Editorial: Show more respect for master plans

Friday, Nov. 29, 2002 | 4:04 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION: Dec. 1, 2002

Very likely the most aggravating aspect of growth for Clark County residents has been the manner in which the master plans for their area get changed. Master plans outline the general areas where commercial, industrial and residential developments are allowed. A person buying a home, for example, would use the master plan to see what could be in store for a large, nearby vacant lot. The master plan would show whether the lot could someday be zoned for open space, more housing, or a manufacturing plant.

For more than a decade, people have complained bitterly to the Clark County Commission that even though they checked the master plan before purchasing their homes, they still ended up next to an undesirable development. The reason is that "master plan" is a misnomer. It's not really a "master plan" at all but a general guide that can be changed at any County Commission meeting, at the request of a developer, by a majority vote. Two weeks ago, a county resident learned that his new neighbor will be a $70 million Pepsi distribution plant. He had built a custom home three years ago only after ensuring that the acreage in the master plan now approved for Pepsi was labeled as open space, suitable for a park or trails.

This latest incident prompted a familiar lament. "It's a crying shame ...," the homeowner told the Clark County Commission. He had not even been told in advance of the master plan change because, to the county, the change was considered "minor." At least this time the homeowner was able to find some sympathetic ears. Commissioners Chip Maxfield and Yvonne Atkinson Gates are calling for an end to willy-nilly master plan changes. They want changes to be allowed only four times a year, during sessions that would look thoroughly at the impact the changes would have on the whole region. This simple reform would instantly improve the quality of life in Clark County.