Planners approve Apex development

Friday, Aug. 23, 2002 | 9:09 a.m.

The Clark County Planning Commission approved by a 5-0 vote a proposal to build a new residential community about 15 miles northeast of downtown Las Vegas.

North Hills would be a master-planned community on about 3,000 acres in the south part of the Apex Industrial Park. Developers hope the development will one day be home to 30,000 houses, parks, schools and light commercial uses.

The planning commission approved the development over the objections of Clark County planning and air quality staff, the fire department and officials from Nellis Air Force Base, who fear that the project could impede their flight paths north of the base.

The planned community represents a significant departure for the Apex developer, Industrial Properties Development. The Apex Industrial Park, established just four years ago, was designed to be a home for industry.

But air quality problems and a lack of interested potential landowners prompted the developer to change tack. Some industrial uses, including two power generating stations and a rocket-fuel production plant, are in place in the north part of the park.

The developers, however, said the planned residential development will be two miles from the nearest industrial use, separated by a hill of rock.