First Town Center plan seeks variance from strict rules

When the massive Town Center zoning was approved for future growth in the city's northwest area, residents and officials agreed strict controls would be needed to create the type of atmosphere everyone could live with.

To satisfy opposition to the planned 2,000-acre Town Center development, the city created tough design standards and zoning requirements amid pleas from residents to hold tight to them when developers started coming forward.

But the first proposal for development within the boundaries is already attempting to stray from the set-in-stone design and zoning plans adopted late last year.

Olympic Nevada Inc. and Centennial & Rancho Partners LLC will ask the Las Vegas City Council on Monday for a site-development plan review of a retail shopping center and auto mall at the southwest corner of Centennial Parkway and U.S. 95 -- the future site of the Northern Beltway alignment.

The city staff recommended denial of the review because of its deviations from the established standards.

"During the course of these discussions the applicant has been cooperative and has done a good job of designing the majority of the site to meet the standards established for Town Center," Theresa O'Donnell, city planning director, wrote. "It is staff's opinion, however, that this proposal must meet all of the standards to be acceptable."

If the first applicant is not made to conform to all of the established standards, the variances could have a ripple effect for future development requests, O'Donnell said.

Olympic Nevada is asking for three 90-foot-high pylon signs adjacent to the highway; five 32-foot signs on the frontage road; two 32-foot signs on Tropical Parkway; a 45-foot sign in the central shopping area; a 65-foot sign in the central courtyard area and five monument signs at the development's access points. The seven proposed auto dealerships have 17-foot pylon signs, according to the site development plan.

The Town Center development standards contain limitations intended to prevent the visual clutter created by uncoordinated and tall signs. The standards specifically prohibit pylon signs proposed by the applicant and limit the height of monument signs to eight feet.

"Because this is the first review of a proposal for this important intersection, staff believes approval of the sign plan as proposed by the applicant will lead to the filing of similar requests when the other three corners are ready for development," O'Donnell wrote in a briefing to the City Council. "Approval of any waiver of the Town Center Signage Standards will make future enforcement virtually impossible."

The Planning Commission voted to approve the development plan, provided that Olympic Nevada changes the height of the signs and agrees to a staff recommendation regarding cross streets and access from the frontage road.

Councilman Larry Brown, whose ward includes the Town Center, said he's willing to let the developer of the $80 million to $100 million retail and auto center tell the City Council why the variances were sought.

"If the developer comes back and says, 'Listen, we've given you 97 pieces out of the 100 that you've asked for, we just need some room on these three,' I'm willing to look at giving them something back for their efforts," Brown said.

Olympic Nevada's plans call for four distinct areas in the 158-acre site: Power Center, Central Village, Outlying Pads and Auto Mall. Retail development totals 827,000 square feet in addition to the seven auto dealerships.

During public meetings last fall, the developer presented the architectural drawings and answered specific questions from hundreds of residents. Most of those told Brown they had favorable opinions of the plan.

"I have not had a lot of opposition to this plan," Brown said. "They were very, very honest at the public meetings."

Ten residents have filed protests about the plan, citing their opposition to waiving any of the adopted requirements -- especially those governing the height of signs.

In response to the opposition to the requested monument signs that are taller than eight feet, Brown said: "If you demonstrate how a tall, thin sign works as well as a short, wide sign, I'll listen."

Another problem O'Donnell has is that Olympic Nevada is asking for approval of the plan prior to approval of the submitted traffic impact analysis by the Department of Public Works.

Town Center was approved in September. When it is completed in 20 years, it is expected that 300,000 people will live in there, and it will provide an estimated 160,000 jobs from its commercial interests.

"We honestly believe we can envision a product line out there that hasn't been seen in Las Vegas," Brown said.

Brown said that even though Town Center has stores such as Sam's Club that are found elsewhere in the valley, the overall development will adhere to higher aesthetic standards.

"The last issue on the table may very well be, 'Do we need three 90-foot-high signs?' " he said.

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