MTAB Approves 2nd Extension For Roos N More Zoo

By VERNON ROBISON

Moapa Valley Progress

Members of the Moapa Town Advisory Board (MTAB) approved a recommendation for another extension of time to the Roos N More zoo during a meeting held on Tuesday night in Moapa.
The request was the most recent in a long string of actions taken by the zoo in response to requirements imposed by the Clark County Board of Commissioners in October of 2015.

The zoo had been ordered closed in early 2014 by county officials when an inspection turned up a number of code violations. Since that time, zoo owners Jay and Valerie Holt and other supporters of the zoo have worked to bring the facility into compliance. The facility has since been allowed to open on a conditional basis while issues are being addressed.
By last April, when the matter came up for its first extension of time, more than $300,000 had been spent on improvements required to bring the zoo up to code.

At last week’s meeting, John Anderson represented the zoo organization before the board. He explained that ownership of the facility had been taken over by a board of trustees. Anderson explained that he was currently serving as acting co-chairman of the board. The Holts are no longer owners of the zoo, nor do they serve on the board, Anderson said. But Jay Holt had been retained by the zoo as its veterinarian.

Anderson told board members that most of the requirements imposed by the Commissioners had either been met or were nearly complete. These included new parking areas, trash enclosures, a drinking fountain, bringing water habitats and animal enclosures into compliance with existing codes, converting an existing residence into a commercial structure, building a new restroom facility.
“We have made major headway in the conditions that we had agreed to,” Anderson said. “We currently have submitted all of the required plans and have received approvals through the Building Department. We are now in the final phase of getting inspections on a couple of the remaining facilities.”

Anderson pointed out that one requirement not yet met by the zoo was gaining its certification through the Zoological Association of America (ZAA). The ZAA is a non-profit accreditation group that sets standards for zoos across the country.
“It was made a condition so that the County has some assurance that the zoo is operating within broadly accepted national standards,” Anderson said.

The zoo had already submitted all of the necessary application materials to be considered by the ZAA, Anderson added. But the Association would not process the paperwork until the facility is in full compliance with all local, county and state codes. Thus, until the entire process with the county was completed, the ZAA certification process would be on hold, Anderson said.
“Once that is complete, it typically takes about 12 months for the ZAA to process the application,” Anderson told the board.

MTAB member Sally Wirth asked about a number of concerns expressed by Clark County Animal Control staff in the zoning request materials. These alleged that animals had been found at the zoo that were not on the original inventory. It was assumed then that these were animals that had been added in violation of their conditions.
In addition, there had been several births of animals at the zoo in recent months, according to the staff report.
Also certain feral birds, called Guinea Fowl had been observed at the zoo causing concern that additional animals were on the premises.
Trash and other debris was being kept in the right of way along Learned Cactus Road rather than in an approved trash enclosure.

Finally there were concerns that the zoo still lacked double barrier fences in many of its animal enclosures.
Anderson explained that each of these items had been addressed by the zoo.
“We have gotten rid of animals that don’t belong on the facility and that don’t support our mission of being an interactive zoo,” he said.
Anderson added that while there had been some recent births at the zoo, most of these were kangaroos which have a 2-5 year gestation period. Other than that, the facility had imposed a strict no breeding policy.

Anderson explained that the Guinea Fowl did not belong to the zoo but were wild birds that had wandered onto the property. Zoo staff had continued attempts to chase them off and were working with animal control personnel to keep them away from the zoo property.

The trash and debris being kept in the right of way was because the zoo was awaiting county approval on a new trash enclosure for which they had already submitted plans. “Once our plans have been approved, we will build the enclosure and that problem will be solved,” he said.

Finally, on the matter of double barrier fences, Anderson said that this was still a matter of funding. Zoo officials and board members were currently in the process of raising funds to be able to provide the additional fencing, he said. But Anderson expected that to be fulfilled in the near future.
Recognizing that there was some divergent opinions among County Commissioners in regards to the zoo, MTAB chairman Tim Watkins voiced solid support of the Moapa community for the facility.
“I’m not sure what good it does,” he said. “But from our perpective here in Moapa, we are completely okay with approving this request,” Watkins said.

When the floor was opened for public comment, no one in the audience had anything further to say about the item.
Noting this Janice Ridondo of Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick’s office encouraged more community input.
“This is not how it is going to go at the Commission,” Ridondo said. “This board has always been very smiling and happy with this applicant. But this has been a long time coming and there are major concerns about this project.”
No other comments were made.

“From our perspective, and for what it is worth, I am okay with approving this extension,” Watkins reiterated.
Other board members agreed. Watkins made the motion to approve the request with a one year extension. Board members approved the motion with a unanimous vote.
The item was set to be heard before the County Commission in Las Vegas on December 7.

In another agenda item, Moapa resident Billy Pulsipher was returning to the MTAB for another request regarding his proposal to build a commercial building on State Highway 168 in the old Moose Lodge location.
Pulsipher had brought the request including a number of waivers of conditions to the board last June and had received full approval. But he was being required to return with an additional waiver request regarding right-of-way dedication requirements along the state highway.

Susan Santarcangelo, who was representing Pulsipher before the board, explained that the County’s transportation masterplan envisions State Highway 168 as a 200 foot wide thoroughfare. According to that document, Pulsipher would be required to give up a 100 foot half-road along his portion of SR 168, Santarcangelo said.
“That would be pretty much all of his property,” she said.

But the Nevada Department of Transportation, who is the ultimate governing authority over SR 168 has no such plans for the road being that wide, Santarcangelo said.
“We are just asking that the county waive this requirements and allow the applicant to just go to NDOT for the right of way requirement,” Santarcangelo said. “We would just need to get an encroachment permit from NDOT to deal with their requirements.”

Watkins made a motion to approve the waiver. The board approved the motion with a unanimous vote. The item is scheduled to be heard by the County Commission on December 20.