Conditional Use Permit
Reno Annexation and Land Development Code § 18.08.605
in effect18.08.605 - Conditional Use Permit
(a) Purpose The conditional use permit procedure provides a mechanism for the City to evaluate proposed land uses that have unique or widely varying operating characteristics or unusual features. This procedure is intended to ensure compatibility with surrounding areas and that adequate mitigation is provided for anticipated impacts.
(b) Applicability Approval of a conditional use permit according to the procedures and criteria in this section is required for the following uses and activities, unless exempted under subsection (c), below:
(1) Use Table and Use Regulations All principal, accessory, and temporary uses listed or referenced in Section 18.03.206, Table of Allowed Uses, as requiring a conditional use permit or additional standards that require a conditional use permit in Articles 3-5 of Chapter 18.03 Use Regulations.
(2) Specified Development Applications All land uses and development activities expressly made subject to a conditional use permit under this Title.
(3) Operation Hours All uses operating between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. shall require a conditional use permit unless they meet one of the following exemptions:
a. All uses located in the Industrial (I), Industrial Commercial (IC), Mixed Employment (ME), and Mixed Airport (MA) districts and are a Manufacturing and Processing use or a Storage, Distribution, and Warehousing use, located greater than 300 feet from residentially zoned property;
b. Uses located in the Mixed-Use Downtown (MD-) districts, Mixed-Use Midtown (MU-MC) District, or Mixed-Use Urban (MU) District and greater than 300 feet from residentially zoned property. The Mixed Use - Midtown Commercial (MU-MC) and Mixed Use-Residential (MU-RES) zoning districts have more specific operating hours, as noted in section 18.04.1005.
c. Stocking and inventory activities that occur inside Retail uses;
d. All uses in the Public Facility (PF) District;
e. Hotels or Motels with or without Nonrestricted Gaming; or
f. Adult Businesses.
g. Certain development exempt from discretionary review as outlined in 18.04.1002(c) and 18.04.1104(a)(2);
h. Freestanding Birthing Centers as defined in NRS 449.0065;
i. Data Centers.
(4) Gaming New gaming operations, or structural additions to existing gaming operations, located within 500 feet of a Large Lot Residential (LLR-) or Single-Family Residential (SF-) zoned property or exceeding 80,000 square feet. Conversion of existing buildings to gaming operations within the Mixed-Use Downtown (MD-) districts is exempt from this conditional use permit requirement.
(5) Hazardous and Explosive Substances Any facility that includes the production, use, or storage of hazardous substances and hazardous waste as defined in NRS Section 459.429 or the production, use, storage, or handling of explosives as defined by NRS Section 278.147 or a highly hazardous substance as defined by NRS Section 459.3816 and Chapter 18.09 Rules of Construction and Definitions.
(c) Exemptions No conditional use permit shall be required for:
(1) Accessory Structures Accessory structures with combined gross floor areas no larger than 1,000 square feet on each parcel.
(2) Additions A structural addition to a development that would require a conditional use permit are exempt if the following conditions are met:
a. The addition does not exceed 20 percent of the size of the original development or 20,000 square feet in size, whichever is smaller.
b. The construction of the proposed addition will not materially alter the original conditional use permit in that no new use is involved in the addition that would itself require a conditional use permit, no potentially deleterious aspect of the development will be increased, the proposed addition will not have significant impacts on neighboring properties, the size of the property has not been increased, and the proposed addition will continue to comply with all conditions of the conditional use permit.
c. The exemption provided in this Paragraph may be used only once per property.
(3) Certain Urban Districts Projects that meet the standards of Subsection 18.04.1002(c)(1), Certain Development Exempt from Discretionary Review, with Exceptions.
(d) Application Submittal and Review Procedure Figure 8-12, below, identifies the applicable steps from Article 3, Common Review Procedures, that apply to the review of conditional use permits. Additions or modifications to the common review procedures are noted below. Facilities that manufacture, process, transfer, or store explosives or hazardous substances shall meet the application submittal and review procedures of Subsection 18.03.306(a)(9)a.
Figure 8-12: Summary of Conditional Use Permit Procedures
[image omitted; see the official code]
(1) Application Submittal and Handling Conditional use permit applications shall be submitted, accepted, and revised, and may be withdrawn, in accordance with Section 18.08.303, Application Submittal and Handling.
(2) Applications Subject to Major Site Plan Review and Conditional Use Permit The processing of any development subject to a major site plan review and a conditional use permit may be combined into a single application for a conditional use permit and processed in accordance with Section 18.08.605, Conditional Use Permit at the discretion of the applicant. Both the findings for a major site plan review and conditional use permit shall be made and listed in the staff report.
(3) Staff Review and Action The Administrator shall review the application and prepare a staff report and recommendation in accordance with Section 18.08.304, Review and Action.
(4) Scheduling and Notice of Public Hearing The conditional use permit application shall be scheduled for a public hearing before the Planning Commission and noticed in accordance with Section 18.08.305, Scheduling and Notice of Public Hearings.
(5) Review and Decision
a. The Planning Commission shall hold a public hearing within 65 days of application.
b. The Planning Commission shall approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application within 30 days from the date of the hearing in accordance with Section 18.08.306, Review and Decision, based on the general approval criteria in subsection 18.08.304(e), Approval Criteria Applicable to all Applications and the specific findings for conditional use permits in subsection 18.08.605(e), Findings, below.
(6) Appeal The decision of the Planning Commission may be appealed to the City Council in accordance with Subsection 18.08.307(j), Appeal.
(7) Post-Decision Actions and Limitations All common procedures in Section 18.08.307, Post-Decision Actions and Limitations, shall apply, with the following modifications:
a. Time Limitations and Extensions
1. Time Limitations
[a] Conditional use permits that accompany tentative maps shall be valid as long as the tentative map is valid.
[b] The owner or developer shall apply for a building permit for the entire project within 18 months of the date of approval of the conditional use permit review application and maintain the validity of that permit, or the conditional use permit approval shall be null and void unless a different time limitation was established at the time of final approval based on the characteristics and complexity of the project.
2. Extension by the Administrator
[a] The Administrator may extend the time limit by up to 12 months if a request is received prior to the expiration of the time limit to apply for a building permit under a conditional use permit, provided that:
i. The applicant agrees to comply with all requirements of this Title and all conditions of approval; and
ii. The applicant agrees to pay all applicable fees.
[b] No more than one administrative time extension shall be approved for any project or project phase.
3. Extension by the Planning Commission
[a] The Planning Commission may extend the time limit by six additional months if an application is received by the Administrator 45 days prior to the expiration of the extension granted by the Administrator, and the Planning Commission approves a schedule indicating that the applicant will apply for a building permit for the entire project or the relevant phase within the six-month extension.
[b] In reviewing any such extension request, the Planning Commission shall consider the continued appropriateness of the project in the approved location and may add conditions to ensure that the project does not adversely impact other properties and to protect the public interest.
[c] No more than one six-month time extension shall be approved for any project or project phase.
(e) Findings In addition to meeting the criteria in Section 18.08.304(e), Approval Criteria Applicable to all Applications, the following findings shall be made prior to granting a conditional use permit:
(1) The proposed location of the use is in accordance with the objectives of this Title and the purpose of the zoning district in which the site is located;
(2) The proposed land use and project design is compatible with surrounding development;
(3) The proposed land use and project design is consistent with applicable development standards;
(4) Public services and facilities are available to serve the project, or will be provided with development;
(5) The characteristics of the use as proposed and as may be conditioned are reasonably compatible with the types of use permitted in the surrounding area; and
(6) The granting of the conditional use permit will not be materially detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare. The factors to be considered in evaluating this application shall include:
a. Property damage or nuisance resulting from noise, smoke, odor, dust, vibration, or illumination; and
b. Any hazard to persons and property.
(Ord. No. 6692, § 1(Exh. A), 1-8-25)
Source: City of Reno, Nevada, Administrative Code, City Charter and Annexation and Land Development Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/nv/reno/codes/land_development_code?nodeId=CH18.08ADPR_ART6DEPE_18.08.605COUSPEFetched: 11/1/2026