Commissioners offer change to casino law

Adrienne Packer

Thursday, March 9, 2000 | 11:14 a.m.

Angry callers who jammed Clark County Government Center phone lines after the approval of a neighborhood casino prompted two commissioners to propose an ordinance sure to keep casinos far from homes.

Commissioners Yvonne Atkinson Gates and Bruce Woodbury, both sidelined by ethical conflicts when the commission approved the controversial Spring Valley casino Jan. 20, outlined their proposal Wednesday.

The ordinance would require future casino property to be 2,500 feet away from existing neighborhoods and undeveloped land zoned for residential areas.

The proposed distance -- which is measured from property line to property line -- is five times the amount required by Senate Bill 208. Spring Valley residents have accused commissioners of violating that state law when they voted in favor of the eight-story casino at Flamingo Road and Grand Canyon Drive.

Gates, who said she began pondering the new ordinance after the January vote, said state law doesn't do enough to protect neighborhoods from casino developers.

"If our ordinance had been in effect today, (the Spring Valley casino) wouldn't have been approved," Gates said.

"There was a lot of displeasure with the vote. People felt it indicated this opens the door to other casinos in the area and we're trying to make sure the vote itself is not precedent-setting."

Properties that are in the existing gaming overlay district and are inside the 2,500-foot requirement will be grandfathered into the ordinance.

The commissioners' ordinance would also crack down on master-plan amendments.

If a developer has a site 2,500 feet from residential homes but the land is not zoned for gaming in the master plan, then two-thirds of the commission would have to approve the amendment and zone change.

Woodbury said the county's district attorney must determine whether the entire commission means members who have not abstained or if the issue dies if all seven members are not present.

Simply meeting distance requirements isn't enough, Woodbury said. The ordinance also requires the proposed casino site to be at least 50 acres.

"In the aftermath of the recent decision, we felt there were serious concerns that needed to be laid to rest," Woodbury said. "And if this proposal is approved, they will be laid to rest."

The commissioner said they would also reserve the right to deny casinos in master-planned communities -- residential areas that are larger than 700 acres.

Commissioner Lance Malone, who has been heavily criticized for his last-minute decision to vote in favor of the Spring Valley casino, said he fully supports Woodbury's and Gates' efforts.

"I think it's a great idea. I have no problem with it," Malone said.

Critics believe Malone was pulled into a hastily called press conference Wednesday to give him an opportunity to prove he is not the neighborhood casino poster boy Spring Valley residents are portraying him to be.

But Malone said he has always been opposed to neighborhood casinos. He said he voted for the Spring Valley casino because it fell within the state law.

Not only has Malone asked the city of Las Vegas -- which covers 92 percent of his district -- to adopt a similar ordinance, but he asked that a moratorium be placed on any applications until the new ordinance is passed.

He said he is also toying with the idea of upping Gates' and Woodbury's distance requirement to 4,000 feet.

The board is expected to introduce the ordinance March 22 and hold a public hearing April 5.

In a separate effort to address the war over neighborhood casinos, state Sen. Ray Rawson, R-Las Vegas, also called for an immediate moratorium on the construction of casinos near homes.

"Gaming is a key component of our economy and provides jobs for thousands of Clark County residents as well as entertainment for many more," Rawson said in a prepared statement. "It's not my intent to stop that, but I also want to preserve the quality of life that people enjoy in their neighborhoods."

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