7,500 acres of federal land may be auctioned to private developers

Diana Sahagun

Wednesday, April 12, 2000 | 10:55 a.m.

Now that boundaries have been drawn for the planned first phase of development, North Las Vegas Mayor Michael Montandon is nearing an agreement with the Bureau of Land Management for the auction of 1,700 acres to private developers.

The land will be developed into the first of several master-planned communities on federal land annexed into the city.

The agreement with the BLM -- which will stipulate how the 1,700 acres will be subdivided -- represents phase one of the overall plan to develop 7,500 acres in the northern portion of the city into communities over the next 25 years.

Also in place before the city and BLM sign the agreement will be a master plan for phase one that will include projections for p334.6sewer, water, roads and zoning. The master plan will be subject to changes once the parcels are purchased and specific planning begins.

The proximity of the phase-one area to the planned Las Vegas Beltway and the Eldorado master-planned community make it an ideal location for the first sale, North Las Vegas Economic Development Director Jacque Risner said. She emphasized that everything is still in negotiation until the mayor signs the agreement with the BLM.

Proceeds of this phase-one sale, as well as proceeds from all future BLM land sales in Nevada, will be used as directed by a bill passed by Congress in 1998. Eighty-five percent will go toward buying environmentally sensitive land in the state, 10 percent will go toward Southern Nevada water and 5 percent will go to education.

In January, after negotiations between the city and the Department of the Interior, it was decided to sell the 7,500 acres over 25 years in four or five parcels.

At its City Council meeting last week the city authorized a contract not to exceed $262,000 with the engineering firm PBS & J to begin water and sewer studies for phase one.

PBS & J will assist the city with negotiations leading up to the city-BLM agreement. It is expected that a land sale could occur as early as 2001.

The consultants will also review applications by the Clark County School District for future school sites, as well as location of services such as police, parks, fire stations and libraries.