Citizens committee to take up gravel controversy

Calico Ridge residents will once again be airing their concerns at Henderson's Citizens Advisory Committee meetings, but this time they'll be discussing the controversial Three Kids Mine.

At Wednesday's committee meeting, Chairman Manny Gomez announced the group's next meeting on April 28 would include a presentation by Hollywood Gravel Co.

The company has been contracted by the owners of the dormant magnesium mine, Three Kids Enterprises, to run a gravel operation and prepare the site for future development.

The Three Kids Mine is located on county land along Lake Mead Drive about 5 miles east of Boulder Highway -- but not far from Henderson's Calico Ridge, Calico Cove and Lake Las Vegas communities.

The Clark County Commission in March granted an extension to the gravel company to allow it time to ease concerns of residents worried about toxic particles, including arsenic and lead, becoming airborne if gravel operations begin.

While the County Commission at its May 5 meeting will decide whether to allow the project, residents who live near the mine welcomed the advisory panel's offer to hold discussions.

Calico Ridge residents, including Mike Smith, are concerned that a gravel operation will stir up airborne pollutants. Hollywood Gravel proposes removing the gravel at the rate of 96 trucks a day for 20 years.

"When the wind blows out of the east, it will blow a lot of things in our (Calico Ridge's) direction, and this is especially true if heavy metals are blown up and down Lake Mead Drive," Smith said.

The advisory committee decided to talk about the mine after some Calico Ridge residents raised concerns about the project while discussing the Lake Mead corridor at past meetings.

Calico Ridge residents have dominated talks at advisory committee meetings since August as Henderson officials struggled tried to find a compromise between residents and developers concerning industrially zoned land bordering the community.

The April 28 Citizen's Advisor Committee meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Henderson Convention Center.

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