Proposed hillside project comes before City Council

Jeffrey Libby

Monday, March 4, 2002 | 9:17 a.m.

Meeting

The last public debate into a proposal to build homes on 632 acres of Henderson's rolling, mostly undeveloped hillside could center on the number of apartments nearby residents and the Henderson City Council are willing to allow.

The public hearing before the City Council Tuesday comes after more than a year of meetings between developer Rich MacDonald and residents of nearby Sun City MacDonald Ranch.

Residents have long voiced fears that the project could obstruct their views of the hillsides with homes that are packed more densely than ordinances permit, consequently overloading flood channels with increased runoff and creating traffic problems.

But when the Henderson Planning Commission gave preliminary approval to the plans Feb. 14, commissioners said they were confident runoff would be controlled, in effect squelching comments from several Sun City residents who said runoff from the project posed a serious threat to their golf course and homes.

The commission did heed the complaints of the proposed density for 47 acres of apartment housing, recommending that MacDonald build 470 units instead of the requested 752.

The project proposes 990 housing units, with many of the homes expected to sell for about $500,000.

MacDonald says he can't afford to build the project with the reduced number of apartments. With just 470 units MacDonald said he won't create enough profit to cover the $2 million to $3 million cost of completing a section of Green Valley Parkway that would connect it with Eastern Avenue.

If MacDonald refuses to complete the road as required by city ordinance, the City Council cannot approve his project.

The City Council on Tuesday will also discuss ways to reduce noise along a section of St. Rose Parkway that borders a 1,000-unit residential development. The state highway department plans to widen a 6-mile section of St. Rose from two to eight lanes starting this fall.