Henderson City Council briefs for Nov. 20, 2002

Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2002 | 9:55 a.m.

$4.4 million OK'd for taking land

The city of Henderson has agreed to pay developer Joel Laub $4.4 million for 2.8 acres it took by eminent domain to realign Gibson Road.

The City Council on Tuesday accepted an agreement previously approved by District Judge Sally Loehrer on Nov. 12. The city negotiated the taking of the privately owned land in order to push Gibson Road several hundred feet east of a major intersection, freeing up east-west traffic on Sunset Road.

The city will purchase the slender, curved piece of land northeast of Gibson and Sunset roads from Sunset Freeway Limited partnership, which is managed by Laub, who is also chief executive of Astoria Homes.

The city also guarantees Laub that by March 2003 it will rezone 13 acres on either side of the roadway, changing the land use from general industrial to community commercial. Laub wants to build three commercial buildings on the property. Laub has owned the property since 1988, according to the Clark County assessor's office.

The city also agreed to pay Lamar Advertising Co. $41,000 to relocate a sign board and to pay for a sign board at the site.

Firm picked to close old landfill

Greenwood Village, Colo.-based engineering firm CH2M HILL will most likely design and complete final closure of a Henderson city landfill out of service since the mid-1970s.

The Henderson City Council on Tuesday chose CH2M HILL from a pool of five firms to cap the 147-acre landfill according to federal guidelines.

The city has estimated that closure should cost about $12.2 million, but no bids were submitted during the selection process. According to state law, contracts for engineering services must be quality-based rather than fee-based.

The city chose Camp Dresser and McKee Inc., based in Denver, as a backup in the event that negotiations with CH2M HILL are unsuccessful. City staff plans to present the City Council with a design and construction contract by the end of January. Closure is expected to be done by January 2005.

The city hopes to build its first municipal golf course at the site.

The landfill, northwest of Lake Mead Drive and Olsen Street, served as a dump for household waste from the 1950s to the 1970s.

Money approved for trailheads

The second of two planned Henderson trailheads for a multi-use trail around the Las Vegas Valley received matching funding from the Henderson City Council Tuesday.

The council approved $40,000 to supplement a $30,000 grant from the Bureau of Reclamation. The money will fund construction of a parking lot, kiosk and related signs near Lake Las Vegas, north of Lake Mead Drive and Golda Way.

The Golda Way trailhead will provide access to the existing 6.5 miles of the River Mountains Loop Trail. The city Parks and Recreation Department plans to complete construction of the trailhead by September 2003.

The loop trail is planned to extend 35 miles, crossing through Henderson, Boulder City and the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. The trail accommodates horses, pedestrians and bicyclists and will complement a trailhead already under construction at Equestrian Park off Magic Way.