City Council supports solar panels and corrals but not new lake

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008 | midnight

The Boulder City Council on Oct. 14 supported plans for a solar plant near the dry lake bed and more corrals and trails at the Boulder City Horseman's Association, but quickly quashed a water park's plan for a 15-million-gallon man-made lake.

The City Council forwarded to the Planning Commission two of three proposals it received requesting amendments to the 2009 Land Management Plan, which governs development on city property.

The Planning Commission will hold public hearings next month on the two projects, and the council will vote on the board's recommendations in February.

The council unanimously agreed on NextLight Renewable Power's plan for a 2,500-acre solar plant on the dry lake bed in the Eldorado Valley.

Former Mayor Bob Ferraro spoke for NextLight and said the company would like to use effluent water, though the city doesn't provide that now.

The original plan sought to include Dutchman Pass, but after the council turned down that part of the proposal, Ferraro said the company would change its proposal.

The council voted 4-1 to forward to the planning board the Boulder City Horsemen's Association's request to expand by 21 acres. Councilman Travis Chandler voted no.

The council agreed on the condition that the horse corrals or trails wouldn't encroach onto land previously set aside for an expansion of the Boulder City Cemetery.

Larry Shepherd and Gary Dawes of the Horsemen's Association said they'd be open to leasing the land from the city for $1 a year instead of taking ownership.

The association wouldn't install any lights, they said.

The council shut down Epiccentered Wake Parks' request to develop an eight-acre lake for simulated wakeboarding and waterskiing. The proposal offered five possible locations, but the council decided it was a bad idea no matter where the company put it.

Councilwoman Andrea Anderson, who represents the city on the Southern Nevada Water Authority, said the plan concerned her during the drought.

Councilwoman Linda Strickland agreed.

"We've got the greatest water park ever called Lake Mead, and I don't think we need another in this vicinity right now," she said.

Cassie Tomlin can be reached at 948-2073 or cassie.tomlin@hbcpub.com.