Zoning issue divides community

Erin Neff

Thursday, Dec. 2, 1999 | 11:30 a.m.

Contentious zoning issues pitting car dealers against churches, residents against developers and homeowners groups against each other dominated nearly seven hours of debate Wednesday afternoon before the Las Vegas City Council.

The afternoon zoning session began with a hand-joined prayer circle outside the council chambers -- begging the city to negotiate with homeless advocates to reinstate three children's parks for use by all residents.

But that peaceful demonstration was quickly replaced by raised voices and occasional name calling as the council waded through a thick agenda of general plan amendments and zoning requests.

Items that the city staff and Planning Commission gave two strict thumbs down ended up with favorable council votes, while some items that seemed to have a green light heading into the council were met with complete turnaround.

For example, City Councilman Gary Reese recommended denying a rezoning on East Owens Avenue to a denser residential use because the applicant had not met with him prior to the meeting.

City staff's support, along with the Planning Commission's unanimous, albeit advisory, vote on Owens Equities Limited Liability Company's request wasn't enough for Reese. Although he motioned for denial, he agreed to hold the item until Jan. 5 so that the developer could present plans to him.

But an item that came accompanied by more than 2,000 petition signatures and opposition from a church, city staff and the Planning Commission was unanimously granted.

American Stores Properties Inc. won a general plan amendment, rezoning and site development plan for a proposed 214,300-square-foot Fletcher Jones-Mercedes Benz dealership on West Sahara Avenue.

Councilman Michael McDonald said he thought the car dealership would be a better neighbor to St. Joseph's Husband of Mary Catholic Church than an alternative development allowed under C-1 commercial zoning.

"On this one, I'd have to respect that this is a less intense use," McDonald said.

American Stores Properties said it would allow the church use of 100 parking spaces on Sundays, would never open on Sundays and would not have loudspeakers or outdoor paging systems in use.

The parish had begrudgingly accepted a Jaguar/Porsche dealership on one side of its church two years ago and thought that a line had been drawn in the sand to protect the other side.

"I will tell you that this is the line in the sand now," McDonald said.

A proposed church found itself on the losing end of a 20-year struggle for some West Las Vegas residents to build a security wall around their homes in Bonanza Village.

David Jimenez withdrew his proposal for Primera Iglesia Pentacostal Unida at Washington Avenue and Martin Luther King Boulevard after about two dozen residents flanked the lectern in opposition.

Allowing the church, they said, would cut into the space already approved by residents for a special improvement district to build a security wall.

Elsewhere in West Las Vegas, Thompson Development Co. Inc. was granted a plan amendment and zoning change to allow a light industrial/research development adjacent to a single-family home development on Frederick Avenue and Gregory Street.

Jim Thompson Sr. told the council he planned to build a "very attractive buffer" between the single-family homes and what he called a haphazard industrial development on the North Las Vegas side of the Losee Road boundary.

Although both city staff and the Planning Commission objected to the request, 38-year resident Robert Jefferson said he favored the industrial development over another apartment complex that would have trouble getting renters.

At Thompson's request, the city restricted the deed to the land to prohibit any sexually oriented businesses from opening on the industrial site -- even though those uses are allowable under that zoning.

A proposed Sav-on drug store with alcohol sales at Decatur Boulevard and Alta Drive was withdrawn by the applicant sparing one contentious item.

But recommended denial of another retail development -- this one at Farm and Cimarron roads -- was granted approval when Spectrum Commercial Limited agreed to remove a storage facility from the overall 40,442-square-foot center.

Action on all of the above mentioned items was 4-0. Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald did not attend the afternoon session due to her participation in a National League of Cities meeting in Los Angeles.