Residents grill Kincaid on Ann Road widening

Adrienne Packer

Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2000 | 10:45 a.m.

Incumbent Clark County Commissioner Mary Kincaid appeared at a town hall meeting Tuesday to tout new parks she plans for her area. Her constituents, however, were more interested in other issues, like what will happen to their rural lifestyle when Ann Road is widened to seven lanes.

Kincaid was bombarded with questions from residents who live in ranch style homes on Ann Road just east of U.S. 95.

Homeowners, many of whom have horses, said they received a letter from the city of Las Vegas that said easement boundaries were incorrect and the residents' walls extend into the right-of-way for Ann Road. The letter further noted plans to eventually extend the two-lane road into seven and add curbs and gutters.

"We moved here six years ago thinking we bought a piece of heaven," Carol Krocker said. "It turned into living in hell."

The widening of Ann Road is a Regional Transportation Commission project. In order for it to move forward, both the Clark County Commission and the Las Vegas City Council would have to approve the plan and a special improvement district to fund the curbs and gutters.

Kincaid said the project is in its infantile stages, and neither board has seen any plans.

"Nobody has done anything to move this project forward," Kincaid said. "To me it looks like it will take two years to get that stuff done."

Kincaid said there will be plenty of opportunities for residents to speak during public hearings and added that neither board will approve a project that would destroy a rural neighborhood preservation area. She also assured homeowners that the road improvements were not being done to expand Town Center -- a massive commercial project -- into their area.

Still, residents had their doubts.

Krocker said her neighbors would be responsible for replacing the wall taken during the widening -- a cost she estimated to be about $8,000 per homeowner. She said when she spoke to county officials about the potential fees attached to the special improvement district, she received little sympathy.

Krocker said county public works officials hinted the land might be used for commercial ventures in the future.

"They said, 'We will foreclose on your property if you don't pay (the special improvement fees),' " Krocker said. "I told my husband I guess we have to leave now. They said, 'Don't you want to hold off and sell your property as commercial?' "

Tuesday's meeting, held at Lied Middle School, was also attended by District B Republican candidate Glen Easter, Kincaid's opponent in November's general election.