Henderson: Vote on movie studio postponed

It was lights ... camera ... but still no action on a movie studio planned for Henderson.

The Henderson Planning Commission Thursday voted 6-1 to postpone a decision on the widely-publicized $200 million Black Mountain studio project, currently planned for 20 acres, in order to better study its impact on the surrounding neighborhoods.

The developers of the studio, Studios Enterprises Inc., whose principle owner is producer Doris Keating, had gone into the meeting hoping to gain approval for a use permit and tentative map for the project.

The approvals would have included allowing developers to add approximately 10 feet to the two proposed sound stages, bringing their height to close to 55 feet.

Neighbors have protested plans for the studio, which will be in the Wagon Wheel Industrial Park on the southwest corner of Dawson Avenue near the Union Pacific railroad tracks, in the Mission Hills area.

Residents of Mission Hills have voiced concerns that the studio would bring a huge increase in traffic, noise and pollution, as well as causing tourists to flock to their quiet community.

"I'm opposed to the studio because of its promixity to Mission Hills, because this shouldn't be against anybody's neighborhood," resident Layla Perfinski said. "There are still too many unanswered questions about it."

The remainder of the undeveloped industrial park, about 66 acres, is a matter of dispute between the city and developers.

The studio is scheduled to be reviewed again at the April 29 Planning Commission meeting.

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