Guide to the ME: Mixed Employment Zoning District in the City of Reno
The ME: Mixed Employment district in the City of Reno is primarily intended for light manufacturing, research and development, and professional office uses, with a maximum building height of 55 feet. While nonresidential employment is the focus, the City of Reno allows for secondary supportive uses like small-scale retail and restaurants to create a campus-like environment. Large-scale developments in the ME: Mixed Employment district are limited to 500,000 square feet of building area unless a major site plan review is approved.
Purpose and General Character
The ME: Mixed Employment district serves as a versatile zone within the City of Reno designed to accommodate a variety of employment-focused activities. According to the City of Reno land development code, the district’s character is defined by:
- Light Industrial and Flex Space: Focus on light manufacturing, processing, wholesaling, and research and development [Section 18.02.403(a)].
- Office and Campus Environments: Support for professional offices and educational developments that are typically smaller in scale than those found in the Industrial (I) district [Section 18.02.403(a)].
- Supportive Services: Allowance for integrated secondary uses, such as small-scale retail and restaurants, to serve the primary employment base [Section 18.02.403(a)].
Permitted Land Uses
The City of Reno establishes specific permissions for the ME: Mixed Employment district through its Table of Allowed Uses. The primary focus is on employment, though some specialized residential and civic uses are permitted.
Industrial and Employment Uses
- Custom and Craft Manufacturing: Permitted (P).
- Food Processing or Wholesale Bakery: Permitted (P).
- Indoor Manufacturing, Processing, Assembly, or Fabrication: Permitted (P).
- Printing and Publishing: Permitted (P).
- Storage and Warehousing: Including Data Centers and Warehouse/Distribution Centers [Section 18.03.206].
Commercial and Office Uses
- Office, General: Permitted (P).
- Financial Institution: Permitted (P).
- Laboratory: Permitted (P).
- Restaurant and Bakery: Permitted (P).
- Medical Facility, Day Use: Permitted (P).
Residential and Civic Uses
- Live/Work Dwellings: Permitted (P).
- Multi-family/Single-family Attached: Prohibited generally, but allowed in specific geographic areas near Sutro Street and Valley Road with a Minor Conditional Use Permit [Section 18.03.302(c)].
- Civic Facilities: Including Adult Education, Childcare Centers, and Minor Government Facilities [Section 18.03.206].
Technical Development Standards
The City of Reno requires all development in the ME: Mixed Employment district to adhere to specific setbacks, height limits, and intensity standards.
Lot and Building Standards
| Standard | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Minimum Lot Width | None specified [Table 2-29] |
| Maximum Building Area | 500,000 square feet (may exceed with major site plan review) |
| Minimum Front Setback | 10 feet [Table 2-29] |
| Minimum Side Setback | 0 feet (10 feet if adjacent to a residential property) [Table 2-29] |
| Minimum Rear Setback | 0 feet (10 feet if adjacent to a residential property) [Table 2-29] |
| Maximum Height | 55 feet [Table 2-29] |
| Height Step-back | 1 foot of additional step-back for each 1 foot above 35 feet height [Section 18.04.1103(c)(3)] |
Off-Street Parking Requirements
Parking in the ME: Mixed Employment district is typically calculated based on "Level 2" standards unless the property is within a specialized transit corridor.
| Use Type | Level 2 Parking Requirement (Minimum) |
|---|---|
| General Office | 1 space per 400 square feet |
| Manufacturing/Industrial | 1 space per 1,000 square feet |
| Warehouse/Distribution | 1 space per 3,300 square feet |
| Restaurant | 1 space per 200 square feet |
| Medical Facility, Day Use | 1 space per 400 square feet |
Residential Adjacency and Compatibility
When an ME: Mixed Employment project in the City of Reno is located within 300 feet of a residential district, additional compatibility standards apply:
- Buffering: A landscaped area of 10 to 20 feet is required depending on the size of the building [Section 18.04.1103(d)(2)].
- Site Siting: The City of Reno requires the tallest and largest structures to be located within the core of the site, providing a gradual decrease in height toward residential land [Section 18.04.1103(b)(1)].
- Noise and Odor: Loading docks and staging areas must be screened or placed away from residential boundaries to minimize impacts [Section 18.04.1103(d)(1)].
Sections Cited
- Section 18.02.403 ME: Mixed Employment
- Section 18.03.206 Table of Allowed Uses
- Section 18.03.302 Residential Uses
- Section 18.03.304 Commercial Uses
- Section 18.04.1103 General Standards for Employment Districts
- Section 18.04.705 Off-Street Parking Requirements
- Section 18.09.301 Rules of Construction and Definitions (Uses)