Henderson city council briefs for August 2, 2000

Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2000 | 11:08 a.m.

Detention basin estimates sought

Just how much damage would the failure of the Pittman Detention Basin cause area properties?

The City Council Tuesday awarded $25,000 to an engineering firm to find out. Parsons Brinkerhoff Quade and Douglas Inc. was contracted to write an emergency action plan to detail which properties face potential damage if the basin at the Arroyo Grande Sports Park fails.

The plan also is expected to provide an evacuation plan for residents and traffic control measures.

An interlocal agreement between the city and the Clark County Regional Flood Control District also approved Tuesday will provide $6 million in flood control infrastructure in the eastern Pittman area.

Day-care center gets approval

A handful of residents told the City Council Tuesday that they don't want a day-care center in their neighborhood, but they got little more than a polite ear from city officials.

After almost an hour of debate, council members approved the application of Daycare Centers Inc., to build a facility at the corner of Arroyo Grande Boulevard and Crystal Stream Avenue south of Lake Mead Drive.

"When I bought my home I was told all this would be residential and the city would be putting a park adjacent to our subdivision," resident Carrie Ketchum complained.

Councilman Jack Clark told protesters that a day-care center in his neighborhood has helped raise his property value 23 percent.

"Of all the uses that could end up on this property, I think you'll find this is the most innocuous," Clark said.

Residents angry at developer

Several angry residents in Henderson's redevelopment zone complained to the City Council Tuesday night that developer Phyllis E. Thompson Cos. has failed to demolish dilapidated houses it has purchased.

The old townsite homes -- some of which have remained windowless with pipes and electrical wiring removed for two months -- may be hurting property values, Tammie Miller, a relative of one homeowner still negotiating with the developer, said.

Five property owners near the corner of Basic Road and Water Street are in talks with Thompson Cos. to sell their homes to clear the way for a proposed multimillion-dollar office/retail complex known as Fountain Plaza.

"(Phyllis Thompson) said she would not leave homes for longer than a two-week period," Miller said. "It continues to get worse. She is the one coming in and blighting our area."

Another resident complained about graffiti and lack of lighting on Thompson's property adjacent to homes needed by the developer.

"If they can't begin demolition tomorrow, I think I'll go ahead and ask them to board it up," Acting Redevelopment Officer Bob Wilson said to the council's approval.