Annexation OK'd despite more protests

Despite another round of protests Wednesday, the North Las Vegas City Council annexed a third island of Clark County land in three months.

The city cannot annex land if it receives protests from property owners who combined hold more than 50 percent of the total acreage and whose combined property value exceeds 50 percent of the value of the entire island.

Sally Munns, who led the opposition to the annexation, told council members they should consider the number of people who protest rather than look solely at the amount of acreage and property value.

"People don't count, it's the money," she said. "We were over on people and over on the value and 3 percent short on the acreage."

Throughout each annexation process, city officials have told residents North Las Vegas is taking the property because while it provides police and fire protection to those areas, it doesn't collect property taxes to pay for the services.

But that explanation hasn't gone over well with people who purposely moved to the county because they did not want to live in a city.

"I moved out of the city because I didn't want to be part of the city. I hate the city," Martha Peterson said. "We have our own roads. We have our own water. I have my animals and the minute I become part of the city, you'll come in and say, 'You've got to get rid of this animal and you've got to get rid of that animal.'thinspace"

Council members challenged Peterson's argument that it will be years before the neighborhood -- located north of Azure Avenue between Goldfield and Donna streets -- is even close to the developed areas of North Las Vegas.

"We're not being insensitive to your lifestyle," Councilwoman Stephanie Smith said. "We're at your doorstep and you are part of our community."

archive