1,200 stand against Sloan heliport plan

Dan Kulin

Friday, Jan. 9, 2004 | 11:03 a.m.

After about 1,200 hands raised in opposition to a possible regional heliport in Sloan at a public meeting Thursday night, Clark County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury said the County Aviation Department will look farther south along Interstate 15 for an alternative site. The move wasn't considered earlier because the federal government owns the land.

Woodbury said once a site farther away from Henderson is found, he will enlist the Nevada's congressional delegation's help to allow a heliport on what is now federal land.

But exactly how far south of Sloan that site could be isn't known, and neither is whether such a location would be OK with the helicopter tour companies the county hopes to attract to a new heliport.

What is apparent is that putting a new heliport in Sloan on property that is now a Go Kart track is unpopular with many Henderson residents, but the site remains the preferred location for Aviation Director Randy Walker.

For Thursday night's public meeting on the location of a new regional heliport the ballroom at the Sun City Anthem Center was packed with people opposed to Walker's proposal. Most of the more than 1,200 people who attended are residents of the Anthem neighborhood closest to Sloan.

The county is looking for a regional heliport location because the state Legislature is requiring Clark and Washoe counties to identify non-urban heliport locations. Ideally, all Grand Canyon tours would be based at that heliport.

After months of study that started with 13 potential locations, the Clark County Aviation Department has determined the Sloan site would be best. Possible sites in Jean and Boulder City's Eldorado Valley were also identified as suitable locations, but considered too far away for the Strip to entice helicopter tour companies to move there.

Walker and other officials say the helicopters wouldn't be heard from the Sloan site or along the flight path they would take to the Grand Canyon, but many of the site's closest neighbors disagree.

Arlene Daniels said she and her husband never would have retired to Sun City Anthem if they knew a heliport could be built miles from their new home.

"Two-and-a-half miles, that is nothing," Daniels said referring to the distance a Sloan heliport would be from the closest Henderson homes.

"Two-and-a-half miles is so close when you're flying a helicopter, you hear the noise, it rattles your house. I would have to put my house up for sale," Daniels said.

Of the 24 people who spoke during the 65 minutes set aside for comments during the Thursday meeting, no one said they favored the Sloan site, and many expressed concerns about the noise the helicopters would make.

Kenny Anderson, manager of environmental programs and cultural representative for the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe, said the proposed flight path would take helicopters and their disruptive noise directly over sensitive religious areas.

Gregg Rochna, president of Maverick Helicopters and the only tour company representative to speak at the meeting, said his company is in the process of replacing his entire helicopter fleet with quieter helicopters, and said other companies are too. Rochna also said that the proposed flight path would take the helicopters behind a ridge line that would further shield Anthem residents from the noise.

Rochna offered to fly the proposed flight route to show the Anthem residents how quiet it would be.

Walker repeatedly told those at the meeting that if the county doesn't find a new location suitable for a new heliport, eventually the Grand Canyon helicopter tour companies, which now average 60 to 70 tours a day, would move to the Henderson Executive Airport. Such a move would be even worse because the airport is on the edge of residential neighborhoods, he and others said.

Walker said the county cannot force helicopter companies to move anywhere, and so must choose a heliport site they could be enticed to use through lower fuel prices, rent and tax breaks.

Dina Gerber, a Sun City Anthem resident for the past four months, said she thinks the commissioners have already decided the heliport will be built in Sloan.

"I know Mr. Woodbury will fight for us but I'm not sure he'll get anyone to go along with him," she said.

The county bought land in Sloan last summer on the chance it could be a good heliport site, but Walker told the audience that if the heliport goes somewhere else the county could easily sell that property.

After the public statements, and despite Walker's and Rochna's statements that the Jean and Boulder City sites are too far away for the tour companies, the audience overwhelmingly voted by a show of hands to endorse those two sites and label the Sloan site unacceptable.

Only five in the audience raised their hands when asked who disagreed with a proposed letter expressing that opinion.

Woodbury said because so many of his constituents oppose the Sloan site so does he. Woodbury pledged to work to find an alternate location. He said he will go to the state's congressional delegation for help if necessary.

State Sen. Warren Hardy, R-Las Vegas, also attended the meeting, and said he too will ask the federal elected officials for help resolving this matter.

Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson, who along with City Councilman Andy Hafen represented Henderson at the meetings, said he's hopeful another site will be found.

Walker said that if he was making his recommendation to the commissioners today he would still recommend the Sloan site, though that opinion could change before he presents the matter to the commissioners on Feb. 3. Between now and then, there will be the demonstration flight by Rochna and a search for an alternate site farther south on I-15, both of which could influence his recommendation, he said.

The commissioners are scheduled to conduct a public hearing on the location of a regional heliport on 6 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Clark County Government Center, and then possibly vote on the matter during their Feb. 3 meeting.

Favil West is optimistic an alternative site will be found.

West is a leader of the citizens group Stop Helicopters Over Urban Territory -- SHOUT -- which was formed to fight against a possible heliport in Sloan, and organized the Thursday meeting.

"The Sloan site creates problems for everyone. There are times we can even hear the Go Karts," West said.

"But I feel strongly we will find some solution," he said. "But I'm the eternal optimist. My wife would say this is war."

Sun City Anthem resident Joan Patrick said: "There was a room full of people here who are retiring to the last house they'll ever live in. ... The last thing they want is hundreds of helicopters flying over their house.

"We need to work with our congressional group to solve this."