Land swap pleases one neighborhood, bothers another

A parcel of desert sandwiched between Whitney Ranch and Whitney Mesa off Sunset Road may someday see duffers teeing off at Henderson's first municipal golf course.

A land swap between the city and Pacific Properties and Development was unanimously approved amid audience applause Tuesday. The City Council earlier expressed its intent to exchange 106.5 acres of city property at the entrance of the Seven Hills master-planned community for 144 acres known as the Sunset Village project owned by Pacific Properties.

While Whitney Ranch neighbors expressed their pleasure, Seven Hills residents voiced their concerns about the development Pacific Properties has planned for the entrance to their upscale community.

Still stinging from their courtroom loss to the Rio hotel-casino over use of the Rio Secco golf course -- residents, as any noncasino guest, must pay a $300 greens fee -- Seven Hills residents also brought up concerns about how the Pacific Properties development would affect their local improvement district fees.

Local improvement district fees -- commonly known as LID fees -- are often charged to home buyers in new communities to help pay for roads, street lights, gates, common areas and other improvements. Money collected from within an LID assessment area is supposed to be spent solely within the area.

Residents' concerns about the LID were raised by a report being distributed by the Helmer Co., a developer in Seven Hills who helped residents fight the Rio. The report says LID fees from Seven Hills were used to pay for almost $5 million in improvements in city-owned land just north of and adjacent to Seven Hills -- the property that is being exchanged.

The exchanged property is not within the Seven Hills assessment area, and the new landowners will not be assessed any LID fees.

City officials deny LID money was used to improve property outside Seven Hills, but they are researching the issue to be sure.

However, officials did concede that there is confusion about the improvement fees in Seven Hills.

City Attorney Shauna Hughes, who attended a meeting Monday at which Helmer discussed the report with homeowners, said residents she spoke with did not oppose the land exchange, but it was clear the city had not done an adequate job of explaining what residents needed to know about their LID assessment.

"People in Seven Hills have every right to get answers," she said. "Through no fault of their own, they were not part of the public hearing when the LID was created. ... The last thing the city wants to do is further cause them heartache."

Mayor Jim Gibson suggested holding a town hall meeting with Seven Hills residents, city officials and the appropriate experts within 45 days. A date for the meeting was not set.

"There is additional research that needs to be done so we can come to an answer that we can all agree upon," he said. "The city needs time to involve counsel and other experts that can review every element of the LID. But I understand that the action that is before us tonight is not connected."

He added that if the LID is faulty, the city will reimburse any money that might be owed to residents.

"What really matters is that we get to the heart of this issue and remove any doubt one way or another," he said.

Besides getting the proposed municipal golf course, the swap allows the city to solve ground-water problems on the property caused by runoff into Pittman Wash.

Hughes said the source of the high water level has been pinpointed to lawn watering in the upper areas of Green Valley. The run-off flows toward Pittman Wash and causes flooding on the property.

The land sale, which is an across-the-board exchange, should take place within the next 18 months, Hughes said.

"Once the land is acquired, I have been assured by the public works department that it can resolve the water problems," she said.

The golf course is nice, Gibson said, but the resolution of the water problem is key.

"The ground-water surfacing is the problem driving the decision," he said.

Whitney Ranch homeowners expressed their approval.

Rana Goodman, president of the Whitney Ranch Homeowners Association, which represents 1,200 members, was among a number of residents who applauded the city on the land exchange, adding it is an obvious solution to a longtime problem.

"Considering the number of retirees and golfers we have in Whitney Ranch, everyone is very excited about this," Goodman said.

"I'm here as a golfer," said Bud Walker, another Whitney Ranch resident. "We don't have any place (reasonably priced) for the residents to play ... I think this is a great way to do it and I certainly hope you can work this out with the Seven Hills people."

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