Local news briefs for March 23, 2000

Thursday, March 23, 2000 | 9:35 a.m.

Ordinance sets turf limits

The Clark County Commission approved an ordinance Wednesday that limits the amount of turf allowed on golf courses to 100 acres.

The ordinance sponsored by Commissioner Dario Herrera initially set the limit at 75 acres, but a compromise between golf course developers and county staff upped the limit to 100 acres.

Herrera said the purpose of the ordinance is to conserve water. Under the revised law, golf course developers, in unincorporated areas of the county, can use 90 acres of turf for an 18-hole course and 10 acres for the driving range.

Hearing planned on proposed law

A public hearing on a proposed ordinance that strengthens Senate Bill 208 -- the state law that restricts neighborhood casinos -- has been set for April 5.

The ordinance created by Clark County Commissioners Yvonne Atkinson Gates and Bruce Woodbury requires new casinos in unincorporated areas of the county to be at least 2,500 feet from neighborhoods and undeveloped land zoned for residential. SB208 requires casinos to be 500 feet from homes.

The proposed law also says a casino site must be at least 50 acres. If a developer has a site 2,500 feet from residences but the land is not zoned for gaming in the master plan, two-thirds of the commission would have to approve the amendment.

Flood channel action delayed

Rhodes Development's request to move a flood channel from its land to public property on the east side of Durango Drive was postponed to April 5.

Clark County commissioners told the developers of the Rhodes Ranch neighborhood that Wednesday's postponement will be the company's last. County planners said the flood channel needs to be built as soon as possible.

Rhodes received property on the west side of Durango for a discounted value because the channel, which is part of the Flamingo-Tropicana Wash, was to be built on the land. Rhodes officials said the ditch would be aesthetically displeasing and without it they can build more homes.

If the channel is moved to the east side of Durango, it will be near a new high school, two golf courses and a county park.

Lone Mountain project approved

The Clark County Commission Wednesday approved rezoning to create a 30-acre park in the Lone Mountain area in the northwest.

The park would be on the southeast corner of Lone Mountain Road and Hualapai Way. The proposed park area is now leased at no cost from the federal Bureau of Land Management property.

Eventually, the park would include a picnic area, playground, walking and jogging paths, and tennis, basketball and volleyball courts.

Jeff Harris, Clark County Parks and Recreation Department representative, said the new park lies on the west side of Lone Mountain. The county already has a 20-acre park on the east side of the mountain on Jensen Street.

The county hopes to obtain the property on the mountain itself, now owned by the BLM, to connect the two parks, Harris said.

The commissioners approved the rezoning, from rural-estates residential to public facility, in a 6-0 vote.

Tropicana-Hualapai complex given OK

The Clark County Commission approved rezoning for a proposed 112,000-square-foot shopping center at Tropicana Avenue and Hualapai Way on Wednesday.

The commissioners switched the zoning from rural-estates residential to commercial. The shopping center, to be developed by Hualapai Partnership, would include a grocery store anchor, a drugstore and restaurant or bank.

The county staff and the Spring Valley Town Board, citing the land-use plans in place for the area, recommended denial of the project. Commissioner Erin Kenny said she could not support the proposal because of the land-use plan and the town board recommendation.

However, no residents recorded opposition to the project.

The rezoning passed 4-1.

Commission puts proposal on hold

A proposed business park that has sparked the ire of neighbors near Russell Road was put on hold by the Clark County Commission on Wednesday.

The applicant, Horizon Homes, had applied for rezoning on 6 acres to build a mini-warehouse. But representatives for Horizon Homes said they wanted to switch the request to business-professional, a less intensive use of the property at Mountain Vista Street near Russell Road.

Nearby residents spoke against both the old and new proposals, arguing that the area is residential in character, would cause flooding and erosion problems, and would affect Rural Neighborhood Preservation areas.

Commissioner Dario Herrera said the area will not stay residential, but offered to help neighbors and the developer reach a compromise on uses for the property. The issue was held until April 5.