LV delays vote on historic neighborhood

Judy Odierna

Wednesday, March 5, 2003 | 9:05 a.m.

The decision to create the city of Las Vegas' first historic district will have to wait two weeks.

Councilman Gary Reese on Tuesday asked that the item, which would create the John S. Park Historic District, be postponed until the full City Council is present to hear the matter.

Mayor Oscar Goodman and Councilman Lawrence Weekly missed today's meeting because they are in Ohio meeting with representatives of the Cleveland Clinic.

The proposed historic district would be in a residential area southeast of Charleston and Las Vegas boulevards. It would be bounded by Park Paseo and Franklin avenues, and Ninth Street and Fifth Place.

The John S. Park Neighborhood Association has been seeking the designation since August 2000, when its representatives wrote a letter to the city requesting a neighborhood plan be developed. The City Council adopted a five-step plan that included the designation as one of the steps.

The area is also being submitted to the National Register of Historic Places for designation.

The Planning Commission voted 4-3 in favor of the designation, which has split the community.

Residents who oppose the designation have said they would like to retain the option to sell their homes for commercial use, and that they fear government officials telling them what they can or cannot do with their property.

Those who are in favor of the district say the designation would preserve the area's historic residential nature.