Editorial: Endorse a better idea for planning

Sunday, Dec. 6, 1998 | 8:32 a.m.

So far all of the local governments, except for Las Vegas, have agreed to be members of the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition as the successor to the Southern Nevada Strategic Planning Authority, which was created by the 1997 Legislature. If the Las Vegas City Council opts not to go along, it most likely would unravel any realistic hopes that this coalition would be created.

As the Sun's Scott Reeder reported Thursday, under the proposal decisions that impact several government jurisdictions would be referred to the coalition for advice before a local governing body, such as the city of Las Vegas or Clark County, takes action. The area's traffic congestion, haphazard zoning decisions, overcrowded schools and polluted air all point to a need for better planning to improve Southern Nevadans' quality of life.

This paper's editorial page has long endorsed the consolidation of government services in Southern Nevada. While ultimately consolidation is the best option, there is not the necessary support for it at this time. Something needs to be done, however, to foster better planning in Southern Nevada. Doing nothing could derail any chance of some dialogue on growth issues and would be a step in the wrong direction.

An advisory coalition is not a panacea, and it shouldn't be too surprising if some governing boards might resist the recommendations of the advisory panel. But Southern Nevada has to start somewhere in implementing better planning and this coalition presents the best chance this valley has had in recent years to promote sensible growth. The Las Vegas City Council should endorse a regional planning coalition.