Editorial: Las Vegas’ vote delay is a mistake

Thursday, Feb. 11, 1999 | 11:57 a.m.

Present a contentious issue to elected officials and more often than not they will postpone a decision with the stated purpose of wanting to find a compromise. Such an approach in governing is the right thing to do in many circumstances, but sometimes delaying a vote is actually done with the hope that an issue involving controversy will just fade away.

Especially when it comes to developers seeking an exemption to zoning standards, elected officials will put off making a decision on the request in the hope that neighborhood residents who protest the project will eventually tire of repeatedly having to show up at the meetings. After all, it is a hardship for the homeowner to miss a day of work, unlike the developer's representatives, whose job it is to appear before government bodies, such as a city council.

So the Las Vegas City Council's 90-day delay Monday on the most controversial aspect of the Town Center development -- the request for 90-foot-high signs for car dealerships -- while not surprising, is still disappointing. The City Council on May 10 will address the landscaping plan and a compromise that two of the signs not be taller than 79 feet. But it's hard to believe that much will change in three months -- other than residents growing tired of having to show up for yet another meeting involving the commercial development standards for Town Center.

In fairness to both the developer and the area residents, the City Council should have made a decision on Monday. An extensive series of hearings has already been held on setting the best design standards for the huge commercial development in the Town Center project. Compromises have already been reached -- Monday was the time to act.

Approving a 90-foot sign, or even the 79-foot alternative that has been offered, might seem minor to some, but for residents who live nearby it is anything but minor. Besides, this sets up a troubling precedent that will allow others to come forward and seek changes to design standards. As Theresa O'Donnell, director of the city's Planning and Development Department, wrote in a memo to the City Council: "Approval of any waiver of the Town Center Signage Standards will make future enforcement virtually impossible."

The Town Center is a laudable approach to dealing with the emerging issue of suburban sprawl. The intent was to mirror the success the master-planned Summerlin community has had in finding the right balance between commercial and residential development. Refusing to support strict standards on Monday has sent the wrong signal, making residents question the City Council's intent in this endeavor.