City council briefs for April 7, 2000

Friday, April 7, 2000 | 10:15 a.m.

McDonald moves to protect seal

The City Council introduced proposed legislation this week to protect the city seal, waive some residential parking permits and impose filing fees for pawnshops.

The first bill, sponsored by Councilman Michael McDonald, prohibits the unlawful use of the city seal and city flag.

The proposal stems from an issue that arose during McDonald's re-election campaign last year. One of his opponents used the city's seal in his campaign brochures and on his Internet website.

The bill would make unlawful use of the seal a misdemeanor crime, punishable by a $1,000 fine or six months in jail.

Another bill proposed by McDonald would waive the $20 fee to obtain a residential parking permit in cases where the cost is prohibitive. The fee is already waived for residents 65 and older.

A proposal sponsored by the city's financial director, Mark Vincent, establishes a $60,000 origination fee for new pawnbroker licenses. It also increases the monthly interest rates pawnbrokers can charge from 8 to 10 percent.

All of the bills will be heard before the Recommending Committee at 4 p.m. April 17 in the eighth-floor conference room in City Hall.

Park planned at college campus

The city of Las Vegas will partner with the Community College of Southern Nevada to share soccer fields and park space.

The college plans to create park space at its West Charleston campus.

The city will donate $500,000 for the project, which will include three soccer fields, a 2-acre park and parking facilities. The funds were made available from the $5.5 million Republic Silver State Disposal donation earmarked for a park on Buffalo Drive in Ward 1.

Deal made with developer

A lengthy dispute over who is responsible to build a park in a northwest residential community was settled this week.

The Las Vegas City Council approved an agreement with developer Jim Rhodes that paves the way for construction of a park in the Elkhorn Springs development.

Rhodes will give the city 10 acres worth an estimated $1.1 million. The city plans a $1 million park there.

Residents said Rhodes promised the city he would build a park more than three years ago in lieu of about $500,000 in impact fees on 758 homes.

Don Purdue, director of land development for Rhodes Homes, said he considered the agreement approved Wednesday a fair deal for both sides.