North Las Vegas: Longtime pig farmer claims court victory

Diana Sahagun

Thursday, Nov. 4, 1999 | 10:26 a.m.

Bob Combs is a tired farmer, but a happy one.

After more than three hours of testimony in Clark County District Court Wednesday, Combs got the verdict he was waiting for: Innocent on charges he violated an ordinance 30 years ago.

Visiting Justice of the Peace Marley Robinson struck down the charge that the 60-year-old owner of R.C. Farms violated a county zoning ordinance. She did not elaborate on her decision.

For Combs the ruling means he will finally have complete control of his land, and things will quiet down for a while.

"It makes you feel like now you can get back to work, back to serving the community," he said.

The Combs family owns about 150 acres in an island of unincorporated county land north of Ann Road that is surrounded by the city of North Las Vegas. On the land east of North Fifth Street the family operates R.C. Farms, which recycles 30 tons of food waste a day. The family also keeps livestock on the 80 acres west of North Fifth Street across the street from the new Greystone Housing Development.

The property in question was the 80-acre parcel. Prosecutors argued that the land is zoned for residential estates while Combs has been putting cattle on it.

Attorney Dirk Ravenholt, who represents Combs, said the current zoning classification was adopted in the mid-1970s. During the hearing he told prosecutors that Combs bought the land five years before the zoning change, thus giving him protection of a grandfather clause permitting uses that were in existence at the time of the changes.

Prosecutors contended that the grandfather clause did not apply to Combs because he did not have livestock on the land when the ordinance was passed.

Six witnesses, including 85-year-old resident and cowboy Jack White, testified that cattle had always been on the property. White said he had seen cattle on the land since the 1930s.

"We consider it a real victory for our community," Combs said. "People were worried about what the outcome might be, and I hope the verdict will give them new faith in the judicial system."

The hearing was the latest in a series of controversies involving R.C. Farms, nearby residents and local governments.

The city of North Las Vegas has attempted to annex Combs' land numerous times, along with an additional 370 acres surrounding the farm. Combs said he has been approached by numerous developers asking him to sell his property.

Combs said he's had a positive relationship with the county, but the accusations put him between a rock and a hard place.

"This was a big trial for us because we considered ourselves friends of the county, and we didn't want to be put in an adversarial position," he said. "It's kind of like brother fighting brother."