to a final design and we're

1:07:49at 100% design review right now uh to

1:07:52build uh 10 flat fields in that space um

1:07:55which I think is another great

1:07:57opportunity for um economic impact and

1:08:00and tourism uh along with the Mill

1:08:03Avenue or the Mill Street project

1:08:05between Rock and McCarron with Turfma

1:08:08which will hopefully also become a park

1:08:10that would include flatfield space. Uh

1:08:12that would uh there's about a 50 field

1:08:15uh shortfall as you can see in the pros

1:08:18uh plan. Um and that would help with

1:08:20about 19 to 20 fields that uh would give

1:08:23us practice space and also the ability

1:08:24to attract tournaments to the area.

1:08:27So, RISA, our Reno You Sports

1:08:29Association, uh, helped to fund the

1:08:32final design of that project. And so,

1:08:34we're looking forward to move forward

1:08:35with a a fund fundraising campaign and

1:08:38things like that to help build that

1:08:39project. And again, hopefully all of

1:08:41that will move into the uh the park

1:08:43district if they decide to vote on that.

1:08:46I'll create an art in the park program

1:08:48to try to to bring art and beauty into

1:08:50the space. Um, a lot of this is

1:08:52education as people could do this um

1:08:54without our permission or without our

1:08:56help, but we're trying to jump start

1:08:57that process with a few public art

1:09:00displays. I guess it was the last one.

1:09:02Um, so we're looking to expand that into

1:09:04the different uh areas, but right now

1:09:06bysentennial Park was our initial launch

1:09:08point. Um, there's a semi-permanent

1:09:10display in there that allows an artist

1:09:12to come in, hang up their art, sell

1:09:14their art. Um, and we hope that

1:09:16continues to expand and bring beauty

1:09:18into the park. So,

1:09:20Thank you.

1:09:21>> All right, with that again, that's all

1:09:23part of a very large memo of a very

1:09:25large plan. Um, but if there's any

1:09:27questions, happy to answer.

1:09:29>> Any questions online?

1:09:35>> Thanks for the presentation.

1:09:36>> Sure.

1:09:38>> Item six.

1:09:41>> Hey, Mr. Chair. Uh

1:09:48Brian McCardle, for the record, I'm

1:09:50going to be presenting uh the

1:09:51redevelopment ay's property plan for

1:09:53fiscal year 27. Uh this would um give us

1:09:57direction on the existing properties

1:09:59that the RDA owns outright. Uh there are

1:10:03many properties throughout the city,

1:10:05primarily along the retra corridor that

1:10:07were jointly deed to both the city and

1:10:09the redevelopment agency. uh we have

1:10:12sort of uh put the onus on the city that

1:10:14as they dispose of those properties the

1:10:16RDA uh quick claims their the their

1:10:19ownership in those properties so they

1:10:21can be sold off. Um I don't have an

1:10:23answer as to why they were jointly dated

1:10:25back in the day but I do think it was

1:10:26likely because of the bonding or

1:10:28retract. Um I just hit something. Hold

1:10:31on.

1:10:33Uh and so we're just highlighting the

1:10:36seven pieces the seven parcel that the

1:10:38redevelopment agency owns outright.

1:10:41Uh so just to highlight we're

1:10:45getting direction on which property

1:10:47should be disposed, retained, uh should

1:10:49we find a use for them um lease them out

1:10:52or partner into any sort of P3s for

1:10:55their future bonding.

1:10:58Uh so you know managing uh assembling

1:11:01managing selling off property has been a

1:11:03huge part of the reading agency in the

1:11:05past. Part of the bonds that were just

1:11:07paid off uh that were taken on in the

1:11:09late 90s actually allowed the UN uh the

1:11:12redevelopment agency to assemble many

1:11:14parcels right along downtown that

1:11:16allowed uh the movie theater site to be

1:11:17built. Uh the Riverside artist loss as

1:11:20well as the mates were purchased. Um

1:11:22actually the post office as well were

1:11:24all purchased by the redevelopment

1:11:25agency in the late 90s. Uh and what they

1:11:27did uh they worked with master

1:11:28developers to find long-term sort of

1:11:31operators of those properties and

1:11:33develop develop those. Uh so the the

1:11:36Riverside ARS lofts were able to be

1:11:38restored and retained. Uh the Mapes

1:11:41wasn't as fortunate but there were three

1:11:43attempts to try that. And then

1:11:46we didn't do a tiff deal for the Padio

1:11:48but the redevelopment DC owned the land.

1:11:50Uh so there was a development agreement

1:11:51done where I believe they discounted the

1:11:53land to the developer uh to get that

1:11:56project going. So the way the

1:11:58redevelopment treats land uh

1:12:00strategically can be a huge

1:12:02redevelopment tool. uh and that's part

1:12:04of uh the property plan. And so just

1:12:07some general categories, uh you can

1:12:09retain a piece of property. Essentially,

1:12:11that's telling uh staff to hold, do

1:12:13nothing, uh keep the status quo. When I

1:12:16say selling a property, typically it's

1:12:18we have no interest. We don't want to be

1:12:21prescriptive to what the future use is.

1:12:23So just go sell it. And that can be

1:12:24through a public option or fairly light

1:12:26RFP process. But the idea is we just

1:12:29don't want it anymore. It can generate

1:12:31some revenue. um go sell it. For

1:12:34properties that we do own that have a

1:12:36use, uh consider um either doing a lease

1:12:40uh a ground lease. There are some sites

1:12:43that we could transfer to a different

1:12:44agency. And then last is partnering. And

1:12:47that's in a case where we do have a

1:12:49piece of property, we want to be very

1:12:51prescriptive as to what we want on that.

1:12:53And so we would either do development

1:12:55agreements or open up to some P3 where

1:12:57we uh envision with either the de

1:12:59investor, the developer or some other

1:13:01entity what the future of that site

1:13:03looks like.

1:13:06Here's a map of the existing seven sites

1:13:09going from east or going from west to

1:13:11east. The first one is the small plaza

1:13:13next to uh it used to be Java Jungle and

1:13:16Cafe Capello. It's part of West Plaza.

1:13:19Uh there was a small area uh carved out

1:13:22under redevelopment a ay's control so

1:13:24that we could lease it to the cafe

1:13:26space. Since there is no tenant in the

1:13:28cafe space, the lease currently sits

1:13:30with the property owner so that when

1:13:32they go to get a potential tenant, that

1:13:34tenant has the ability to use that uh

1:13:36that that plaza right next door that

1:13:39patio space. Uh the next one is 135

1:13:42North Sier Street. That's the parking

1:13:43gallery. Uh that is a revenue generating

1:13:46asset for the redevelopment agencies.

1:13:47So, the recommendation there is to

1:13:49retain that property. Um, the one we'll

1:13:51go deep into in the in the next few

1:13:53slides is uh it's been called a few

1:13:56things. Right now, the address is Zero

1:13:57South Center Street. Uh, we call it the

1:14:00City Plaza parking lot. Um, and in years

1:14:03past, maybe a decade or so or more ago.

1:14:05Uh, in past staff reports, they referred

1:14:07to it as the 10 North Virginia site. Uh,

1:14:10where they proposed retail

1:14:12redevelopment. If you go towards the

1:14:14river up there, uh the Rita agency does

1:14:17own a slice of riverfront path. Um it is

1:14:20unimproved path right behind the Reno

1:14:22Oasis ballpark. The idea is to possibly

1:14:25uh transfer that back to the city of

1:14:27Reno. I believe that was a retract

1:14:29parcel, so it was deed to the reloc. Um

1:14:32probably better in the city's hands. The

1:14:35next two sites on East Commercial Row,

1:14:37there is ex an existing purchase sale

1:14:39agreement for those as well as as a

1:14:42existing existing tip agreement that

1:14:44we've done with the developer of that

1:14:46site. And then last is fire station one

1:14:49on East Fourth Street. That was done

1:14:51when the Reno Aces ballpark went in. Um

1:14:54they there was a relocation package for

1:14:55the fire department to relocate to that

1:14:58four street. Uh and so the development

1:15:00agency owns the land

1:15:03facility.

1:15:05And this is just a list of those sites.

1:15:07Uh fire station one, uh no changes

1:15:09there. Recommendation is to retain that

1:15:11property, keep the status quo. The

1:15:14Valleo town homes, that's that uh

1:15:16project where we're allowing the

1:15:18developer to assemble the remaining

1:15:20sites and we have the tiff agreement. Um

1:15:23so nothing to do there. Uh those have

1:15:25been extended, giving him more time, but

1:15:26we're coming up on five years since

1:15:28since that original agreement was

1:15:30drafted. Uh so we'll keep an eye on that

1:15:33as the final agreement of waste

1:15:35management comes into play. The river

1:15:37path behind the aces, we're recommending

1:15:40that uh this advisory board and the

1:15:43agency board uh evaluate and discuss

1:15:46transferring that property back to the

1:15:47city of Reno.

1:15:49Last is the park well next is the

1:15:51parking gallery. Um no changes there. We

1:15:53are doing some long-term asset planning

1:15:55and maintenance needs on that parking

1:15:57gallery. We should see revenues increase

1:15:59uh with future improvements uh customer

1:16:02expectations, some growth in the area as

1:16:04well as potential rate increases. The

1:16:07West Plaza Cafe, we're maintain we're

1:16:09suggesting maintaining that lease uh for

1:16:11your future tenant at that site. And

1:16:13then last is City Plaza, the parking lot

1:16:16on that site.

1:16:18It is, I want to say, a quarter of an

1:16:22acre, 15,000 square feet. when the

1:16:25redevelopment agency bought the mates uh

1:16:27and this site, the idea was as it

1:16:30started getting developed and the mates

1:16:31got uh demolished that city council at

1:16:35the time said we want a plaza but we

1:16:36also want some retail component on that

1:16:38site and so they split the uh the plaza

1:16:41and gave the east side to the

1:16:43redevelopment agency to entertain a

1:16:45future retail or commercial use. Uh

1:16:48there has been plenty of attempts uh

1:16:50over the past decade or so or so which I

1:16:54can highlight here in a second. Um but

1:16:57long history of trying to get a

1:16:59commercial use. At one point there was a

1:17:00RFP and a and a poser selected. Uh that

1:17:05changed and then there was another one

1:17:07selected. Uh but that ran into the great

1:17:09recession and nothing came of it. There

1:17:11is currently no budget that we have in

1:17:13RDA1 to do anything on the site even to

1:17:16get some consulting to explore potential

1:17:18options. So if the direction is to

1:17:21restart conversations around commercial

1:17:23use, we'll have to budget into uh find

1:17:25the budget in this year or budget into

1:17:27next year uh the cost to re to look into

1:17:30that. But we are proposing re

1:17:32maintaining the property uh for for some

1:17:36use with the idea that we could uh

1:17:38potentially in the meantime uh have some

1:17:40intern.

1:17:44So going back uh into history in 2004

1:17:48when the maid site was demolished uh

1:17:51there was a large effort to put an ice

1:17:54skating rink on the site and a shade

1:17:56structure uh and there was a proposed

1:17:58design to build a threetory commercial

1:18:01use on that lot. That is kind of why

1:18:03that parcel is kind of uh has the

1:18:06elliptical shape to it. Uh the plaza was

1:18:10developed. Um, if you look from city

1:18:12hall down, you'll notice that most of

1:18:13this plaza looks the same. It's just

1:18:16that they did not build the shade

1:18:17structure. However, they did do the

1:18:19footings for the state shade shade sale

1:18:21structure. Uh, that's massive uh amount

1:18:24of infrastructure on that site. Uh, as

1:18:26well as a lot of the underground

1:18:27infrastructure has been placed to

1:18:29maintain that. However, uh, some of that

1:18:32was, I believe, damaged with the

1:18:34Virginia Street Bridge. And so the uh

1:18:38equipment to do an ice skating rink on

1:18:40that site, it would kind of have to be

1:18:42redone. But these are some of the images

1:18:44from the architect she and Ben were

1:18:46pagod at the time uh to redevelop the

1:18:48site

1:18:51at a later date. Uh the the the RFP

1:18:55selection to do that fell through and so

1:18:57in 2007 they cleared the deck and opened

1:19:00up RFPs again for this commercial site.

1:19:02They selected Iron Veress Equities LLC.

1:19:06Uh John Papus was the selected developer

1:19:08for that site. This is the rendering

1:19:10that was proposed. Um when that came

1:19:12back, because the canopy structure was

1:19:15not moving forward, the developer asked

1:19:18for more time, six months more time so

1:19:21that they could not only redesign their

1:19:22site, but propose additional retail

1:19:24space and then possibly to redesign the

1:19:26canopy to fit their design and

1:19:28aesthetic. Uh and so the agency at the

1:19:31time gave them six more months to go

1:19:33back and do another preliminary design.

1:19:35Unfortunately, they ran into the great

1:19:37recession and that kind of died in the

1:19:39water. Uh and that didn't go anywhere.

1:19:41But that is the proposed commercial use

1:19:43that was uh proposed on that site at the

1:19:46time. And so that brings us to today. Uh

1:19:49so

1:19:51some things to be considered is some

1:19:53interim management. Uh we could evaluate

1:19:56what the maintenance needs are. It is an

1:19:58existing parking lot, could be used as a

1:20:00parking lot, but it's going to require

1:20:01some improvements. Uh, safety, security,

1:20:05um,

1:20:07and possibly a different use. We've

1:20:08heard pickle ball, we've heard other

1:20:10uses, but if we want to entertain those,

1:20:13uh, it will require some budget to

1:20:14explore those options. In the meantime,

1:20:17we can do some preliminary due

1:20:18diligence. So, we go out and we, uh,

1:20:20evaluate the needs of the site, uh, redo

1:20:22the surveys. The biggest one is the

1:20:24flood. Uh, as member Stitzer mentioned,

1:20:27the flood maps have changed and I do

1:20:29think that flood is possibly the biggest

1:20:31um obstacle on this property now.

1:20:33>> So, we could expend some resources to

1:20:35look into those uh challenges and then

1:20:38later once those are established, we can

1:20:40come back with a strategy and

1:20:41potentially uh with the guidance of this

1:20:44body and the board uh possibly be put

1:20:46out for RP again to see what is out

1:20:48there and sort of vision its future use.

1:20:54What we're asking is uh that this body

1:20:56recommend acceptance or you recommend

1:20:59acceptance recommend the agency board

1:21:02that they adopt this plan uh and give

1:21:04some direction on these properties. Uh

1:21:06that picture right there is the original

1:21:08site that is the majestic theater that

1:21:10was on that corner and then next to it

1:21:12was the original YMCA right on these

1:21:15sites. These did have structures um on

1:21:17these at one point, but the the

1:21:20recommendation is to uh support the plan

1:21:22uh retain that parking lot and allow us

1:21:26the ability to go out and start um

1:21:28planning for for its future use.

1:21:32So with that, that's the proposed

1:21:34recommendation.

1:21:36>> Questions in the room

1:21:39online? Anyone have any comments or

1:21:42questions?

1:21:43>> Yeah. Um, I mean, I think that

1:21:47[clears throat]

1:21:49I just wonder if we're creating work

1:21:51that's unnecessary or spending money

1:21:53that may be unnecessary, if that's going

1:21:57to eventually get wrapped up into a

1:21:59future

1:22:01improvement of the plaza,

1:22:04um, as we were kind of talking about

1:22:05earlier in this meeting with the river

1:22:08plan. Um, or are we planning to keep

1:22:11that out of any plaza improvements and

1:22:13try and create some sort of, you know,

1:22:17retail

1:22:18property that could be more viable

1:22:21because of improvements done to the

1:22:24plaza? Um, I'm just kind of curious if

1:22:28we're

1:22:30thinking about the long-term

1:22:33implementation vision for that as it

1:22:35relates to the long-term hopes and goals

1:22:38for Believe Plaza improvements

1:22:46because the rendering I saw earlier

1:22:48today didn't show a retail building on

1:22:50that. It was incorporated into those

1:22:53overall

1:22:54plaza improvement design.

1:22:57I

1:22:58>> mean, I I kind of take this as yes, they

1:23:00would look at that as well, but uh this

1:23:03is a preliminary step to just figure out

1:23:05what you could do in terms of

1:23:07entitlements and restrictions on the

1:23:09flood authority or flooding maps and

1:23:12etc. So, they kind of go hand in hand in

1:23:14my in my mind. They could be parallel

1:23:16paths, but the necessity of trying to

1:23:18activate that plaza, you got to figure

1:23:21out what you can do first before you can

1:23:23decide what you want to do there.

1:23:25>> So, I see the approval of this plan is

1:23:27just kind of given that authority of

1:23:29taking that. I think that's a simple

1:23:31conversation with Trina Mcon and and her

1:23:33department say what's the new flood the

1:23:37new flood map once finally adopted by

1:23:39FEMA which the city of Reno is already

1:23:42making riverfront development designed

1:23:44to

1:23:46um and is there anything viable is a is

1:23:50a structure on this site viable without

1:23:54having to do flood wall improvements

1:23:57without having to raise the site

1:24:00multiple feet.

1:24:03I mean, that's that's probably a pretty

1:24:05basic first question that would

1:24:07disqualify

1:24:10whether this thing can be developed

1:24:11vertically or not. Andy Alio. Um I what

1:24:16I had understood was the question on the

1:24:19table is in regard to these properties

1:24:22owned by RDA. Um recommendations are

1:24:26hold get rid of that just very

1:24:30basically. Do we hang on to them and

1:24:33evaluate? Do we let them go? Is that

1:24:36what we're talking about right now?

1:24:38>> Yeah, Brian Mardle. Uh that's correct.

1:24:40If the recommendation is to hold and do

1:24:42nothing, then it informs us when we go

1:24:44into our budgeting and planning that the

1:24:46idea is to just not uh you know just to

1:24:49keep it as is and not take any act

1:24:51further action on this property. Um

1:24:54some of the recommendation here is to uh

1:24:57potentially consider an interim use, go

1:24:59out and do some preliminary due

1:25:01diligence. We don't have funding for

1:25:02those, but that would inform our budget

1:25:03next year. and then at some date once we

1:25:06have the answers to a lot of these

1:25:08questions uh sort of potentially go out

1:25:11and entertain this but it would be

1:25:13considered a shovel ready site. Um we

1:25:16don't have those answers to those

1:25:17questions right now.

1:25:22>> Any other questions, comments from folks

1:25:24online?

1:25:29Doesn't look like it. So staff, what

1:25:32you're looking for from us is a

1:25:34recommendation to advance the

1:25:37property plan to the board for their

1:25:40consideration.

1:25:44>> Anyone can I get a motion?

1:25:46>> Netty Aliverio, I um I move that. Could

1:25:51we see that again? The

1:25:54thing

1:25:55>> I was thinking I remember part of that,

1:25:57but it'll come back.

1:26:00Yeah. Okay. I move to recommend the

1:26:03redevelopment agency board accept the

1:26:06FY2027

1:26:08redevelopment agency property plan and

1:26:11direct staff to proceed with property

1:26:14specific strategies identified in the

1:26:16plan, including evaluating potential

1:26:19sales, leases, transfers, retention, and

1:26:23future redevelopment opportunities.

1:26:26>> All said. Do I have a second?

1:26:32Member Harris. Second.

1:26:34>> Thank you. I've got a motion and a

1:26:36second. Any discussion?

1:26:41>> Hearing none. All in favor?

1:26:43>> I

1:26:44>> I

1:26:47Any oppose?

1:26:50Motion carries unanimously.

1:26:53All right. Item C, board commission

1:26:56committee member reports and

1:26:57announcements. Anybody have any

1:26:58announcements or comments?

1:27:04Seeing none, D. Future agenda items.

1:27:09>> Anyone have a recommendation for a

1:27:11future agenda item? Mr. Stitzer?

1:27:14>> No, I was coughing. Sorry.

1:27:16>> Sorry.

1:27:18[snorts]

1:27:19>> All right. Seeing none. E. Public

1:27:22comment. Anybody from the public?

1:27:25Seeing none.

1:27:27Journment. Move to adjourn.

1:27:29>> Move to adjourn.

1:27:30>> Second. All in favor?

1:27:32>> I.

1:27:32>> I.

1:27:33>> We'rejourn. Thanks everyone for your

1:27:35time.

1:27:39>> Thank you. Excellent.