Henderson: Calico Ridge residents win; taxpayers lose

Lisa Snedeker

Wednesday, April 7, 1999 | 11:06 a.m.

Nearly a year, a mediation and more than $500,000 in taxpayer money later, the city of Henderson Tuesday gave the residents of Calico Ridge what they wanted in an attempt to end the debate over neighboring industrial development.

The City Council voted 5-0 to pay the developer of the 20.5-acre Eagle Rock Industrial Park $500,000 to, among other things, restrict the height of any future buildings to 28 feet and to provide a minimum of 75 feet of open space between any future development and the custom homes as part of its planned unit development.

"We got what we wanted," said Bob Reynolds, president of the Calico Ridge Owners Association, following the 2 1/2-hour debate that more than 60 homeowners attended. "We got the best deal we were going to get, and we feel it is better for everyone."

Reynolds said the height and buffer restrictions that were finally agreed upon were the same ones the homeowners had asked for in their last meeting with the city before beginning the mediation process. The council's decision also averted a possible class-action lawsuit the homeowners were considering filing against the city, he said.

But not everyone was pleased by the decision that will benefit Calico Ridge, a residential subdivision of about 400 homes on Henderson's northeast side, and will come out of the pockets of the remainder of the city's estimated 160,000 taxpayers.

Resident Jim Miller got into a heated argument with Mayor Jim Gibson and Councilman Jack Clark.

"I'm not a resident of Calico Ridge, and I don't want to pay this lady (representative for the developer) money," Miller said. "You (mayor) said Calico Ridge residents should have been aware (of the neighboring industrial park zoning). You want innocent people to pay."

Gibson responded that by reaching a compromise and giving the developer $500,000 in compensation for numerous concessions requested by Calico Ridge homeowners, the city could save millions of dollars in legal fees.

"Every time the city ends up litigating this it costs us (all)," said the mayor, who is an attorney. "It would be a horrendous mistake to give lawyers and judges (money and the power to dictate a decision) because we will all lose."

Clark added that while he does not want to pay the $500,000 and he does not like the solution, he has to be realistic. "This is the best place we are going to be," he said.

The mayor, who described his decision as Solomonesque, said he did not know what else to do.

"This is as difficult a thing as I ever hoped to face," he said.

Residents of Calico Ridge, near Olsen Street and Lake Mead Drive, have loudly protested planned development on the industrially zoned land next to their homes at council and Citizens Advisory Committee meetings since last summer.

Many claim they did not know the open desert next to their custom homes was zoned industrial, and they were worried the development would increase crime, traffic congestion and noise while destroying their quality of life.

Marlene Michaels, represented Eagle Rock, which is the largest parcel of about 60 acres zoned for industrial use at the northeast corner of Eagle Rock Road and Nancy Jay Street, some of which could come as close as 20 feet from the Calico Ridge community.

Reynolds said the council's decision brought an end to the Eagle Rock skirmish, but the battle is far from over. He added, however, that he thought a precedent had been set concerning building heights and buffering.

"The other battles won't be as difficult," he said.

In response to the residents' concerns, the matter was referred late last year to the city attorney's office for mediation, which had reached an impasse.

The Henderson Planning Commission approved the Eagle Rock development with numerous conditions in February, but the item had been continued at the last few City Council meetings in attempt for the developer to work out a compromise with both residents and the city over the already approved building heights of 35 feet, which were reduced to 28 feet.

The city, Michaels maintained, had agreed to compensate her for additional land she leaves for buffering and reduction of building heights.