Zone change angers Malone, residents near Town Center

Varying philosophies on how northwest valley should be developed clashed Wednesday in the Clark County Commission chambers, leaving homeowners facing a 30-acre commercial project in their rural neighborhood.

Acting as the zoning board, Clark County Commissioners voted 4-3 to change the acreage at Centennial Parkway and Durango Drive from rural to commercial -- a decision that contradicts the county's master plan.

"I don't know what else I can do as a county commissioner," said a disgusted Lance Malone, who failed to convince the entire board to keep the land in his district residential.

The 30-acre parcel owned by Gilbert Development Co. sits just outside the boundary of Las Vegas' carefully planned 2,000-acre Town Center project, the pocket in the northwest designated for commercial development.

Malone said residents accustomed to their quiet lifestyle reluctantly agreed to Town Center on the condition the plan would be concrete and businesses wouldn't pop up outside the boundaries.

"We've already indicated we would put all commercial in Town Center," Malone said. "That was a promise we all made."

The county board compromised with Gilbert Development, which initially asked for all general commercial -- zoning that allows car lots and large warehouse stores. Instead it is permitted five acres of general commercial and the remainder will be smaller businesses such as grocery and convenience stores.

Malone and City Councilman Larry Brown, who oversees the area for Las Vegas, urged commissioners to require Gilbert to annex the property into the city -- and Town Center -- before a zoning decision was made. The property eventually must be annexed because the county cannot provide sewer service to the sparsely populated region.

The zone change gives Gilbert more leverage. If city officials believe 30 acres is too much commercial, the developer could go to court because it already received the proper zoning from the county.

Wednesday's decision also caused Malone to question the county's commitment to create a "seamless" master plan with Las Vegas.

"For the last two years we've been making great strides to get to the point of a seamless plan so whether you live in the city or the county you know what the zoning will be," he said.

Malone said the Las Vegas Beltway was supposed to be the southern boundary to the commercial center, but the new zoning allows it to stretch across the unofficial line.

Commissioners who voted for the commercial designation -- Yvonne Atkinson Gates, Mary Kincaid, Myrna Williams and Dario Herrera -- said property along the Beltway is better suited for commercial. Kincaid said if the county leaves the property zoned residential, it would mislead homebuyers who will soon find the Beltway at their doorstep.

In the city's master plan, the 30-acre parcel is marked for the extension of Town Center.

Brown said Gilbert Development representatives have assured the city they will abide by Town Center building requirements.

"This isn't the best deal for everybody involved, but it's a fair deal," Brown said. "It protects the integrity of the Town Center plan; it just accelerates that one portion of the plan."

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