Voters to weigh in on moving city limits

Dan Kulin

Wednesday, May 26, 2004 | 9:27 a.m.

Boulder City voters will get to have their say on whether to move their city's borders so 1,500 acres on the east side of the McCullough Mountains are no longer inside the city limits.

The Boulder City Council decided Tuesday night to wait until voters could weigh in on the proposal before proceeding on the plan that ultimately could bring up to $400 million into city coffers.

Assemblyman Joe Hardy, R-Boulder City, said he would introduce state legislation to put Dutchman's Pass outside the city limits if it is strongly supported by the city voters.

"This is probably the most far-reaching decision in its impact on the finances of Boulder City in 25 years," Hardy said.

Councilman Mike Pacini first proposed the idea as a solution to the city's increasing debt. The $22 million municipal Boulder Creek Golf Course, which city officials had expected to make money within the first year, has been losing money and the city's budget for the next fiscal year includes $3 million in subsidies. The city also recently spent $35 million to install a second water pipeline from Lake Mead.

Pacini said Tuesday night that he would like to see an advisory question on the November ballot so the council can find out "the true feelings of the people in this town."

Hardy, a former city councilman, said at least two-thirds of city voters would have to be behind the change for him to support it, and for the change to have any chance of passing in the state Legislature. Hardy also warned that going through the Legislature could expose Boulder City to lawmakers who would try to use that opportunity to cut Boulder City's share of tax revenue.

The change would clear the way for the city to sell the land, which the city bought from the federal government about 10 years ago, and would allow the acreage to be developed rapidly.

If it remains a part of Boulder City, slow-growth ordinances would prevent the full development of the property for decades, City Attorney Dave Olsen said. New home construction is limited to 120 a year in Boulder City.

The parcel is at the northwest edge of the city limits, about eight miles from the developed area of town, Olsen said. It is not visible from downtown Boulder City, he said.

The issue Tuesday night was how quickly the council should proceed. The soonest an advisory question could appear on the ballot is November, and it would have to be approved by the council at its next meeting, June 8, Olsen said.

Some council members supported putting the matter before the voters, but said they were concerned the November election could be too soon. The other council members said they would rather see the question on the 2005 city election ballot.

"This could forever impact Boulder City," Councilman Roger Tobler said. "That's why we should take it slow."

Councilwoman Andrea Anderson agreed that the council and voters should take their time to fully explore the pros and cons of the possible detachment, sale and development of Dutchman's Pass.

Waiting to put the question on the 2005 ballot would mean the city would have to wait until the state Legislature meets in 2007 for legislation to allow the detachment of Dutchman's Pass, however. The soonest a sale could occur would then be 2008, Pacini said.

"It's all about timing, and I thought the timing was good now, in the current climate," Pacini said.

Pacini has said Henderson could annex the property, and then a private developer would build on it.

Henderson city officials said Monday that they haven't decided on a formal position on the Dutchman's Pass issue, but are interested in seeing what happens to the property. They also pointed out that the Dutchman's Pass property is not contiguous to Henderson, which is a requirement for annexation.