Henderson park, commercial complex draw fire from residents

Greg Harman

Friday, Aug. 11, 2000 | 10:13 a.m.

Smog, traffic, noisy kids, lights and even the mountain itself.

Citing these potential problems, a dozen residents urged the Henderson Planning Commission on Thursday to reject a proposed 60-acre sports park and adjacent 40-acre commercial development proposed at the base of Black Mountain.

"We're going to be cocooned in with nothing but exhaust fumes. We're going to have respiratory problems that will be unbelievable," said Shirley Valente, a registered nurse who moved to Henderson from Colorado three years ago.

"Black Mountain is a pristine area. It should be kept that way," John Matt said.

But commissioners unanimously approved the zoning and use requests that will allow the city, which owns the property, to pursue a land exchange with the owners of another property where the city wants to build the sports park.

Commissioners said final approval of the proposed park rests with the Henderson Parks and Recreation Department.

Residents called the park discussion -- which commissioners piggy-backed with the requested commercial zone change minutes before the meeting -- a "Trojan Horse."

No designs for the proposed commercial development signifying intended use were available at the meeting. And no traffic studies have yet been performed.

But commissioners approved of the fact that, if the project receives final approval at the City Council level, the developer will pay to widen the Horizon Drive exit, one of the most congested off-ramps in the city, as well as the intersection of Horizon Drive and Horizon Ridge Parkway.

While the park raised little ire beyond concerns over light pollution, the proposed rezoning of 40.7 acres southwest of the intersection of Horizon Drive and Horizon Ridge Parkway from low-density residential to community commercial was a tinderbox.

"I might as well bomb my houses because they won't be worth a damn," said Sam Newman, who opposed the commercial project for fear that his four properties would lose their views of the valley.

John Marshiano, representing developer Sterling S Development, pulled the request for a conditional use permit for 70-foot stadium lighting and withdrew a variance that would have allowed the company to construct the park without buffering the surrounding neighborhoods from the noise of the park.

"The design is something that has to be worked out with the homeowners," Marshiano said.

But at least one resident was concerned about the noise of children playing near his home.

"Ninety-nine percent of us don't have kids. We live there for a reason," said a resident. "We live there because we've done the children thing -- we're happy where we're at."