MU-MC: Mixed-Use Midtown Commercial District in Reno
The MU-MC: Mixed-Use Midtown Commercial district in Reno serves as a pedestrian-oriented corridor along South Virginia Street, supporting a vibrant mix of retail, services, and high-density housing. Development in this district allows for building heights up to 75 feet within one block of Virginia Street and imposes no maximum density limits for parcels located within 600 feet of the corridor [Section 18.02.312].
Purpose and General Character
The MU-MC: Mixed-Use Midtown Commercial district is intended to promote a pedestrian-oriented mix of commercial, retail, and service uses within the Midtown area of Reno. A defining characteristic of the MU-MC: Mixed-Use Midtown Commercial district is its focus on the South Virginia Street corridor, where higher-density housing (exceeding 30 units per acre) is concentrated. The district’s regulations are specifically crafted to ensure that the site design, scale, and overall use remain consistent with established adjacent neighborhoods while enhancing the area's urban, walkable character [Section 18.02.312].
General standards in the MU-MC: Mixed-Use Midtown Commercial district require buildings to be oriented toward the street to promote a "main street" experience. Parking is intentionally de-emphasized, required to be accessed from alleys or sides of buildings and located behind the front facade [Section 18.04.1005].
Permitted Land Uses
The MU-MC: Mixed-Use Midtown Commercial district in Reno allows a broad range of residential, public, and commercial uses, emphasizing high-intensity urban development.
Residential Uses
- Permitted (P): Duplex, Triplex, Fourplex, Live/Work, Multi-family, Single-Family Attached, Assisted Living Facility, Boarding or Rooming House, Convent or Monastery, Group Home, Private Dorm, and Single-Room-Occupancy (SRO) [Table 3-1].
- Minor Conditional Use (M): Fraternity or Sorority House [Table 3-1].
Public and Institutional Uses
- Permitted (P): Library, Art Gallery, or Museum; Minor Government Facility; Private Club or Lodge; Public Park; Religious Assembly [Table 3-1].
- Conditional Use (C): Public Meal or Homeless Service Provider (subject to specific locations and standards) [Table 3-1].
Commercial and Retail Uses
- Permitted (P): Bar, Lounge, or Tavern; Commercial Kitchen; Microbrewery, Distillery, or Winery; Bed and Breakfast Inn; Hotel; Call Center; Financial Institution; General Office; Recording Studio; Personal Services (General); Wedding Chapel; Amusement or Recreation (Inside); Country Club (Private); Event Center or Banquet Hall; Convenience Store; General Retail; Plant Nursery or Garden Supply [Table 3-1].
- Minor Conditional Use (M): Bakery (Retail); Restaurant; and Amusement or Recreation (Outside) [Table 3-1].
- Conditional Use (C): Convention Center; Cannabis Dispensary; and Package Alcohol Sales [Table 3-1].
Industrial and Other Uses
- Permitted (P): Food Processing or Wholesale Bakery; Maintenance, Repair, or Renovation Business; and Printing and Publishing [Table 3-1].
- Conditional Use (C): Data Center; and Indoor Manufacturing, Processing, Assembly, or Fabrication [Table 3-1].
Development and Dimensional Standards
Development in the MU-MC: Mixed-Use Midtown Commercial district is governed by specific standards regarding density, setbacks, and building height to maintain its urban profile.
Table: MU-MC Dimensional Standards
| Standard | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Minimum Density | 18 du/acre (within 300' of Virginia St) [Section 18.04.1003] |
| Maximum Density | No limit within 600' of Virginia St; 30 du/acre elsewhere [Section 18.02.312] |
| Minimum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) | 0.5 (within 300' of Virginia St) [Section 18.04.1003] |
| Maximum Building Height | 75 ft within one block of Virginia St; 35 ft elsewhere [Section 18.02.312] |
| Front Setback (Minimum) | 10 ft (measured from back of curb) [Section 18.04.1003] |
| Side/Rear Setback (Minimum) | 0 ft (increases to 10 ft if building exceeds 24' in height) [Table 2-25] |
| Street-Facing Garage Setback | 20 ft (from sidewalk or planned sidewalk) [Table 2-25] |
| Building Separation | 10 ft between principal buildings [Table 2-25] |
Architecture and Design
To preserve the aesthetic quality of Reno, the MU-MC: Mixed-Use Midtown Commercial district prohibits the traditional use of certain materials as primary building finishes, including sheet metal siding, concrete panels, and smooth-faced gray concrete block. Creative, non-traditional incorporation of these materials may be permitted [Section 18.04.1005].
Buildings must also meet transparency requirements to engage the street:
- Ground Floor Transparency: A minimum of 20 percent of the total street-facing area of the ground floor must consist of transparent window openings [Section 18.04.1005].
- Step-backs: For portions of a building exceeding 24 feet in height, a 1:1 building height step-back or an additional 1-foot horizontal setback is required for each foot of height over 24 feet [Section 18.04.903].
Hours of Operation
Operating hours in the MU-MC: Mixed-Use Midtown Commercial district depend on the property's proximity to South Virginia Street:
- Fronting S. Virginia Street: May operate 24 hours per day without a permit.
- Within one block of Virginia Street: Permitted between 5:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m.
- Other areas: Permitted between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m.
- Note: Operations outside these hours require a conditional use permit [Section 18.04.1005].
Sections Cited
- Section 18.02.312 MU-MC: Mixed-Use Midtown Commercial
- Table 2-25 MU-MC: Lot and Building Standards
- Table 3-1 Table of Allowed Uses
- Section 18.04.903 General Standards for Residential Districts (applied via step-back requirements)
- Section 18.04.1003 General Standards for Urban Districts
- Section 18.04.1005 Supplemental Standards for Other Urban Districts (PO, MU, MU-MC & MU-RES)