County rejects protests, OKs senior housing

Thursday, June 6, 2002 | 8:55 a.m.

Clark County commissioners approved zoning for a new apartment complex for seniors Wednesday -- but the approval came over the objections of county staff, the advisory boards and nearby residents.

The commission voted to approve 192 apartments for seniors on about 11 acres near Pecos Road and the Oquendo Road alignment in southeastern Las Vegas.

County planning staff, the Paradise Town Advisory Board, and the Clark County Planning Commission all had recommended denial. The zoning request did not conform to the area's development plan, which designates the area as appropriate for single-family housing.

Neighbors said the high-density zoning was inappropriate for their neighborhood of single-family homes.

"It extends a quarter-mile into this single-family neighborhood -- a long established neighborhood," neighbor Tim Behrendt said.

"It is totally out of character with the surrounding neighborhood," agreed neighbor Suzanne Lucas.

But Jay Brown, representing the applicant, Las Vegas attorney Jason Awad, argued that any other development in the area would create more traffic than the seniors' housing, a major concern of residents.

Commissioners Erin Kenny and Mary Kincaid-Chauncey said the need for housing for seniors -- in this case, rental housing -- outweighs other considerations.

"No one wants them where there is land available," Kincaid-Chauncey said. "There is definitely a need throughout the valley for housing for seniors.

"This is an acceptable deviation from the master plan because there is a need for senior housing," she said.

The commission approved the zoning measure by a 5-1 vote. Commissioner Bruce Woodbury, who often votes to uphold development plans, voted against the developer.

Commission Chairman Dario Herrera, who represents the area, did not vote on the issue.