Panel favors limit on city plan changes

Denise Cardinal

Friday, April 10, 1998 | 10:16 a.m.

The general plan for the city of Las Vegas should be changed only four times a year instead of at every City Council meeting, the city's Planning Commission decided Thursday.

General plans are regarded in most cities as long-range designs. The idea is to avoid piecemeal development that results in projects next to each other that are incompatible. The plans also allow homebuyers and builders to see what kinds of uses will surround new developments. Real-estate agents are required by law to notify homebuyers of what the general plan has slated for the property surrounding their homes.

But the Las Vegas City Council has been regarding the plans as short-term designs. At every City Council meeting of late, the plans were changed, usually at the request of developers seeking higher residential densities on their parcels.

In 1997, there were 71 changes made to the general plan, 57 in 1996, 60 in 1995 and 97 in 1994.

Most cities change their general plan once every few years. North Las Vegas is in the process of changing its general plan, which it hasn't touched since 1993. Henderson, however, also is altering its general plan almost every meeting.

During a public-comment period at Thursday's Planning Commission, representative s of homeowners associations said they were sick and tired of having to attend every Planning Commission and City Council meeting to keep abreast of the changes.

Fewer changes to the plan would give city staff a longer time period in which to consider requests by developers, said Linda Fionda, head of the Northwest Citizens Association. "It would also give developers time to meet with residents, and limit the number of times these items are held in abeyance," she said.

The Southern Nevada Homebuilders Association also weighed in on the issue. Attorney Ed Lubbers, representing the association, told the commission that his clients do not favor cutting down the number of times a master plan can be changed.

"That would cause a considerable delay in building," he said. "And that would increase costs. There are a number of transactions that are based on zoning changes. That would have a catastrophic effect on deals. It's not that we have no sympathy for the city's staff, but the fact is developers run this town. They're important to this community."

The Planning Commission, which decides on general plan amendments at almost every meeting, agreed with the homeowners that the plan is being altered too often to keep track of and that homebuilders were taking advantage of it.

"What happens is that a developer applies for a general plan amendment, comes down here, and sees all the residents opposed to it. Then they say, 'We haven't had time to meet with residents yet.' Then they hold if off another month or so," said Commissioner Leni Skaar, who also suggested the measure be written to require that builders meet with homeowners before even applying for an amendment.

The City Council will consider the issue next month.