Who’s Driving the ADU Train
Picon was surprised to read that ADUs Accessory Dwelling Units are coming back to the City of Reno Council meeting on July 31, 2024. The city staff will be presenting their recommendations, and you know the council almost ALWAYS follows the of staff reports.
Picon was surprised when reading The Barber Brief, the City of Reno’s Survey/ADUs and STRs had a whopping 1,988 responses. Isn’t the population of Reno close to 275,000 people. The city can’t do better, or did they want the survey to fail. Staff might actually have to listen to residents if there was a robust survey response.
Could this surprising return of ADUs to Reno's City Council agenda be more than meets the eye?
Is it possible that Devon Reese, the ambitious councilmember with mayoral dreams, is playing a long game? Could his world travels be a smokescreen for backroom dealings on ADUs? NO.
Might the unassuming and appointed Miguel Martinez have been prompted to run with the ADU torch. Martinez only runs with a torch when well scripted. Facing a November race against a Republican, Denise Myer, why risk a possible flameout. NO.
What if Kathleen Taylor's Ward 1 campaign struggles are pushing her towards bold moves? Could ADUs be her ace in the hole amidst the Democratic infighting? The Democrats have played their hand and shown they are ‘all in’ for Frank Perez. The Democrats ill-advised Lily Baran she could be arrested and face legal challenges if she took Robert Beadles money and moved forward with a recount. The Dems pseudo-threatened her out of the recount, and pushed ‘their boy’ Frankie Perez in. Taylor is trying to regroup. Where will Baran throw her support. We’re thinking ADU wasn’t uttered by Taylor. NO.
Are we too quick to dismiss Meghan Ebert and Jenny Brekhus as ADU opponents? What if they've had a change of heart that no one saw coming? What are we saying? NO.
Is Mayor Hillary Schieve's silence on this matter speaking volumes? Or is she letting others take the lead, as is her modus operandi, while she pulls strings from the shadows? NO.
And what of Naomi Duerr, the rumored instigator? Is her connection to Reno Planning Commissioner Kerry Rohrmeier more than just a friendly fundraiser? Could there be a deeper agenda at play?
Reno Planning Commissioner Kerry Rohrmeier, lobbyist extraordinaire for Ormat threw an event for Duerr. We wrote about Dr. Rohrmeier fundrasier back on April 30, 2024 at her home.
Councilmember Duerr makes total sense, she is termed out, has nothing to lose, and by running for State Senate she’s proven politics are still an option.
But the timing is questionable, why now, with the general election looming? Who stands to gain from this timing? Is there a hidden benefactor pushing for ADUs behind the scenes?
If Duerr is indeed the driving force, what's her endgame? Is this a parting gift to certain interests as she eyes her next political move? Or is it a strategic play to secure future support?
In the end, are we asking the right questions about who's really driving the train in Reno's ADU saga?
