Henderson residents protest apartment plan

Valerie Miller

Friday, April 14, 2000 | 11:02 a.m.

A request to expand the number of apartments in their development and move them nearer to their single-family homes inspired nearly 40 residents to come before the Henderson Planning Commission Thursday evening.

Their appeals fell on receptive but too few ears.

Mostly from the Champion Village community, the residents told commissioners they strongly disagreed with the new plans by the developer, Champion Homes, to add a 320-unit apartment complex to be named Horizon/Cielo Abierto.

The residents asked that the plan for the 240-acre site be denied.

The commission complied, voting 2-0 against the proposal. Although there are seven commissioners, two were not present for the vote and three others cited conflicts of interest. The low vote means the City Council will likely review the matter independently, without taking the Planning Commission's stance into consideration.

"There are enough apartments around us now and there is only a 70 percent occupancy in those," resident Jason Thompson said. "So we don't need any more."

Many neighbors complained about what they called broken promises by Champion not to build high-density apartments near their single-family homes.

"I wouldn't want to buy a $250,000 home and then have apartments behind me," Don West said. "Here comes another broken promise for profit."

Lori Stevens predicted major traffic problems if the apartments are allowed.

"I've lived on the north side of the Champion Village for two years," Stevens said. "Traffic on (nearby) Gibson Road has already become tremendous. We don't need any more traffic."

The Planning Commission sympathized with the residents, who often burst into applause to show their approval, while loudly criticizing Champion out of turn.

The apartments were just too much, planners said.

"I think you are moving these apartment complexes too close to residences," Commission Chairman George Bochanis said. "I see you increasing traffic close to residential streets. I have trouble buying into this."

Residents also charged the developer with failure to build a park and allocate land for a school in the master-planned community located between Lake Mead Drive and Stephanie Street in the McCullough Hills area.

While Champion Homes' requests involving the apartments were denied, the Planning Commission split 1-1 on Champion's request to add 22 acres of commercial space to the development.