Reno City Council Approves Crackdown on Sideshow Spectators and Advances Plan to Draw 6th Ward

NEVADA – The Reno City Council has approved a proposed ordinance to crack down on illegal street racing and sideshow spectators. The move comes after a rise in such events in the Reno-Sparks area over the past year. The proposed ordinance, which mirrors a similar law in Sparks, would make it a misdemeanor to “knowingly attend an unpermitted motor vehicle race, contest or exhibition as a spectator.” Previously, watching street races and sideshows was a misdemeanor until January 2023, when it was decriminalized as a civil infraction by the Nevada legislature. The new ordinance would reclassify it as a criminal misdemeanor.

In addition to cracking down on spectators, Reno Police Chief Kathryn Nance said the new ordinance would help to reduce the number of illegal street racing and sideshow events overall. “The only reasons why sideshows exist is because somebody is watching them and encouraging that behavior,” she said. “If nobody is watching it, they’re not going to do that activity.” The ordinance must be approved a second time before taking effect.

The council also voted to move forward with the process to draw the city’s 6th ward. The wards will be reduced in size by roughly 8,500 residents each to make room for the new ward. The council will hire an outside consultant who did public outreach and drew maps for the 2020 redistricting process. The public outreach feedback process will begin soon, and the maps must be approved this summer to be in effect for the early 2024 candidate filing period.

Credits: Fox Reno