Senator calls for no-growth boundaries

Larry Henry

Thursday, April 17, 1997 | 10:55 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Sen. Dina Titus says her plan to control urban sprawl in Clark County is literally a "line in the sand."

At least one other lawmaker sees it as red tape.

"It's a duplication (of what the county already does)," said Assemblywoman Sandra Tiffany, R-Henderson. "It's a state mandate that interferes with local authority."

Titus told the Assembly Infrastructure Committee Wednesday that she wants a state law limiting how far out from downtown developers can build.

A jagged circle around the urban core has already been defined by a Clark County Public Lands Task Force that included federal and local agencies, environmentalists and developers. However, the circle lacks the force of state law, she said.

Titus said so-called greenbelts have helped officials in several Western cities do a better job of planning for growth.

"The idea of drawing a ring around the valley stems from the Portland, Ore., plan enacted in the late 1970s, which created urban-growth boundaries and forces local government to ... protect farms, forests and open space," she said.

After the hearing, Titus said her proposal is in response to public concern that no one in government is doing anything to corral growth.

"We have seen a great deal of chaos at the local level," she said. "The burden has been placed at the Legislature."

Titus also wants to require casino executives and developers to submit a written summary on how their projects will affect roads, schools and other growth-related needs. The summary would not be binding, but local officials could use it to gauge the impact of growth.

Tiffany, who serves on the Infrastructure Committee, said that idea is bad because developers already submit plans.

"Does another impact study actually change anything, or does it just add more cost?" she asked.

Titus said she doesn't know what it would cost for developers to prepare a report, but doubts it will be expensive.

Titus also said she supports two measures expected to be introduced soon requiring regional planning in Southern Nevada.

In addition, she wants the no-growth boundary to come under legislative review every 10 years.

The Infrastructure Committee agreed to introduce a bill encompassing Titus' proposal.