Rezoning of residential area angers neighbors

Diana Sahagun

Thursday, Oct. 14, 1999 | 10:59 a.m.

When Candy McGlathery bought her home in North Las Vegas in July, the vacant land behind it was zoned for future residential housing.

But her back yard may soon become an office business park, instead.

McGlathery was one of a handful of angry homeowners who packed North Las Vegas City Hall chambers Wednesday night to oppose a developer's request to amend the city's master plan.

"When the city's master plan was adopted, we placed it in your trust," homeowner Todd Olcott told commissioners. "We're asking you to uphold that trust by upholding the master plan."

But the Planning Commission unanimously approved the request to rezone 98 acres from single-family residential units to allow for an business park.

The request will put the business park 50 feet from the back yard of homes at Cheyenne Avenue and Valley Drive.

This was the second time homeowners had come out in droves to oppose the request. Veltman Consulting Services approached the commission about the change in August, but members voted for a continuance.

Because of the continuance, the new Nevada law that went into effect Oct. 1 requiring a buffer zone of 330 feet between development and residential areas, was not applicable.

More than 20 homeowners walked away frustrated after the meeting, saying the city hadn't followed through on its master plan.

"This area was supposed to be residential," McGlathery said. "That's what the Realtor told us. Otherwise, we wouldn't have bought these homes."