Bed and Breakfast and Transient Lodging Regulations in the City of Reno
In the City of Reno, Bed and Breakfast Inns are permitted by right in all Mixed-Use Downtown (MD) districts and are allowed via a Minor Conditional Use Permit in various residential and urban districts, provided they are located within historic structures in specific zones. Short-term rentals for periods of less than 28 days are categorized as "transient lodging," a use primarily facilitated through "Hotel-Condominium" designations which are permitted in most Urban and Employment districts. All such uses are subject to specific density, management, and parking requirements established by the City of Reno [Table 3-1, Section 18.09.303].
Permitted Zoning Districts
The following table outlines the permissions for Bed and Breakfast Inns and Hotel-Condominiums (often the classification for short-term rental units in a commercial or multi-family context) across various City of Reno zoning districts.
| District Category | Zoning Districts | Bed and Breakfast Inn | Hotel-Condominium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential | SF-5, SF-8, MF-14 | Minor Conditional (M)* | Prohibited |
| Residential | MF-21, MF-30 | Minor Conditional (M) | Prohibited |
| Urban (Downtown) | MD-ED, MD-UD, MD-ID, MD-RD, MD-NWQ, MD-PD | Permitted (P) | Permitted (P) |
| Urban (Mixed-Use) | MU, MS, MU-MC, MU-RES | Minor Conditional (M) | Permitted (P) |
| Urban (Commercial) | GC, NC, PO | Minor Conditional (M)* | Permitted (P) |
| Employment | IC, ME, MA | Prohibited | Permitted (P)* |
*Subject to use-specific standards or location-based restrictions [Table 3-1].
Bed and Breakfast Inn Standards
In the City of Reno, a Bed and Breakfast Inn is defined as providing overnight accommodations and a morning meal in a dwelling unit for compensation [Section 18.09.301]. These establishments must adhere to the following technical and operational standards:
| Standard | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Guest Room Limit | Maximum of six guest rooms |
| On-site Management | The operator must reside on-site |
| Occupancy Limit | Individual guest stays are limited to one month per three-month period |
| Historic Requirement | In SF-5, SF-8, MF-14, PO, and NC districts, the inn must be in a structure on the City Register of Historic Places or within a local historic district |
| Cooking Facilities | Not permitted within guest rooms |
| Minimum Landscaping | 20 percent of the site must be landscaped |
| Parking Screening | Off-street guest parking must be screened by a six-foot fence or dense landscaping |
[Section 18.03.304(c)(1)]
Short-Term Rental and Hotel-Condominium Standards
The City of Reno defines "Transient Lodging" as the rental of a room for fewer than 28 consecutive days [Section 18.09.303]. Use-specific standards for Hotel-Condominiums include:
- Recycling: All facilities must provide on-site recycling containers [Section 18.03.304(c)(2)].
- Mixed-Use Airport (MA) District: These uses must be located within one-half mile of the airport terminal and are prohibited within the Airport Critical Area [Section 18.03.304(c)(2)].
Parking Requirements
The City of Reno mandates specific parking ratios based on the "Parking District" Level. Level 1 generally applies to the Mixed-Use Urban (MU) and Mixed-Use Midtown Commercial (MU-MC) districts, while Level 2 applies to most other areas [Section 18.04.705].
| Use Type | Level 1 Parking District (Min.) | Level 2 Parking District (Min.) |
|---|---|---|
| Bed and Breakfast Inn | 1 space per guest room | 1 space per guest room |
| Hotel-Condominium | 1 per 2 guest rooms* | 0.72 per guest room* |
*Plus parking as required for other uses within the facility [Table 4-6].
Sections Cited
- Section 18.03.206, Table of Allowed Uses
- Section 18.03.304, Commercial Uses (Use-Specific Standards)
- Section 18.04.705, Off-Street Parking Requirements
- Section 18.09.301, Definitions of Use Categories and Use Types
- Section 18.09.303, Temporary Uses (includes general definitions like Transient Lodging)