Henderson: Planning panel denies senior complex

Valerie Miller

Friday, Oct. 1, 1999 | 10:50 a.m.

The Henderson Planning Commission Thursday recommended denying a proposal for a senior housing project that would bring more commercial development to Horizon Ridge Parkway.

The commission's 6-0 vote against the proposal was based on problems involving inadequate parking and landscaping, incompatibility with the surrounding neighborhood and failure to comply with the Southwest Henderson Study Plan, which suggests development guidelines for the area.

Terra West Development had proposed two 46,956-square-foot, two-story 106-unit buildings for the senior apartment, along with 12 office buildings totaling 60,451 square feet. The complex is proposed for 19.11 acres north of Horizon Ridge Parkway and west of Carnegie Street in the Green Valley Ranch area on the city's southwest side.

Although city planning staff had already recommended denial of the project, which combined commercial uses such as medical offices along with low-income senior housing, about a dozen residents turned out to urge the commission to stop the development.

"This (commercial development) will only increase traffic on Horizon Ridge Parkway and make an impossible situation for residents who live in the area," Karen Sexton told the commission.

Fighting the proposed senior housing project and accompanying commercial development was only the latest in a long line of battles for residents near Horizon Ridge Parkway, according to Sexton.

"Our intent is to preserve what is left of Horizon Ridge Parkway between Eastern Avenue and Green Valley Parkway as a residential parkway," she said.

Earlier this month the City Council decided not to consider widening Horizon Ridge Parkway after hundreds of neighbors turned out for Planning Commission, council and neighborhood meetings to protest the plan.

Sexton brought with her a petition signed by 129 residents opposing the latest project planned near the parkway.

"This (Terra West) property is in the heart of what is left of residentially zoned parcels. If approved, this would lead to the commercialization of land between Eastern Avenue and Green Valley Parkway," Sexton said.

Other residents also worried about the impact that bringing low-income housing to area would have.

"I just don't want low-income housing of any sort near my property," Sheri Kym said. "I don't want my property values driven down."

Developers of the project, though, maintained that affordable senior housing is desperately needed in the Las Vegas Valley, especially with the area's booming senior population.

"This year, 20,000 more seniors have moved into the valley, and this is the fastest-growing segment of the population," Mark Schnippel, owner of Terra West Development, said.

Schnippel said that the attitude of residents opposing the project was a "typical" reaction people have to affordable housing.

"This is the typical 'not in my back yard' mentality," Schnippel said. "It is great to have affordable senior housing but not next to me."

The commission maintained, though, that the problem with the project was that it failed to meet standards for parking and landscaping, as well as failing to comply with the Southwest Henderson Special Study Area Plan.

"This denial is not based on senior housing," Planning Commission Vice-Chairman George Bochanis said. "This development is incompatible with the existing land uses and zoning. It will have a negative impact on traffic on Horizon Ridge Parkway, which we all know will not be widened in the future."