Editorial: Master plan needed for high rises

Friday, July 23, 2004 | 5:02 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

July 24 - 25, 2004

Everything about a residential and commercial project proposed for the area of Durango Drive and the Las Vegas Beltway is appealing to county planners -- except for the height of two towers that would contain 506 apartments. "It's a beautiful project," planner Dionicio Gordill told the Sun. "It's just the height, the visual aspect, that is the issue." The towers are proposed for 300 feet, when the zoning in the area restricts buildings to 100 feet. The developers have asked for a variance and the Clark County Commission is scheduled to give a final answer on Sept. 8.

In a world where the biggest and most notable cities create unique images of themselves through their skylines, Las Vegas seems intent on remaining flat as a pancake outside of its resort corridor. Last year area residents successfully fought a 300-foot casino proposed for Charleston Boulevard and the beltway (a compromise of just under 200 feet was reached). They were concerned about additional traffic on already crowded streets. Also, that area is the gateway to the scenic Red Rock National Conservation Area and they felt the view should remain unobstructed. We, too, object to inappropriate uses of high rises, such as for public housing, and to inappropriate locations for them, such as scenic gateways and flight paths.

Apart from those issues, however, we see high rises as natural and even desirable additions to our growing urban area. Land is a finite resource everywhere, but especially here in the Las Vegas Valley. Our nation-leading growth -- we're opening, on average, a new school a month and still our classrooms are overcrowded -- is forcing us to look up. There simply isn't room -- or water -- anymore for everyone to live in a one- or two-story home or apartment complex, complete with yards and common areas. And neither can we all work in low-rise, sprawling office complexes featuring small parks or spacious outdoor break areas. Many people prefer the high-rise residential and business life. Urban planning should accommodate both their preferences and the community's need for land and water conservation.

A local group, Scenic Nevada, has formed to protest high-rise proposals on the grounds that they block views of the surrounding stony mountains. For us, a high rise is just as attractive, perhaps even more so, than thousands of rooftops extending to the foothills. High rises are not currently addressed in the county's land-use policies. We think they should be. A master plan for high rises would provide clear guidelines for their uses and placement -- and give our neighborhoods some interesting definition against the horizon.