Kicking and screaming fail to keep day care center away

By Mike Trask (contact)

Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson is fond of saying that municipal government is closest to the people. And within that government it’s often the smaller issues that draw people to City Hall.

Last week the seemingly tiny issue of rezoning a property at Horizon Drive and Skyline Road to allow for the opening of a 40-child day care center had the locals kicking and screaming.

Jerry Wolf, a retired fireman, soon will be sharing his back yard with what will amount to a playground, and can anticipate seeing his neighborhood’s already backed-up traffic becoming even more snarled.

An attorney for the owners of Ms. Nita’s Learning Center insisted that the children would be outside only during two hourlong recesses daily. He also noted the center would result in only about 30 additional trips through the neighborhood.

In the end, City Council voted unanimously to allow the day care center, despite a recommendation from the Planning Commission to deny the zoning change. Council members said the traffic would not have a major effect on heavily traveled Horizon Drive.

As for those noisy children, at least one councilman was unconcerned.

“It’s a city,” Councilman Steven Kirk said. “I like to hear children outside playing. I think that’s a sign of a good and healthy community.”

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Henderson loves to brag about its parks and trails. It was even named last year by Prevention magazine one of the best places to take a walk.

That was a sharp contrast to Men’s Fitness magazine claiming neighboring Las Vegas is the fattest place in the country.

Walkers and the overweight will have a new nature park in which to keep up the good work or sweat off some blubber next year.

Henderson will begin construction this summer on the 22-acre Whitney Mesa Nature Preserve near Galleria Drive and Patrick Lane. It is to open in early 2009, complete with trails, shelters and picnic areas.

“That area has a lot of really interesting topography and wildlife,” project manager Lee Jacoby said. “There’s some natural springs in there. We want to preserve it.”

The area also is home to prehistoric remains and artifacts from the Spanish Trail.

First the city will need to clean it, because the area has been often used to abandon vehicles and dump trash.

The $2.5 million project is being funded through the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act. A second phase of the park may include an amphitheater and more trails.

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The long-discussed library in North Las Vegas near Alexander Road and Martin Luther King Boulevard got its name last week.

But not without a little chatter first.

Councilwoman Stephanie Smith suggested it should have been named Hidden Canyon, after the developer that donated the land in the mid-1990s. The Aliante Library in the northern part of the city was named after the master-planned community where it is located.

Hidden Canyon, though, was not among the 39 names suggested by residents and recommended by the city’s Recreation Board.

“Why do we have a rec board if we’re not going to take their recommendations?” Councilman William Robinson said.

Smith replied with a bit of sarcasm, noting that City Council often makes its own decision, regardless of recommendations, something that has drawn the ire of residents who regularly attend meetings.

“Why do we have a Planning Commission if we don’t take their recommendation? I hate to quote our president, but aren’t we the deciders?”

In the end, the council voted to name the facility the Alexander Library and Park.

Mike Trask can be reached at 259-8826 or at mike.trask@lasvegassun.com.