Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2002 | 11:10 a.m.
Developers of a proposed community perched on a hill above Red Rock Canyon and the village of Blue Diamond are going forward despite increasing opposition from vocal community and environmental activists.
John Laing Homes, which has a concept plan for a 20,000-person community on top of Blue Diamond Hill, is scheduled to appear before the Red Rock Citizens Advisory Council on Wednesday evening. The company is seeking a recommendation of approval for the project.
The company faces an uphill battle.
The majority of the advisory council has indicated that they do not like the project concept plan for "Cielo Encantado," which ultimately would put up to 8,400 homes on the hilltop on land now being mined for gypsum. The private land is surrounded by federal Bureau of Land Management property, and the concept plan for the project depends on a land swap with the federal agency to create a contiguous property.
Opponents argue that the project would harm Red Rock Canyon, overwhelm local service providers and dramatically change the character of the rural bastion on the Las Vegas Valley's western edges.
The plan's backers say they can keep the impact to a minimum, that traffic and other needed services will be shuttled away from the canyon and the village of Blue Diamond, and that residential development is a better fit for the area than continued mining of the privately held land on top of the hill.
While the advisory council's votes would not be the final say on the issue -- that is reserved for the Clark County Commission -- the Clark County Planning Department staff already has weighed in, recommending denial of the needed zoning approval.
Bicyclists, hikers and others who use the Red Rock National Conservation Area for recreation also have banded together to oppose the project.
Calvin Champlin, designer of the concept plan, said Monday that the project backers will go forward with their proposal despite the opposition.
"We think the plan as presented is a good plan," he said.
Evan Blythin, Red Rock advisory council chairman, said he expects a big crowd to view the discussion and the vote on the issue Wednesday in Blue Diamond's town center.
"There's a lot of people watching this," he said. "Our position is fairly clear."
Blythin and many residents in Blue Diamond and nearby oppose the project.
A majority of Clark County Commissioners, whose votes will be needed for the final plan, also have indicated that they are skeptical about the wisdom of the project.
"It speaks volumes that the county planners and the residents who would be most affected by the proposal are adamantly opposed," Commission Chairman Dario Herrera said.
Herrera said he would "weigh all information from all parties," but the developer will have the burden of addressing all concerns from residents, recreational Red Rock users and county planners before the project will win his support.
His comments have been echoed by commissioners Chip Maxfield, Bruce Woodbury and Myrna Williams, all of whom say they will listen to the developer's proposal, but also say they are concerned about the impact the project would have on the area.
"The burden is squarely on the developer to overcome all of the concerns and respond to all of the issues," Woodbury said.
Commissioner Erin Kenny, who represents the district, said she has not made up her mind on the project. But she said there are questions about the plan that need to be answered.
"The concept plan itself is very vague and very tentative," Kenny said.
Those supporting and opposing the project will have the opportunity to square off again. The Clark County Planning Commission, which like the council would play an advisory role to the county commission, is scheduled to hear the issue the evening of Sept. 5.
The county commission is scheduled to hear discussion and possibly vote on the zoning request Sept. 18.
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