LV homeowners sue over library landscaping

Thursday, Feb. 25, 1999 | 10:52 a.m.

A Las Vegas homeowners' association is seeking an injunction to force a library to comply with its landscaping standards.

The Peccole Ranch Community Association has filed suit in Clark County District Court alleging a breach of codes, covenants and restrictions by the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District's Sahara West Library and Fine Arts Museum.

The library at 9600 W. Sahara Ave. opened in January 1997. The 122,000-square-foot facility cost the district $19.5 million to build. The library, which is housing a fine arts book collection, opened to rave reviews for its architectural elegance.

The suit said the association approved landscaping standards as part of its codes, covenants and restrictions approved in 1990. The Peccole CCRs stipulate a greenbelt on property abutting West Sahara Avenue. The CCRs are aimed at maintaining property values.

The City of Las Vegas granted a zone change in December 1992 allowing for the construction of the library at Sahara and Grand Canyon Drive.

When the library was built, the suit says, the Library District disregarded the CCRs and replaced a greenbelt with gravel and desert landscaping.

In addition to seeking the permanent injunction, the association asked for in excess of $10,000 in compensatory damages.

Library District spokeswoman Karen Bramwell Thomas said attorneys have been discussing the landscaping issue with association representatives.

"It is strictly a landscaping issue," she said. "The attorneys are talking and we hope to have this resolved soon."