Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Governing Board Meeting - August 13, 2026

The Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Governing Board (RPGB) met on August 13, 2026, to conduct routine business, consider two regional plan amendments, approve the agency's strategic work plan, and receive a comprehensive presentation on data center research and development. The meeting included public comment, board discussion, and unanimous approvals on several items.

Consent Calendar

• Election of Officers: Kathleen Taylor (City of Reno) was elected Chair, and Claire Andreola (Washoe County) was elected Vice Chair, both unanimously.
• Approval of Agenda: Approved with a revision to move item 8D (strategic work goals) before item 8C (data center discussion). Unanimous.
• Approval of Minutes: Minutes from previous meeting approved unanimously.
• Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously without discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Cliff Low (South Valleys resident): Opposed the proposed Sierra Reflections development (940 homes) in Pleasant Valley, calling it an "abomination." Cited concerns about a Mercury Superfund site, evacuation routes on US 395, increased traffic, and density (up to 12 dwelling units per acre via common open space subdivisions despite no zoning changes). Urged board to consider current residents.
• Trey Abney (Nevada Data Center Alliance): Supported responsible data center development with regional consistency. Argued data centers should be regulated like other industrial projects based on actual impacts (noise, lighting, etc.) and urged Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County to collaborate on a common regulatory framework rather than creating three separate systems.
• Alexis Mouterex (Nevada Chapter, Associated General Contractors): Expressed concern that draft policy recommendations for data centers could become barriers to construction and economic opportunity. Highlighted loss of construction jobs, tax revenue, and risk of driving investment to competing regions. Urged balanced rules that protect resources without discouraging business.
• Heather Gian Dali (IBEW Local 401): Thanked board for including labor in stakeholder process. Encouraged policies that reflect the broader industrial landscape and promote regional consistency with reasonable guardrails across large-scale industrial development.
• Tom Wicker (public comment): Corrected a misconception about data center heat—stating that heat generated by servers must be removed and building insulation does not isolate outside air. Also raised concerns about data centers using single-stage turbines and diesel generators for on-site power, which could lead to increased emissions and hinder Nevada's climate goals, even if NV Energy meets renewable portfolio standards.

Discussion Items

• 8A: Clear Acre Commons Regional Plan Amendment (RPA 26-005): Proposed to change 27.32 acres at Scottsdale Road and Clear Acre Lane from Tier 2 (single-family and public/quasi-public) to Tier 1 (suburban mixed use). The site is surplus from RTC's US 395 interchange project, transferred to City of Reno, then sold to Northern Nevada Building and Construction Trades Council Development Corp, which committed to construct at least 400 affordable housing units and 240 workforce housing units, plus apprenticeship training. Staff and Regional Planning Commission recommended adoption. Board questions and public hearing held; no public comment. Approved unanimously.
• 8B: NV Energy Utility Corridor (RPA 24-002): Proposed a 10.9-mile regional utility corridor for a 120 kV transmission line between the Border Town substation (Cold Springs area) and the California substation (Verde area) to provide redundancy for existing lines on the east side of Peavine Peak. The route crosses federal and private lands. After lengthy study (NEPA, EIS) and legal resolution, Washoe County and Reno approved their portions. Discussion included alignment concerns (cutting across Peavine Peak), redundancy requirements, and federal mandate for separate corridor. Board member Doer questioned the alignment and asked about the EIS. Approved unanimously.
• 8D: TMRPA Strategic Work Plan and Goals for FY 2627: Director Jeremy Smith presented the agency's four goal areas: Regulatory Duties (conformance reviews, regional plan amendments), Regional Coordination (school guidance, data centers, tribal coordination), Data and Analytics (GIS, consensus forecasting, annual reporting, public infrastructure and natural resource plans), and Administration (HR, file management, hiring). The agency distributed a performance report card showing mostly "meets or exceeds expectations." Board members praised the small team's work, especially on data centers and housing. Approved unanimously.
• 8C: Data Center Research Presentation: A major agenda item. Director Smith and consultant Natasha Mayevsky (Right Brain Left Brain Communications) presented findings from 37 stakeholder interviews (across academia, industry, labor, environment, government, utilities, tribes) and a public survey that received over 8,000 responses (majority expressing negative sentiment toward data centers). Key themes: water use, energy supply, cost shifting, land use, noise/lighting, decommissioning, community benefits, and the need for regional consistency. The survey showed strong public opposition to data centers in the region. Draft recommendations were presented at local, state, and cross-cutting levels. Board members provided extensive feedback: the need for definitions, better data on actual impacts, expert technical input, and a focus on actions within the board's statutory authority (regional coordination, not direct regulation). Several members suggested hiring an expert firm to develop concrete best-practice recommendations for local jurisdictions. No vote was taken on the data center report; it was presented for information and discussion.

Key Outcomes

• Unanimous approval of the Clear Acre Commons regional plan amendment (RPGB Resolution 26-05).
• Unanimous approval of the NV Energy Utility Corridor regional plan amendment (RPGB Resolution 26-06).
• Unanimous approval of the TMRPA Strategic Work Plan and Goals for FY 2627.
• Direction to staff: Based on board discussion on data centers, staff was directed to consider developing a plan to engage an expert firm to produce concrete regional policy recommendations (within TMRPA's statutory authority) and to return with a proposed scope and budget for dedicated resources. The next steps for data center work include finalizing the draft report for the October 2026 RPGB meeting and continuing to gather feedback from the public and stakeholders.
• Legal update: Jessica Prenti reported that a synthesis of expert testimony and public comment on the Sierra Reflections petition for review is being prepared for the September 10, 2026 special meeting. Also, an open meeting law complaint has been filed regarding the May 28 RPC meeting; investigation is ongoing.