LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Clark County officials says they are presenting an $80 million settlement agreement with Gypsum Resources, LLC to the Board of County Commissioners this month.
This is over a dispute of a planned housing development near Red Rock Canyon National Conversation Area.
The agreement is expected to be presented on June 18.
FOX5 has been following this story. Anchor and reporter Kim Passoth previously reported that Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones stepped down as vice chair amid the legal dispute.
“By stepping down as Vice Chair, I am hopeful that the ongoing and contested legal disputes in the Gypsum Resources litigation will not distract further from the important work of Clark County and the Board. I remain focused on my work as a Clark County Commissioner and the constituents I have been elected to serve,” Jones said.
Jones is accused of being biased as he previously served as an attorney for the conservation group Save Red Rock in litigation against Gypsum and the County.Battle to build: Developer’s years-long lawsuit claims Clark County Commissioners purposefully and illegally delayed plans for homes near Red Rock
“The proposed settlement represents a compromise that allows for lower density development and balances environmental protection in the area,” officials say.
Settlement reduces the homes to 3,500 from the previously approved 5,026. It’s also said to divert traffic from Scenic Route 159 to Route 160.
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This is all pending the Bureau of Land Management’s right-of-way approval.
“If the BLM grant is not secured within two years, the County will begin to pay up to $6 million,” officials said. “Once the final map is approved, the County will be able to acquire, for one dollar, 192 acres of the most environmentally sensitive land located in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.”
Clark County says the settlement avoids the risk of a potential judgment in excess of $2 billion in damages to taxpayers and the risk of future liability while addressing population growth and preserving the landscape.
“By allowing lower-impact development and redirecting traffic, the agreement aims to maintain public access to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, benefiting both current and future generations,” officials said. “While an $80 million payment is significant for the County, by reprioritizing and reallocating funds for planned capital projects and other economic development projects not yet underway, the settlement will not have a detrimental impact on services nor will it require a reduction in staff.”
The County will continue to identify sources of funding that will not impact the important services the County provides to the community. Without the settlement, a larger judgment could have had an adverse impact on the County and the community.
