Protested NLV development scaled down

Dan Kulin

Thursday, June 3, 2004 | 10:01 a.m.

A controversial plan for 33 homes in a North Las Vegas rural preservation area has been scaled back.

The developer now intends to build 28 homes on the site, a number that is allowed under the current zoning regulations, representatives for the developer said Wednesday.

Steve Werk, an unofficial spokesman for those in the neighborhood who had opposed the original plan, called the change a "win-win" for both neighbors and developer Celebrate Homes. The development company is partly owned by Harry Shull, who is also a member of the city Planning Commission.

"Anytime a group of developers will work with the residents you have to be happy with what they're doing," Werk said.

Werk and others wanted the zoning left alone, which it will be now, to avoid a potentially precedent-setting change, and to preserve the rural character of their neighborhood.

An attorney representing Celebrate Homes said that while the neighbors might be happy now, in the long run they will wish they had supported the original plan for the 14.8 acres near the southeast corner of Lone Mountain Road and Allen Lane.

The plan for 33 homes on the property would have included nine homes facing the surrounding streets. Those nine would have been in front of the rest of the houses, which would have been inside a walled and gated community. Having outward-facing homes would have given the development a more open feel, attorney Robert Gronauer said.

The development plan now calls for building all of the homes within a walled and gated community, Gronauer said.

Werk said he's been told the development will not have walls on all four sides. Although legally the development could be surrounded by walls, Werk said that would be disappointing.

Dirk DeYoung, director of forward planning for Celebrate Homes, said the company changed development plans "to be a better neighbor."

"We've been building in North Las Vegas for over 10 years and love North Las Vegas, and we want to do a lot more projects in North Las Vegas," he said.