LOOKING IN ON: CITY HALL

Dan Kulin

Tuesday, July 18, 2006 | 7:29 a.m.

Tarkanian seeks allies on boundaries

Las Vegas Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian won't fight to block redistricting altogether, but she still isn't sure exactly how she'll try to persuade her fellow council members to massage the proposed ward boundaries more to her liking.

And the clock is ticking.

The council is scheduled to meet July 26 to discuss the proposed shift of ward boundaries. A vote on redistricting is expected Aug. 16.

Tarkanian said she and her staff are still busy researching the redistricting proposal.

But, Tarkanian's biggest obstacle to getting changes, Councilman Gary Reese, is still standing firm in his opposition to any changes that would affect the proposed borders of his ward.

Tarkanian is unhappy with the proposed ward boundaries that would take some affluent neighborhoods from her ward.

But she is more animated about the part of the redistricting plan that would move her ward out of downtown entirely. Now, Ward 1 includes parts of the southern and western portions of downtown.

The City Council cut 50 feet off the height of the condominium towers planned at the Great Mall of Las Vegas, giving approval to 200-foot-tall high rises.

Developer Triple Five of Nevada asked the council to approve two 250-foot condo towers for the north side of the property, which is northwest of where U.S. 95 crosses the Las Vegas Beltway .

A vocal group of Las Vegans criticized the heights, saying the proposed 250-foot buildings would overwhelm the neighborhood, the new tenants would flood the area with traffic and condo residents would be able to peer into back yards.

Vicki Driscoll, a resident of an adjacent neighborhood, said she was unhappy with the council's decision.

"I didn't want any condominiums there. I'm disappointed," she said.

Councilman Steve Ross, whose ward includes that area, said 250-foot-tall buildings would be "too drastic" for the area, and suggested a compromise of 200 feet. That would knock the buildings down from about 20 stories to 16 stories.

On Wednesday, the council unanimously approved the mall project with the shorter condominium towers.

A proposed food-distribution ban at city parks is headed to the council on Wednesday.

The ordinance is intended to make clear that feeding the homeless in city parks is not allowed.

Police now stop the makeshift soup kitchens by citing an ordinance that requires a permit to hold large gatherings in a park.

The proposed ordinance was on the last agenda, but a vote was postponed.

Apparently, a council member was concerned that the proposed ordinance was ambiguous and could apply to anyone who gave a sandwich to just one person while at the park.