Planning Commission loses permit authority

Thursday, June 2, 2005 | 9:43 a.m.

The North Las Vegas City Council has stripped the Planning Commission of its authority to issue permits for new schools and will make the decisions itself.

The appointed commission will have a say in school sites only by giving a recommendation to the council. The council voted 3-2 to give itself more power.

Currently, the commission decides whether to issue permits to the Clark County School District. The council only gets involved if someone appeals the commission's decision to the elected five-member body.

Commission members voted 6-0 in April to retain their authority. Some said they felt offended that the council wanted to take away their responsibility over schools. Others said it would force residents to present their case to the commission and then to the council.

"I have mixed emotions," said Councilman William Robinson, who supported the ordinance. "It creates more time for the council, and we have competent planning commissioners, but I just think that because the buck stops with us, it needs to be with us.