Homes could take over gravel pit

Thursday, Jan. 6, 2005 | 8:36 a.m.

For nearly 40 years a mining operation on the Las Vegas Valley's west side has provided gravel and rock for the region's growing population.

Trouble is, that growing population grew around Rinker Materials' gravel pit, putting the active mine in the middle of a residential area. The company took a definitive step Wednesday toward moving out of the neighborhood at Peace Way and Buffalo Drive.

"It has become very difficult to run the facility the way my client would like to run the facility," attorney Garry Hayes, representing the company, told the Clark County Commission. He asked the commission for zoning to build 966 homes on 113 acres of the 167-acre gravel pit.

The rest of the mine also would eventually become residential property, but Wednesday's request did not include that land.

Closing the gravel pit still is on hold awaiting approval from the federal Bureau of Land Management to open a new mine south of Sloan. Hayes and Rinker have been working for several years for approval of the new site.

"We need to locate and determine an alternate location before vacating this location," Hayes said. "That is the long-range strategy."

Land-use consultant Greg Borgel told the commission that he hopes the approval will come soon on the request for rights to mine gravel at the Sloan location.

The commission approved the request for residential zoning with a 5-0 vote.