Editorial: People getting fair shake at the county

Thursday, Feb. 6, 2003 | 8:54 a.m.

It's early yet, but the new Clark County Commission seems more open to waving off the special interests and embracing the views of ordinary residents. In the month since new commission members Rory Reid and Mark James were sworn in, the board has introduced a bill that would empower residents in long-term planning issues and has passed ordinances that prioritize quality of life over the interests of billboard companies. Such decisions give people faith that their views can compete evenly with the views of special interests.

On Tuesday, to the consternation of normally influential billboard companies, the County Commission voted to reduce the amount of roadway where new billboards will be allowed. U.S. 95 north of Cheyenne Avenue to Nye County will now be off-limits to new signs. On the southern beltway, new billboards will now be allowed only between Valley View Boulevard and Warm Springs Road, whereas before they were allowed between Durango Drive on the west and Pecos Road on the east. This means that now about another 25 miles of beltway will be restricted to existing billboards. On Blue Diamond Road, new billboards had been allowed west to Decatur Boulevard but now cannot be placed west of Valley View, a shortening of about 3.5 miles. The commission also ruled that billboards on the roads' allowable stretches must be 1,500 feet apart, rather than the previous 500 feet.

In reaching its decision, the County Commission was standing up to pushy billboard companies and being responsive to residents concerned about the appearance of the roadways and their neighborhoods. Now, that's the kind of special interest we appreciate.