Staying true to the city's newly crafted master plan, the Reno City Council on Wednesday voted to deny a massive housing development planned for the community's last natural floodplain.

The developers of the proposed 4,700-unit Daybreak project on the former Butler Ranch in southeast Reno, argued they had engineered solutions to all of the technical challenges presented by the site: flood storage, mercury-contaminated soils, high ground water levels and traffic issues.

They also argued that this in-fill development wouldn't tax infrastructure the way far-flung developments do and argued the region is in severe need of the housing units.

But in a 6-1 vote, the council decided to heed the city's master plan, which highly discourages development in the flood plain.

"I have great respect for engineers and particularly the ones working on this project. Here's the policy question. Because we can move the water, channelize the creek, build in the flood plain, should we?" said Councilwoman Naomi Duerr. "Is it good public policy... or do we leave some areas to be a natural sponge."

Councilman Oscar Delgado, who represents the ward where the project would be built, was astounded the council would continue to consider a project given the increasing severity of area flooding with climate change and the lack of certainty over changing stream flow models and flood levels.

"I can't see why we're even hearing this," he said. "It's beyond me that we're not prepared and the project isn't preparing for the uncertainties and unintended consequences for the communities around them."

Councilwoman Bonnie Weber was the only council member to vote in favor of the project.

"In my mind this, is a no brainer. We need the housing," she said. "The future here is something we need to be looking at."

Public comment on the project was split. Residents in the area opposed the project, worried it would exacerbate flooding issues, traffic problems and fire protection scarcity. Builders, developers and trade unions spoke in favor of the development, pointing to the a housing crisis rooted in a lack of housing supply.

Councilman David Bobzien said the area likely will be developed in the future.

"We need the housing mix, but it needs to be done in recognition that this is a very sensitive area," he said.