Design Manual

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The purpose of this manual is to establish minimum requirements for design, plans, testing, inspection, and supporting documents. The requirements herein, unless otherwise noted, apply to public and private improvements. It makes reference to and is to be used in conjunction with the Standard Specifications for Public Works Construction and Standard Details for Public Works Construction, latest editions. Additional design publications referenced herein include, but are not limited to:

A Policy on Geometric Designs of Highways, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
American National Standard Practice for Roadway Lighting, Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, July, 1983.
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
Asphalt Institute Manual Series No. 1
Flood Insurance Rate Map, Federal Emergency Management Agency
Floodways Map, Federal Emergency Management Agency
Guidelines for Development of New Bicycle Facilities, AASHTO
Guidelines for Urban Major Street Design, Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE)
HEC-1, HEC-2, HEC-RAS, Army Corps of Engineers
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), Federal Highway Administration
Reno Municipal Code
Technical Release No. 55, Urban Hydrology for Small Watersheds, Soil
Conservation Service
The Blue Book (A Reference Manual of Nevada Law Governing Design
for the Construction Industry)
Truckee Meadows Construction Site Best Management Practices Handbook (Truckee Meadows Regional Stormwater Quality Management Program), February 2003

The requirements herein apply to a Public Works Project, Subdivision, Special Use Permit, Site Plan Review, Parcel Map, Maps of Dedication, Zone Change, Annexation, excavation/encroachment permit or building permit.

This manual is intended to cover only standard situations encountered in design. Non-standard situations that arise which are not covered in this Manual are to be designed in accordance with accepted engineering practices, the Standard Specifications for Public Works Construction, Standard Details for Public Works Construction, shall contain supporting data, shall be subject to the approval in writing of the City Engineer, and shall not be authorized in any case for any purposes of mere convenience or economy.

Atypical situations may arise with respect to standards covered by this manual, and in such cases, the City Engineer may authorize alternative standards, provided that any such alternative standards are the equivalent of the design standards and are in accordance with accepted engineering practices, provided that such alternatives shall not be authorized in any case for any purposes of mere convenience or economy, and provided further that such alternatives with all supporting data be submitted to the City Engineer in writing for his review and approval.

Additional information, explanation, calculation, details, non-standard parts approvals, warranties, instruction manuals, references or other design elements may be required at the discretion of the City Engineer.

The City does not assume maintenance responsibility for access, drainage facilities, sanitary sewer facilities, and their associated structures located outside the limits of dedicated street rights-of-way or public easements, or which are not constructed to City standards for public facilities.

Private facilities for access, drainage and sewerage located on private streets, lots or parcels are to be owned and maintained by the property owners.

All on-site private improvements are certified to the Community Development Department, Building Division, except as provided herein.

Users of this manual are cautioned that other policies or standards may apply. Examples include those provided by the Regional Transportation Commission; State of Nevada Department of Transportation; Washoe County; City of Reno, Fire Department; and City of Reno, Downtown Redevelopment District.

Please call 775-334-2548 for more information.

To receive updates of Design Manual changes, please sign up for Reno Connect. When signing up or updating this service, please select the "Public Works" option.

Manual Updates
November 1, 2000 - Effective Date of Design Manual.
March 1, 2004 - Revised Date of Design Manual.
March 10, 2005 - Revised Hold Harmless Agreement (A11).
November 22, 2005 - Revised Hold Harmless Agreement (A11).
June 30, 2006 - Revised Date of Design Manual.
June 30, 2007 - Revised Date of Design Manual.
February 11, 2009 - Revised Date of Design Manual.
January 27, 2016 - Revised Chapter VI.

Design Manual
Download City of Reno Design Manual in its entirety.	Design Manual
Download "Hold Harmless Agreement" in MS Word format.	Hold Harmless
Table of Contents	TOC.pdf
Introduction	introduction.pdf
Resolution Adopting Revisions to Design Manual	resolution.pdf
Definitions	definitions.pdf
Chapter I: Streets	streets.pdf
Chapter II: Storm Drainage	storm.pdf
Chapter III: Erosion Control and Landscaping	erosion.pdf
Chapter IV: Sanitary Sewers	sewer.pdf
Chapter V: Improvement Plans	improvement.pdf
Chapter VI: Inspections, Testing and Verification and Quality Assurance Program (QAP)	inspection.pdf
Chapter VII: Street Lighting	lighting.pdf
Chapter VIII: Certificates and Procedures for Maps	maps.pdf
Chapter IX: Reclaimed Water	water.pdf
Chapter X: Post Construction Storm Water Quality Management	waterquality.pdf
Appendixes Table of Contents	appendTOC.pdf
Appendix A: Improvement Plans	appendA.pdf
Appendix B: Traffic	appendB.pdf
Appendix C: Excavation and Service Parking Permits	appendC.pdf
Appendix D: Final Maps and Supporting Documents	appendD.pdf
Appendix E: Deleted

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