City seeks master plan before land auctioned

Sito Negron

Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2003 | 9:33 a.m.

The city plans to ask residents how 1,600 acres near the gateway to Mount Charleston ought to be developed, starting with a public meeting tonight.

The meeting is in preparation for a planned auction by the Bureau of Land Management.

Las Vegas officials are touting the master plan concept, already in working stages and online at www.kylecanyon gateway.com, as a showpiece of technology, energy efficiency and environmental stewardship.

"This is going to be quite special in that we're trying to do a smart city with unique features," said Councilman Michael Mack, who represents northwest Las Vegas. He said protecting the Kyle Canyon entrance to Mount Charleston also is an important goal.

"We're looking at providing a per se lower town center for Kyle Canyon residents and buffering for upper Kyle Canyon residents," he said.

The land near U.S. 95 on Kyle Canyon Road is just north of 1,200 acres owned by Focus Property Group. Part of that is 500 acres that Focus paid $113 million to the BLM for in June. Group representative Lynn Purdue said her company doesn't have a plan yet for the land.

"What will happen a year from now, who knows," Purdue said.

Deputy City Manager Betsy Fretwell said this would be the first time creation of a master plan was preceded by such public input.

"I don't recall a big outreach open house like we're having this week," she said.

The process will help developers, who will know up front what the city is looking for, she added.

"As bidders come in, they need to know what the city wants, and that way they can make a smart proposal to the BLM in regards to the purpose," she said.

Fretwell said the city has not had the opportunity to create a master plan for such a large tract, and it represents unique challenges.

"One of the things we recognize this needs to be is an energy efficient community. We want it to be environmentally sensitive. We're cognizant we're adjacent to the Red Rock conservation area, and there's the potential for further growth in the northwest," she said.

Mack said the city already has an eye beyond the 1,600-acre tract it hopes the BLM will sell a little more than a year from now. He said it's looking at about 5,300 acres of developable land wrapping around the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe land adjacent to northwest Las Vegas that "we'll annex into the city in phases."