In addition to Meghan Ebert on City Council, Manny Becerra, on our Planning Commission, is emerging as a new persistent opponent to Reno’s business as usual.
Of late, Becerra, a former Tesla employee, founder of Bristlecone Labs, and a Planning Commissioner since July 2023, has been trying to put the brakes on data centers.
He recently wrote a letter asking the Reno City Council for a moratorium on data centers, saying it would not be “to hinder progress but to allow the City to take a proactive and thoughtful approach to understanding the impacts of this emerging land use.”
Becerra wrote he hopes a pause would ensure any future green lights align with Reno’s plan for the future balancing “sustainability, economic growth, workforce development, and quality of life for all residents.”
The proposed resolution will be discussed as Item 5 at Wednesday’s Planning Commission meeting, and if passed, would go to the Reno City Council.
The City Council recently approved a data center in the North Valleys, despite opposition from the Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter, and ethical concerns over former city manager Doug Thornley’s involvement as a lawyer advancing the project just a few months after he stepped down from his powerful city position.
Another data center heading our way is on Keystone Ave in a busy commercial area, with environmental and energy sucking concerns over that project as well.
Most data centers are typically situated in suburban areas with more available land and lower real estate costs. Across the country, data centers in urban areas are driving up the price of land, taking up spots which could have other uses, such as affordable housing, and driving a surge in electricity demand, especially amid the rise of new AI tools.