Editorial: Planning is a facade in county

Friday, Dec. 6, 2002 | 4:09 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION: Dec. 8, 2002

Last week the Clark County Commission, in a mind-bending vote, changed the county's master plan in the southwest to allow 300 homes to be built underneath the flight path of planes departing from McCarran International Airport. To no avail, the County Commission's staff, the Planning Commission, the Spring Valley Town Board, the airport's managers and the school district all asked the County Commission to reject the change.

This is the same County Commission that oversees the airport, which has spent more than $56 million to remove homes that are directly below noisy flight paths. Commissioners Mary Kincaid Chauncey, Myrna Williams, Erin Kenny and Dario Herrera, citing the need for more affordable housing, all voted to approve the Woodside Homes development. Apparently, for them, people who don't make enough money to live in an upscale neighborhood should have to live with noisy jet takeoffs.

The decision also will hit taxpayers because of the costs of building a school in the area made necessary by the new homes. The school district already relinquished rights to low-cost federal land in the area because residential homes were prohibited there. But now, because the only land left available has become more expensive, the school district estimates it will have to spend an extra $3 million just to purchase the land for a school site.

Commissioner Bruce Woodbury, who opposed changing the master plan, wants the vote reconsidered by the County Commission in January, a move that could allow the action to be rescinded. But Kenny, even though she voted for the change, wants the issue reconsidered on Dec. 18. Kenny's reasons are nefarious. She and Herrera, who voted for the change, no longer will be on the County Commission in January. The commission should honor Woodbury's request and let the new commissioners help decide the issue. In order to prevent a similar situation from happening again with lame-duck commissioners, the County Commission should adopt an ordinance so that changes in a master plan cannot occur from Election Day until all the new commissioners are sworn into office. Otherwise, the possibility for hijinks and irresponsible decisions -- with no accountability -- increases t enfold.

Last week's disgraceful vote, unless it's reversed, could be a lasting setback that will seriously erode county residents' confidence in the ability of local government to actually say no to a developer and adhere to sensible planning guidelines.