Developer balks at high cost of moving channel

Adrienne Packer

Wednesday, April 12, 2000 | 10:53 a.m.

Rhodes Ranch representatives are mulling over their proposal to relocate a flood channel off their property after a Clark County appraisal report said the move would cost $1.4 million.

The appraisal was delivered to Rhodes attorneys last week, prompting them to once again pull their request from the Clark County zoning board's agenda.

Rhodes officials hope to have a 100-foot-wide flood channel easement moved from the west side of Durango Drive, where they are preparing to build a new 13,000-home neighborhood, to county land on the east side of the road.

When Rhodes acquired a 17-acre strip of property on the west side of Durango Drive, the Bureau of Land Management reduced the value of the land with the understanding that the drainage ditch would be built on the parcel.

Now Rhodes officials claim the channel would be an eyesore. Some county sources, however, said developer Jim Rhodes can convert the ditch into a linear park, but instead he wants the land so he can build more homes.

Rhodes is asking Clark County to allow the ditch to be built on the east, where two golf courses and a park are planned.

Despite county planners' strong recommendation that the zoning board deny the request and move quickly to begin the design of the channel, board members have allowed Rhodes to hold the item three times.

Attorney Chris Kaempfer said one of the reasons the proposal has been delayed is because Rhodes would like the flood channel to be grass, not concrete.

"We want to get the concrete drainage ditch to be a more community-friendly, grass-lined channel," Kaempfer said. "These things, no matter how you disguise them, it's like putting a dress on a pig. It's still a pig."

Another reason the request has been delayed is because of a property agreement that says if the 100-foot easement is vacated, ownership reverts back to adjoining property owners.

Rhodes has been working with another development company to acquire a portion of the easement needed for the neighborhood.

The stretch of county land on the east side of Durango and south of Warm Springs Road is part of about 5,000 acres the McCarran International Airport received from the BLM as part of the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act.

Because the property is near the airport and below flight routes, it can only be used for certain projects such as businesses or parks.

Appraiser Kenneth Lamb said the three parcels totaling about 18 acres are worth about $1.4 million because they front Durango Drive and commercial property is more valuable than residential lots.

Rhodes' request has been surrounded by controversy because of county planners' opposition and Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny's active interest in the proposal.

Kenny, who lives in Rhodes Ranch and is a friend of Jim Rhodes, appeared at an airport staff meeting with Rhodes to personally discuss the proposal. Staff members have said Kenny's presence was meant to intimidate them.

The zoning board is expected to address the request on April 19.

Adrienne Packer covers county government for the Sun. She can be reached at (702) 259-2310 or by e-mail at adrienne@lasvegassun.com