Where I Stand—Bruce Woodbury: Valley depends on unity

Tuesday, Aug. 10, 1999 | 9:21 a.m.

Editor's note: In August, Where I Stand is written by guest columnists. Today's guest, Clark County Commission Chairman Bruce Woodbury, has served as a commissioner since 1981 and has also been integrally involved with the Regional Flood Control District and Regional Transportation Commission. He writes about the importance of regional thinking when it comes to planning for the Las Vegas Valley. TRAVELING ACROSS our valley, jurisdictional boundaries are invisible to our residents and visitors.

Roads do not simply end as you cross from the city of North Las Vegas to the city of Las Vegas, flood channels aren't blocked off once you hit Henderson, and a pounding rainstorm does not suddenly stop in cartoon fashion because you've entered the Boulder City limits.

Although local services in Southern Nevada are delivered by five distinct cities, as well as Clark County, regional thinking is critical to meeting the long-term needs of our valley. While cooperative efforts on area-wide issues such as flood control and transportation are not new to our valley, this spirit of regionalism -- of working together across jurisdictional lines -- has come to the forefront recently through several key initiatives which hold promise for the future.

Starting with the creation of our county back in 1909, services that can most efficiently be performed regionally -- such as elections, various courthouse and law enforcement agencies, the recording of important documents and property assessment -- have been vested with Clark County. Other regional services such as the airports were added to the county's responsibilities in 1948.

As early as the 1950s and continuing to the present, the need for valley-wide partnerships focusing on common issues has led to the creation of successful regional agencies such as the District Board of Health, Southern Nevada Water Authority, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Regional Transportation Commission and Regional Flood Control District.

With Southern Nevada's continued dramatic growth, local governments have been challenged to maintain high standards for quality of life issues like education, public safety, recreation and transportation. To meet this challenge new and more effective means for regional communication and cooperation were needed. Support for regional cooperation to meet the impacts of growth was strong at both the 1997 and 1999 Nevada legislative sessions.

One of the key topics for Southern Nevada at the 1997 Legislature was the formation of the Southern Nevada Strategic Planning Authority, tasked with evaluating growth-related issues and recommending strategies for the 1999 Legislature. The SNSPA effort, which included participation from business and public at large, as well as local governments, resulted in a strategic plan for meeting the challenges of growth -- an unprecedented 20-year blueprint for the future of our valley.

Last year I proposed to the SNSPA an agreement among the cities and the county to form a Regional Planning Coalition. One of the first recommendations of the SNSPA, and a step toward further defining regional goals, was the development of a permanent regional planning board.

The Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition, including Clark County and the cities of Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas and Boulder City, was created through an interlocal agreement in 1998 and then formalized by the Legislature this year. Building on the work of the SNSPA, the coalition is preparing a regional policy plan, focusing on concerns that affect us all -- from economic development and land-use planning to environmental issues.

The coalition may also consider such tasks as: establishing standards for population projections, identifying measures to make government services more efficient and cost effective, and coordinating efforts to ensure an accurate count in the upcoming census.

In another key regional initiative, Clark County recently entered into an agreement with the city of Henderson regarding annexation and future planning strategies. This agreement looks toward the future, ensuring joint planning for land use and transportation, as well as water and sewer infrastructure in the areas where the county and Henderson share common boundaries.

As chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, the Regional Transportation Commission and the new Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition, I have seen a responsive shift toward a more regional approach to meeting common challenges. Successful efforts have focused on coordination and planning, without compromising local governments' ability to address the personalized needs of their communities.

While big-picture thinking will help ensure that rural neighborhoods don't suddenly change to industrial parks as you cross a city border, we cannot lose sight of the fact that unique neighborhoods have unique priorities and attitudes.

This need to address specific local concerns, while coordinating efforts on key regional issues, will define the way local government works in the future. Striking a successful balance will bring about the cooperation needed to ensure that the jurisdictional walls remain invisible, and that we are able to meet the challenges of the next millennium together.