By VERNON ROBISON
Moapa Valley Progress
Preliminary plans to build 100 homes in a new Logandale residential development were presented for the first time in a neighborhood meeting held on Monday, May 16 at the Overton Community Center.
Representing the developer at the meeting, Las Vegas attorney Bob Gronauer explained that the development was aimed at attracting young families who might be first time homebuyers.
“There may be young people, who have grown up in this community and would like to stay here and raise their families,” Gronauer told a crowd of about 40 people in attendance. “But there aren’t really any housing options currently in the community for that demographic. So this is geared toward them.”
The project would be located on a 33 acre parcel which is bordered by Gubler Ave to the north, Whitmore Ave to the east, Yamashita to the west and the Claridge alignment to the south.
The minimum lot size being proposed is 10,000 sq ft. These would contain one of several options of tract-style housing including plans for 1600, 1800 and 2100 sq ft homes, Gronauer said. The pricing target for homes in the project would start at around $200,00 – $250,000, he said.
Gronauer explained that the project would be required to extend the sewer up Yamashita from the high school to service the development. Also full paving would be required to the major streets surrounding the project. Transitional paving would probably be required to connect the neighborhood to the access points at St. Joseph and Wittwer, he said.
The property is currently planned for only half acre lots. Since the proposal would bring the higher density of roughly four units per acre, the developer is required to go through a non-conforming zone change to proceed with the project. This involves holding neighborhood meetings and seeking approval from the Moapa Valley Town Advisory Board, the County Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners, Gronauer explained.
If the developers determines that they will pursue the project, the process would likely continue through the summer and involve many opportunities for public input, he said.
Most of those in attendance at the meeting expressed a general opposition to the project. Many said that it would threaten the lifestyle that they expected to enjoy by living in the area.
“We make sacrifices living out here to live this lifestyle,” said one attendee. “We don’t want tract homes. We moved here to get away from the cramped living in Las Vegas.”
“I’m concerned about the kind of people who will be attracted to these homes,” said another resident. “Will that bring my home values down? Are those people going to be safe?”
Others doubted that there was a market for the project.
“We have developments sitting vacant right now where they can’t even sell the homes,” one attendee said. “What makes you think this one will be any different? There is just not a market for this.”
Gronauer pointed out that there were no other developments in the community offering lots smaller than 1/2 acre.
“There is a reason why half acre and larger lots are not selling,” Gronauer said. “There is not a market for them. This project would target a different demographic and would come in with a different product line. It would bring other buyers, like young families.”
Some attendees asked what the developer would do for the neighbors to ease concerns and mitigate the loss of otherwise open space. Gronauer responded that this was an open question.
“It really depends on the issue,” he said. “But anything is open and a possibility. There are a lot of nexus things that we have negotiated with neighbors in the past to ease their concerns. That could certainly be done here.”
Responding to a specific concern from an attendee, Gronauer used an example of providing ATV trails through the area to allow continued access from one side of the project to another.
“Things like that are definitely things that we would want to hear about from the community and consider addressing,” he said.
In the end, Gronauer said that he had heard the message from those in attendance at the meeting and he had been able to take some notes that he would bring back to the property owners. They would then decide if, and how, to move forward from there, he said.
