Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008 | 10:57 a.m.
An expansion at the Horsemen's Association corrals was halted by the Planning Commission Nov. 19, while another solar plant is one step closer to getting land in the Eldorado Valley.
The commission voted unanimously to recommend land west of the dry lake bed for solar development and unanimously rejected land near the Boulder City Horsemen's Association for more equine development.
The City Council last month sent both proposals to the commission, which will send the solar plant plan back to the council next month.
NextLight, a San Francisco-based renewable energy company that has 1,000 megawatts in development in Arizona, California and Nevada has asked to lease 3,200 acres for a 250-megawatt thermal plant.
That plan sailed through the seven-member committee, which will recommend the City Council dedicate the parcel for solar development in the next year.
But the Horsemen's Association's plans to build four arenas and a cross country course for running and jumping horse competitions met many unhappy neighbors in the standing-room-only council chambers at City Hall.
Commissioner Brad Benson told Larry Shepherd and Gary Dawes of the Horsemen's Association that the horse run would be too close to homes.
Dawes said the association wanted to build a place for horse dressage and English cross-country riding, because there's no such course in Nevada.
"It's something you don't want to see die out," he said. "We're very willing to work and design something that will be a win-win for everyone."
He said a 500-foot, tree-lined buffer would separate the course and the homes along San Felipe Drive, but homeowners said that wasn't enough, complaining of dust and noise as it is.
The horse corrals have been there since 1961.
Commissioner Cokie Booth said she would support the plan if the neighbors did.
"I love horses and really want to see this go forward," she said. "My problem is with the way the land is drawn out. Maybe come back with a plan that isn't so invasive to the neighbors."
Mike and Katie Gephart, who live on Opal Drive, said their home currently backs up against desert.
Under the Horsemen's Association plans, their house would border the horse arenas.
They said they like to ride their dirt bikes from their backyard, a luxury they don't want to lose.
"We moved there for the open land, and that's what we'd like it to stay," Katie Gephart said.
Dawes and Shepherd said they planned to refine a plan, have meetings with neighbors and bring their new proposal back to the City Council. They were unsure when that would be.
Cassie Tomlin can be reached at 948-2073 or [email protected].
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