Temporary pause put on new data centers in Reno. Now what?

The Reno City Council voted to enact a temporary moratorium, pausing the processing of new data center applications until June 13. This decision follows a special meeting that included six hours of public comment and 176 public letters, with most favoring the pause. Council member Naomi Duerr noted the unprecedented community outpouring, while Council member Kathleen Taylor cast the sole dissenting vote, criticizing the moratorium as "bad business" and "lazy." Taylor argued for thoughtful, predictable conversations with regional partners instead. Council member Brandi Anderson, despite not wanting a moratorium, supported the vote to allow the council time to develop new regulations. The council has also requested that changes to data center regulations be fast-tracked, though no vote date has been set. Currently, Reno's city code defines data centers under general warehouse development requirements, lacking specific regulations for water usage, power usage, or noise levels. Data centers currently only require a conditional-use permit to proceed. The city approved its first data center in 2025, the Webb Data Center, an 82,000-square-foot industrial building in the North Valleys.