Airport offers deal to nearby homeowners

Thursday, Nov. 11, 2004 | 11:17 a.m.

Residents on Russell Road west of Eastern Avenue could soon have the option of selling their homes to Clark County.

The county's Aviation Department is proposing a "willing seller, willing buyer" arrangement in which it would buy 18 homes along the road, just north of McCarran International Airport land. Commissioner Rory Reid proposed the deal last month after the conclusion of a lengthy and at times acrimonious debate over the county's approval of a new Wal-Mart south of Russell.

During the debate, the Wal-Mart, originally planned to be close to Russell, was moved south and the land closest to the residential neighborhood north of Russell was slated to be turned into a park.

Randy Walker, Aviation Department director, said his department does not need the homes for airport expansion, "but if somebody would make the request, it would not be unreasonable."

Walker said the airport, which could spend $3 million to $4 million to acquire the homes if all of the owners wanted to sell, does not have fixed plans for the strip. He said the space could be used for office properties as a buffer between the residential areas to the north and what will be an entrance to the airport.

"We'd have to see if we could come up with a plan that would work," he said. "It's really just responding to what we felt the will of the board was after the last session."

Reid said he hopes to see the landscaping on the strip north of Russell match what will eventually go in on the south side of the road.

"Russell Road is going to be the principal entrance to the airport within the next five years," he said. "On the south side is going to be landscape buffer and a large park. I thought it might be a good idea to protect the neighborhood by providing a similar buffer on the north side."

He said the choice to sell will be up to the homeowners -- but some have already indicated they would be interested in selling to the county.

"We will not use eminent domain, and some residents are amenable," Reid said.

The intersection of Russell and Eastern will eventually be busy with pedestrian bridges, signs for the airport and airport traffic, he said.

"I thought it was a good idea to beautify Russell and provide a buffer to protect the neighborhood."

Walker said homes that would be bought would be appraised to their fair market value. Unlike other airport expansions, however, in which neighbors did not get a choice, in this case the airport would not pay homeowners' relocation costs, he said.