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Recent News Stories
TV NEWS STORY: Fox 5 News
NEWSPAPER ARTICLE: Las Vegas Review Journal
BOTH: 10 years of News Coverage
Background Info and Maps:
Proposed Development location:
Map Below: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Boundary
Red area = Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Green area = proposed development property
Call to Action Email:
see also, Letters to Editor by Steven Kai Van Betten and Evan Blythin, Review Journal July 31, 2011
Dear friends of Red Rock Canyon,
IT’S NOW OR NEVER!
After 10 years of fighting for Southern Nevada’s prime jewel, Red Rock Canyon, the deciding moment is here.
Las Vegas developer, Jim Rhodes, has recently submitted a major project application to the county to build a high density development of over 7000 homes, a university and/or research center, businesses, hotels, condos, and strip malls, atop the mountain in the middle of Red Rock Canyon (see Fox 5 News, LV Review Journal, photo above).
The plan does not honor the land use and zoning plans for the area. Nor does the plan honor the local, state and national commitments that led to the creation of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, an area near and dear to Las Vegas that has become world renown for it’s hiking, rock climbing, cycling, nature walks, photography, and natural tourist draw.
This concept plan also defies reason and economics, asks commissioners to jump the Las Vegas infrastructure five miles from what is readily available, adds 7,000 more homes in Southern Nevada when 20,000 homes sit vacant, proposes major competition to our local university system, and adds 20,000 or more people in an area of drought.
If the Commissioners approve this concept plan, Clark County will have compromised it’s most magnificent National Conservation Area for the profit of one developer. It’s not even a question of taking away property owner rights. This developer already has the right to build on his property, but only in a rural manner just like any other private property owner within the canyon (at one house per two acres). But he is not satisfied with this, and is backing his rural zone change proposal with a marvelous public relations effort, very smart legal maneuverings, and a powerful budget.
The decision the commissioners are scheduled to make on the morning of Aug. 17 will define us all.
But to save Red Rock Canyon, public interest needs to be presented in every available means of communication — newspaper editorials, emails and phone calls to the commissioners, tweets, blogs, websites and — above all — presence at the decision-making event. If we care, now is the time to express our senses of honor, reason and beauty. It is a time for action. (from July 31 Evan Blythin letter to editor in Review Journal)
Thank you,
Heather Fisher
www.saveredrock.com
What Can I Do?
3-attend the County Commission meeting on August 17, 2011, 9:00 a.m. at the Clark County Government Building, 500 South Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89155
4-spread the word via email and your own facebook, also see:
Official County Documentation and References:
The Concept Plan submitted by Gypsum Resources to the County Commissioners July 2011
Clark County Zoning Commission Hearing Video (August 21, 2010) Commissioners Voting 4-3 to approve a settlement agreement with Jim Rhodes after 4 hours of public testimony against it (scroll ahead to time 1:39:39)
Clark County Zoning Commission Hearing Video (scroll down to the third set of meetings for the August 17 meeting video link) Commissioners Voting 5-2 to approve a major concept plan by Jim Rhodes after 6 hours of public testimony against it
