Sparks City Council and Redevelopment Agency Meeting – August 25, 2025

The Sparks City Council and Redevelopment Agency met on August 25, 2025, for a regular meeting. The meeting included public comments on homelessness, traffic safety, university updates, and noise concerns; proclamations for Hunger Action Month and Payroll Week; a presentation on the regional computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system; approval of a memorandum of understanding with firefighters; updates to impact fees; transfer of private activity bond capacity for affordable housing; and a major redevelopment agency land purchase for a future city hall. All votes were unanimous.

Consent Calendar

• Approved consent items 8.1 through 8.3 (routine approvals) unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Pam Dark (Precinct 6411) raised concerns about homeless individuals near a Safeway studio at 4:30 a.m., describing a verbal attack on employees. She supported the city's camping ban but called for more resources and a joint meeting of city councils. She also expressed alarm about undocumented immigrants and a near-hit by an SUV driver with a foreign accent, asking for more enforcement.
• Mark Hill spoke about drunk driving and his personal experience, urging people not to get in a car with a drunk driver.
• Austin Daly (Manager of Government Affairs, University of Nevada, Reno) provided an update on the 2025-2026 academic year, including the opening of the John Tollock Business Building, the Collegiate Academy dual credit program, and the upcoming Wolfpack football game. He thanked the council for ongoing partnerships.
• Amanda Rose Chaska (Resident of I Street, downtown Sparks) addressed noise pollution from Interstate 80 and Pyramid Way Highway, citing NDOT reports that 150 of 342 noise receivers exceed federal levels. She asked the council to press NDOT and Congress for noise barriers, noting her own health had been affected despite living a mile from the freeway.

Discussion Items

• Proclamations:
  • September 2025 proclaimed Hunger Action Month. Shane Piccinini (Government Affairs, Food Bank of Northern Nevada) reported that the food bank serves 160,000 people monthly across the region, and thanked the city for support.
  • The week of September 1–5, 2025 proclaimed Payroll Week. Kayla Neff (Operations Accounting Manager) honored the payroll team (Tracy, Monica, Jasmine) for their work.
• Presentation – Hexagon CAD/RMS Software Project (Cody Shittle, Reno Public Safety Dispatch Director): The regional project involves 17 agencies. Key updates: 95% building configuration complete, 80% third-party integrations done, disaster recovery site in another state. Go-live delayed from September 9, 2025 to February 23, 2026 due to complexity; project remains on budget. AI tools will help find commonalities across jurisdictions. Council members asked about the 17 agencies (e.g., UNR Police, tribal fire departments) and expansion plans.
• Public Hearing – MOU with IAFF Local 731 (Item 10.1): The memorandum of understanding allows rehire of probationary firefighters laid off after academy completion. The MOU is effective June 26, 2025. Council clarified it was prompted by three firefighters laid off after academy. Approved unanimously with no direct financial impact.
• Public Hearing – Impact Fee Update (Item 10.2): Resolution 3475 adopting updated land use assumptions, capital improvements plan, and impact fees for Service Area One (northern Sparks). Fees cover sanitary sewer, flood control, parks/recreation, and fire stations. Notable increases in fire fee (from $387 to $1,164 for single-family) due to higher Fire Station 6 costs ($13.162M vs. estimated $6.25M). Flood control fee decreased from $510 to $287. Public outreach included Builder's Association and planning commission. Effective September 1, 2025. Approved unanimously.
• Public Hearings – Private Activity Bond Cap (Items 10.3 & 10.4): Two resolutions to transfer the city's 2025 bond cap allocation ($7,455,361.51) – 50% ($3,727,680.76) to the Nevada Rural Housing Authority for homeownership programs, and the remaining $3,727,680.75 to the Nevada Housing Division for affordable housing. Staff noted 826 Sparks residents benefited from Nevada Housing Division programs in nine years and 2,349 from Nevada Rural Housing in 18 years. Council asked about number of households served; staff will research. Approved unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Approved MOU with IAFF Local 731 (unanimous) – reinstates rehire list for laid-off probationary firefighters for up to three years.
• Adopted Resolution 3475 (unanimous) – updated impact fees for Service Area One, effective September 1, 2025.
• Adopted Resolution 3473 (unanimous) – transferred $3,727,680.75 of private activity bond cap to Nevada Housing Division.
• Adopted Resolution 3474 (unanimous) – transferred $3,727,680.76 of private activity bond cap to Nevada Rural Housing Authority.
• Redevelopment Agency Action (item 7.1, separate meeting): Approved purchase and sale agreement SRA-AC-334 with Oakmont Properties Azure LLC to acquire 7.8 acres at 650 Marina Gateway Drive for $10 million, using Redevelopment Area 2 funds. The site is planned for a future city hall. Staff noted the price is below market (approx. $23,000 per door vs. $35,000 average) and leaves sufficient funds ($20M remaining plus future increment) for construction. The agency will not build city hall; that requires city council action. Surplus parcels (current city hall, municipal court) could be sold to support general fund. Unanimous approval.