High rises focus of open house

Thursday, Dec. 9, 2004 | 9:53 a.m.

Clark County planners will hold an open house on Monday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. to give the public an opportunity to learn about the county's proposed ordinance that could determine where new high rises go in the unincorporated county.

While the mixed-use development ordinance would allow other kinds of development, the focus of the county's effort to draft the new rules is on the dozens of high-rise buildings of mixed residential, retail and office uses planned for the region. Commissioners directed staff to begin developing the ordinance in August due to the growing number of applications county planners are receiving for mixed-use projects. In 2003, for example, the county received four applications for mixed-use proposals, compared to 31 approved or now coming through the county process.

The event will be held in the cafeteria of the Clark County Government Center, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway. Comprehensive Planning Department staff will be available at the open house to provide information about the ordinance and answer questions.

A map will be on display showing the ordinance's proposed overlay district, which identifies four zones in the valley for different types of development and heights of buildings.

The County Commission is scheduled to consider adopting the mixed-use ordinance at its Jan. 5 zoning board meeting.

"We are asked to make decisions on high rise and mixed-use developments at almost every zoning meeting," Commission Chairman Chip Maxfield said. "Given our growth and escalating land prices, we need this ordinance because it will give predictability regarding where these projects are appropriate, at what heights, and for what types of use, densities and intensities."