County Commission approves closing of some rural roads

Thursday, June 5, 2003 | 9:21 a.m.

Some roads in the Gilcrease Ranch area of the northwestern Las Vegas Valley soon will be off-limits to the public.

The Clark County Commission on Wednesday voted to partially overturn a Planning Commission decision and vacate about 7,200 feet of roadways in the area, a rural enclave now surrounded by sprawling residential and commercial development. A 1.5-mile square is affected by the approval, which closes parts of Rome Boulevard, Deer Springs Way, Rio Vista Street and other rural roads in the neighborhood.

Proponents of the move -- among them, Janie Greenspun-Gale and her husband Jeff Gale -- argued that the area represents one of the last remaining vestiges of old Las Vegas and so deserved protection. About 20 homeowners in the area have banded together to maintain the roads.

Greenspun-Gale is the daughter of Hank Greenspun, the late owner of the Las Vegas Sun whose family still controls the newspaper.

Chris Kaempfer, a land-use attorney, argued for the move. He said that major streets, including Centennial Parkway, will remain open. The only streets that will be closed are ones that either are not primary streets, or essentially dead end -- "They don't go anywhere."

The Clark County Public Works Department had opposed closing the major streets. The Planning Commission on May 6 voted 5-2 to deny the request. The Lone Mountain Town Advisory Board also had urged the commission to deny the request, noting that it was unclear what impacts closing the roads would have.

But the commission strongly supported the request, voting 6-0 to approve it. Nobody spoke at the public meeting against closing the roads.

"I think this is a wonderful, historic rural part of the community," Commissioner Bruce Woodbury said.

Woodbury and Commissioner Mark James said they want the same kind of consideration given to the rural areas in their districts, in the southeast and southwest parts of the Las Vegas area.