Scotch 80s privatization on hold

Denise Cardinal

Monday, Jan. 12, 1998 | 10:38 a.m.

One neighborhood's plans to privatize its streets has been stalled for the time being.

The Scotch 80s neighborhood, located north of Oakey Boulevard, east of Rancho Drive and south of Charleston Boulevard, asked the Las Vegas City Council in October if it could gate off and privatize its public streets.

The neighborhood was started in the 1950s and has been home to such prominent Las Vegans as Mirage Chairman Steve Wynn and Clark County Commission Chairwoman Yvonne Atkinson Gates.

For years the residents have been battling the city's growing traffic woes and crime rate by installing road closures and medians to reduce traffic in their neighborhood. The City Council, however, voted to take the neighborhood's request off the agenda. Too many of the residents didn't want to have their streets privatized.

"I had my Lexus almost broken into twice," said Jeri Packe, a resident of Scotch 80s at a meeting last fall. "Most of us have been trying to do this for six years. It's a beautiful community, and a lot of people aren't aware that it is an inner city neighborhood. I would like the security of knowing that not just anyone can pop in when they can."

Since then, City Councilman Michael McDonald, who represents the neighborhood, has met with the residents.

"We held a meeting right after the Council decision," McDonald said. "We brought out the city attorney, people from the planning department and public works, and we told the association just what happens if we close the streets."

Since then, McDonald said, the association hasn't decided whether to move forward with its plan.

"I haven't heard anything from them since that meeting," McDonald said.