A pilot program for live music and entertainment was unanimously approved by Reno’s planning commission Thursday to lessen the permitting obstacles for Midtown and downtown businesses.
Currently, if businesses want any form of indoor live music past 11 p.m. — whether it’s karaoke, a live band or trivia — they are required to get a conditional-use permit.
For outdoor venues, a permit is required to play past 10 p.m.
This conditional-use permit requires a public hearing at the planning commission, a $5,000 application fee, two to three months of negotiations and approvals, and a handful of other requirements so businesses are up to code before being granted the permit.
With the pilot program, this process for indoor live entertainment will go away temporarily — but only for incoming businesses to downtown and Midtown, what the city deems the “entertainment core.”
Outdoor bars or entertainment will still be required to get a conditional-use permit for live entertainment after 10 p.m.
The pilot program would not apply to current businesses. Reno’s assistant development services director, Angela Fuss, said it is intended to test whether cutting red tape would be an incentive for bringing new businesses into the area.
“The intent here is to look at how we can help these small businesses open up and operate with live entertainment faster,” Fuss said at the meeting.
“Again, less red tape to get through, but also puts in some guardrails to make sure that we’re addressing the people that live downtown.”
The pilot program is set for 18 months, and also requires a more in-depth security plan for each business. The planning staff, code enforcement and Reno Police Department will review and approve the security plans.
Downtown resident Naomi Tsuda said eliminating the permitting process will take away the public’s opportunity to give input about businesses, and it will take away the guardrails already in place.
“It’s all great when everybody follows the rules, but the problem is when they don’t,” Tsuda said. “This will just make it worse.”
For the next 18 months, the city will track complaints and calls for service, then consider a permanent change for the city code and licensing rules.
The Reno City Council will have final approval on the change.
Jaedyn Young covers local government for the Reno Gazette-Journal. Her wages are 100% funded by donations and grants; if you’d like to see more stories like this one, please consider donating at RGJ.com/donate. Send your story ideas and feedback to Jaedyn at [email protected].
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