Commission split on homes zoned near railroad tracks

Thursday, March 6, 2003 | 9:01 a.m.

A long-running argument over residential zoning near railroad tracks in southwest Las Vegas is not over.

The Clark County Commission split 2-2 on Wednesday over the issue of homes just off the Union Pacific tracks near Maulding Avenue and Decatur Boulevard. Most nearby residents oppose the residential zoning for the 11.5-acre site, preferring the industrial zoning included in the area's master plan.

Various county boards have debated the issue for more than a year. In February, the County Commission approved the residential zoning for the project, but Commissioner Bruce Woodbury, who represents the area, asked that it come back for reconsideration.

The project has recommendations for denial from county planning staff and the Enterprise Town Advisory Board, but a recommendation for approval from the Clark County Planning Commission.

Lucy Stewart, a land-use consultant representing Decatur Robindale LLC, said the company has made a number of concessions to the residents.

"(For) the neighbors who are most directly affected, we've eliminated the lots directly behind them and added landscaping," Stewart said.

She said disclosure for residents who might be bothered by the noise from 30 to 40 trains a day would not be a big problem, although prospective home buyers will receive notice. The planned homes would be about 15 feet from the railroad right-of-way, although about 100 feet from the track itself, she said.

"Anybody buying those houses will know they are living next to a railroad track," Stewart said.

Neighbor Wally Kaelin said that is not the issue.

"It is master-planned for a business park, for industrial," Kaelin said. "Nobody wanted high-density housing in this area. We want to keep it that way."

Woodbury promised he would keep up his opposition to the project, which is reminiscent of a recently quashed effort to put dozens of homes underneath the departing flight paths at McCarran International Airport.

"I just can't support it," he said. "I think it's probably the worst type of zoning that we could possibly put in this area. It is the one type of zoning that all of the adjacent property owners object to."

The noise issue is one problem, Woodbury said, but another would be the potential for disaster if something went wrong with a train carrying toxic chemicals.

Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates joined Woodbury is supporting reconsideration of the issue. Voting against the issue were Commissioner Mark James and Commission Chairwoman Mary Kincaid-Chauncey.