Apex industrial area might get its water

Monday, Feb. 4, 2002 | 8:58 a.m.

The Las Vegas Valley Water District and executives of a long-planned industrial park northeast of the Las Vegas Valley have tentatively agreed to a settlement that would give the area water for development.

The lack of water had hamstrung efforts to develop the Apex Industrial Park, a 10,000-acre patch of desert 15 miles northeast of Las Vegas. Restrictive deed covenants and new dust-control regulations have also hit the planned development.

The industrial park management has lawsuits pending against the Water District over the water supply and against the Clark County Commission, which acts as the Water District's board.

The agreement, which the Water District board will vote on Tuesday, would provide the Apex Industrial Park with 2,000 acre-feet per year and would designate the district as the water provider for the area. The Apex developers, Dry Lake LLC, would drop the suit against the district if the settlement is approved.

Dry Lake LLC would be responsible for paying for the water's delivery, as well as the water.

Officials of the Water District were not available for comment Friday or over the weekend.

Adam Titus, the park's chief operating officer, said the agreement will ease concerns from potential land-buyers and users of the park.

"It takes the insecurity away," he said.

County officials and private developers envisioned the park more than a decade ago after an industrial accident at a rocket-fuel factory in Henderson killed two and injured 350.

The park and the neighboring area were designed to be the home of intensive and potentially dangerous heavy industry, warehousing and manufacturing.

In a complex deal, Clark County purchased the land from the federal Bureau of Land Management, then sold the property to the Apex developers.

Over the past year, park management -- operating with $20 million from well-connected investors, including Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman -- have sought to diversify the development to include residential and other uses.

In part, the move is a reaction to federally mandated dust control regulations that could limit industrialization of the area.

Titus declined to discuss details or the status of the park's diversification plan.

Chris Armstrong, a county planner, said attorneys from both sides are discussing what could go into the park. But he said deed restrictions in place since the county purchased the land from the BLM appear to prohibit anything other than industrial uses.

He said lawyers and staffers from both the park and the county are working to resolve the issues.