LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – County officials approved a development agreement for Gypsum Resources and the master planned community, allowing a hotly-debated 3,500 home project to proceed on Blue Diamond Hill near Red Rock Canyon.
Some advocacy groups and numerous residents still vehemently oppose the project, even though Clark County must allow the project to proceed as part of a $80 million settlement with Gypsum Resources. Other neighbors advocate for the development, looking for an alternate and cleaner project to replace the Gypsum mine.
Commissioners voted 6 in favor with Commissioner Justin Jones as the sole abstention on the development agreement. A magistrate judge recently ruled that Commissioner Jones and the county covered up their efforts to stop the build.
A spokesperson for the project told commissioners that District Attorney Steve Wolfson worked with developers for 30 days to come up with an agreement. The vote during Wednesday’s Zoning Commission allows a major project to proceed in an area designated as “open lands and residential rural.”
“Over the last 30 days, we’ve had numerous conversations with interested parties. We’ve had public hearings and neighborhood meetings to address certain issues,” said attorney Bob Gronauer with the project.
The settlement decreased the project’s size from 5,000 to 3,500 homes.
Here are some details of the Master Plan, shared Wednesday:
º The entire project spans 2010 acres
º 1601 acres are set aside for residential properties
º 125 acres will be for commercial development or businesses
º 2 village parks, around 20 pocket parks
º Community facilities include a school (in partnership with CCSD) and a fire station
Gronauer said the project ensures that the area maintains “dark skies,” modifying lighting standards to preserve the nighttime scenery. The project also diverts residential traffic from the scenic SR 159, moving it to a re-vamped SR160, he said.
Numerous residents and advocacy group Save Red Rock voiced concerns that construction will crowd SR 159. County officials acknowledged that the development agreement does not bar use of SR 159 for construction purposes, which could span years.
County officials said certain types of trucks may be barred from the SR 159 due to state laws.
“All that construction traffic? That’s, that’s not Scenic Byway use. That’s not helping the National Conservation Area,” said Heather Fisher with Save Red Rock. FOX5 told you how Save Red Rock is looking into legal options to stop the project.
Other residents expressed concerns that thousands of new residents, commercial development, and a new school will automatically bring thousands more cars commuting in and out of the area daily.
“This could drive an additional army of traffic through the canyon…it’s quite simply the ruination of Highway 159 and the Red Rock experience,” said concerned resident Corrine Haggerty.
County officials urged Gypsum developers to avoid use of SR 159 as much as possible, acknowledging the petition signed by 53,000 people to protect Red Rock.
“It’s critical to all of us that we continue to do what we can. Our circumstances are unusual now. And we commit to do everything within our power to continue to preserve the beauty of the integrity and the special experience that Red Rock represents,” Commissioner Jim Gibson said.
County officials tell FOX5, the project still has a number of steps to go that could take years: it needs approval from bankruptcy court. Federal officials from the Bureau of Land Management must review and grant road access on the land. Different projects within the master plan also require their own permits.
