More punch sought for planning group

Scott Reeder

Thursday, March 25, 1999 | 11:17 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Southern Nevada needs a powerful planning board that will make the tough decisions that affect the entire region.

At least that is the contention of Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, who is pushing for giving the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition more power.

The newly formed coalition exists as an advisory group to various local governments in Clark County. It consists of representatives of Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, North Las Vegas and Boulder City.

But Giunchigliani has been one of the most vocal critics of the group, saying that a more powerful group needs to oversee regional planning issues.

But during Wednesday's Assembly Governmental Relations Committee meeting she was more conciliatory.

"I've come to realize that this is the group that exists right now. We need to see what we can do to make it a more powerful group -- to push things along," she said.

Giunchigliani added there is resistance from some local governments to giving the coalition the ultimate say on regional planning issues. In fact, the city of Las Vegas is the only local government that has signed on in support of Assembly Bill 493.

The bill would give the coalition the power to veto a project endorsed by a local government if the project is of regional consequence. It also would give the coalition the authority to overrule the decision of a local government to not allow a specific project, she said.

For example, a large residential development in one city may affect the traffic patterns in a neighboring city so the coalition would have the power to approve or disapprove the project.

Betsy Fretwell, the city of Henderson's lobbyist, said her city is opposed to this piece of legislation.

"I don't think the city of Henderson is ready to sit on a coalition and mediate a land dispute between say Las Vegas and Clark County," Fretwell said. "There is also a question of fairness. Should a property owner in Las Vegas have someone from Henderson tell him what he can do with his property? He didn't elect that person. He can't vote that person out of office."

But Giunchigliani said it is important that there is a group forcing local governments to think in a regional way. She added her bill would force the coalition to develop a detailed plan for dealing with growth in the Las Vegas Valley within 18 months of the legislation passing.

Phil Rosenquist, an assistant planning manager for Clark County, said he is concerned that under this bill the coalition could interfere with functions traditionally performed by county and city government.

"We don't want the coalition to be going through and determining how individual parcels will be zoned," he said.