Developer’s blasting near homes rattles residents

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 | 10:49 a.m.

Despite objections from residents, a developer set off a blast within 200 feet of upscale Henderson homes on Monday to pave the way for hillside development.

The 365 pounds of explosives set off at noon Monday in MacDonald Highlands caused the ground to shake for a few seconds and shook homes as expected, but no damage was reported.

The blast so close to homes was the first allowed by Henderson since District Judge Douglas Herndon ruled April 27 that the city doesn't have the right to postpone its decision on whether a blasting permit should be revoked or reissued. In March, Henderson halted all blasting within 300 feet of homes so it could do more study, but the city allowed explosions outside of the range to continue.

That moratorium prompted a lawsuit by MacDonald Highlands' developer, Foothill Partners.

Monday's explosion will serve as a test for the city to evaluate the effect of the close-range blasts before work can resume, possibly within two weeks. Residents in MacDonald Highlands and surrounding subdivisions maintain blasting has caused cracks in interior and exterior walls that has cost them thousands of dollars to repair.

The explosions, designed to blast away rock to give developers flat sites to build on, were scaled back after resident complaints.

Despite that, residents remained uneasy.

"The whole house shook. It made my heart race," said Ande Christenson, who lives across the street from where the blast was. "It scared me. It's one of the worst blasts I have felt."

Christenson's husband, Glenn, who has led the fight against close-range blasting, hired a video photographer who filmed Monday's explosions.

"It shouldn't move my home," Glenn Christenson said of Monday's blast.

Christenson, an executive with Station Casinos, said he'll withhold a final evaluation until data from the explosion is reviewed. He said a better indication may be when the developer increases the intensity of the explosions.

Seismic monitors were placed throughout the neighborhood, including next to Christenson's home to evaluate the vibrations. The preliminary reading showed the blast generated 0.08 inches of vibration a second at Christenson's home, well below the city's allowable rate of 0.5 inches, said Dave Donner, the owner of Donner Drilling & Blasting, who set off the explosion.

"It was picture-perfect, textbook operation," Donner said. "I think it will show the science in blasting has been in existence for a long time, and this blast using this science proves that it works."

The explosion area measured 150 by 50 feet, Donner said. Without Henderson putting restrictions in place for the test blasts, he could have set off 2,100 pounds of explosives over a wider area. Other blasts farther away from homes use 15,000 pounds of explosives, he said.

The developer maintains the wind, rain and settling is responsible for cosmetic cracks people have found in their homes.

Residents aren't buying that explanation, saying there's a correlation to the damage and when blasting started. They haven't ruled out filing a lawsuit over the blasting.

Julie Brown, who lives across the street from Monday's hillside blasting, said her home of five years didn't sustain any cracks until explosions started in August. She and her husband, Ron, have spent $17,000 for patching, painting and repairs so far, she said.

Brown called Monday's blast mild compared to others in the past, but she would like them to stop.

"I don't mind the development in my neighborhood, but it should be safe for the homes," she said. "It feels like an earthquake."

Henderson is awaiting a report from a New Mexico-based consultant it hired to determine if there is a link between the damage and the blasting in MacDonald Highlands and Crystal Ridge. The consultant, Dr. Catherine T. Aimone-Martin, has come under scrutiny from residents, who said she has served as an expert witness for companies defending damage claims.

Glenn Christenson said he's not questioning Aimone-Martin's integrity but wonders if she has a bias that blasting doesn't cause damage.

Henderson Assistant City Attorney Mark Zalaoras said Aimone-Martin has been in the business for 35 years. Because industry has hired her, that shouldn't taint her work, he said. He said her report will be based on science.

Dr. Sam Kiger, the director of the National Center for Explosion Resistant Design at the University of Missouri, said it's unlikely any damage has resulted from the blasting in Henderson given the standards in place. He compared the intensity of the blast to a large truck passing by a home.

Kiger said the only way damage could result if there is some local anomaly because of the area's geology.

Glenn Christenson said the damage from the blast isn't the only concern of residents. The dust kicked up by the explosions are health risks for the elderly and those with respiratory problems. The blasts also expose large boulders, which can roll downhill, he said.

Donner said he'll be meeting in the next week or two with residents in neighboring subdivisions to get their input before blasting is started in those areas.

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