Trouble brews over Eastern Avenue plan

Henderson's amended Master Streets and Highways Plan barely won approval at Thursday's meeting of the Planning Commission as planners and residents voiced concern over the possible expansion of Eastern Avenue.

The commission, in its 3-2 vote, added a condition to the approval requiring plans for the area south of Lake Mead Drive on Eastern to come back before the panel for review before any expansion takes place. The plan allows the city to "reserve the right" to expand certain streets in the city in the future if increased traffic makes it necessary.

One of the possible road expansions would be Eastern from its current 100-foot right-of-way to 120-feet between Serene Avenue and Anthem Parkway, which will lead into Del Webb's Anthem master-planned community.

Residents, along with some planning commissioners, voiced concerns about the impact expanding Eastern would have on surrounding communities.

The protests from residents come on the heels of the proposal to possibly expand Horizon Ridge Parkway from 100 to 120 feet. Horizon Ridge was removed from the Master Streets and Highways Plan after hundreds of residents showed up at a Planning Commission meeting and a neighborhood meeting to protest. The City Council is still slated to discuss the topic at its Sept. 7 meeting.

"I am thrilled that Horizon Ridge was taken off (the plan), but I am very sorry Eastern Avenue was not addressed," said Ann Adam, president of the Sandy Ridge Homeowners Association.

"We don't see any need for widening Eastern south of Lake Mead Drive. If you expand the road to accommodate more traffic, you are going to get more traffic and that is going to go right by our homes."

Other residents said that they would feel cheated out of the lifestyle they bought into if Eastern Avenue was expanded.

"The reason that myself and a lot of other people purchased property in my subdivision was that it was a safe place to live," Georgia Stevens told the commission. "Now that you have allowed commercial development there, I fear for my child's safety. "

The commission sympathized with residents and some commissioners questioned the necessity of expanding the street.

"This will definitely have an impact on the residents nearby if the street is widened, and I question if we really need it," Commission Vice-Chairman George Bochanis said.

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