Henderson comprehensive plan nears final approval

Monday, Oct. 20, 2008 | 1:21 p.m.

Since Henderson annexed almost 3,500 acres from Clark County in December 2006, city planners have been working on a massive comprehensive plan to establish land use, zoning and infrastructure guidelines for the mostly vacant land.

On Thursday, the plan moved on to its last step toward approval when the Henderson Planning Commission unanimously gave it a favorable recommendation. The City Council is expected to make a final decision Nov. 4.

Paul Andricopulos, the project's chief planner, said the city has worked with Clark County, Clark County School District, the Regional Transportation Commission, residents and land owners in an effort to make the plan as complete as possible.

"We're looking at this as a very long-range project," he told the commission. "What we're seeing here is maybe 20, 30 years out."

The city held a public meeting in June to review the plan. About 70 people attended, Andricopulos said. He said the response was generally positive, but some suggestions for minor changes were incorporated.

As presented, the plan would focus high-density residential and commercial development along the area's planned major arterials: Volunteer Boulevard, Via Inspirada and Las Vegas Boulevard South. Low-density residential and public uses, like schools and parks, would be located farther from major streets.

Business and industrial uses would be accommodated south and west of Henderson Executive Airport, following an agreement with the federal government that conveyed those lands to Henderson for that purpose.

The 700 acres at the city's southern boundary, near Sloan Canyon, have been dubbed a limited transition area and a plan that will specifically govern their development is in the works.

The plan shows eight parks totaling 108 acres. Another three parks of undetermined size are planned to be developed around detention basins, similar to the Arroyo Grande Sports Complex.

The plan also shows four elementary schools, one middle school, two high schools, two libraries, a police station and a fire station. There are also a civic center, events center and community center planned.

The proposal, however, did not sit well with the area's rural residents, whose property remains in Clark County though it is now surrounded by the Henderson city limits.

"If you widen Gillespie Street, you're in my well, you're in my yard, and you're almost in my house," resident Roberta Whitfield said.

Whitfield said people who want to maintain horses and live a rural lifestyle have been forced to repeatedly move as the Las Vegas Valley has grown.

"We've moved out to the outskirts, as far as we can go," she said.

Andricopulos said the plan has tried to accommodate existing homes as much as possible.

"For the most part, we're trying to stay as close to the existing plan as we could, particularly where we're in residences," he said.

Jeremy Twitchell can be reached at 990-8928 or jeremy.twitchell@hbcpub.com.