MVTAB Approves Simple Zoning Request

By VERNON ROBISON

Moapa Valley Progress

During a short meeting held on August 31, the Moapa Valley Town Advisory Board (MVTAB) approved a zoning request regarding the construction of a new metal building in Overton. The request was brought by Larry and Lori Jones who reside at a parcel on W. Virginia Avenue in Overton.

The couple were proposing to remove an old dilapidated wooden shed structure on the northeast corner of the property and replace it with a new steel-built accessory structure.
The plans showed a 2,400 square foot metal structure at a building height of 16 feet. But current standards allow a maximum height of 14 feet for such structures. Thus the plans were proposing a 12.5% increase to the standard height.
This required the Joneses to request a waiver of development standards from the MVTAB as well as from the County Planning Commission.

Larry Jones told board members he needed the extra height in order to accommodate a 5th wheel or motor home to be parked in the garage in the future.
He also explained that he had circulated through the community and gathered signatures of support for the project from each of the neighbors in the area.
MVTAB member Gene Houston said that granting this waiver was, for the most part, a foregone conclusion for the board.
“This will match almost every other metal shed out here today,” Houston said. “It amazes me that we have so many metal buildings in this community and every one of them have to come in here and ask for a variance because of the height issue.”

Houston said that the 14 foot height standard was generally too low for the purpose of storing almost any large recreational vehicle.
Houston made the motion to approve the plan as proposed. The board adopted the motion with a unanimous vote.
The matter will be heard before the Planning Commission on September 20.

In another item on the agenda, Janice Ridondo of Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick’s office, asked that the board set a future agenda item to make budget requests for the coming fiscal year.
Ridondo said that Kirkpatrick had noted that much of the documentation on file regarding budget items requested by the community were many years old.
“The Commissioner wants to turn a new page and start with a fresh list,” Ridondo said. “I know that it seems silly because its been done before and the money has just not been there for it. But she wants a wish list so that she has items to work on for you. She is confident that there is funding out there for these things if she knows what she is looking for.”
Ridondo said that the list could include wishlist items like new trails, splash pads and other recreational facilities.

Houston asked if road paving and road maintenance items ought to also be part of the process. He noted that it had been some time since the road paving list had been reviewed and some paving projects had already been approved and were awaiting completion.

Ridondo added that as gravel roads were paved, and thus removed from the regular maintenance calendar, it would leave space for new gravel roads to be added to the maintenance schedule, without significantly impacting the budget.
“We may want to bring all of that back up again for people to have input about it,” Houston said.
Board members agreed to take feedback from community members they represent and then include these matters on the agenda of the next MVTAB meeting which is scheduled for September 14.