Developers and homeowners not seeing eye-to-eye on North Las Vegas land

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — An 86-acre parcel of vacant land at the corner of Simmons Street and Carey Avenue in North Las Vegas is in the middle of a controversy between Sungrow Development and the North Valley Neighborhood Association.

Sungrow is asking the North Las Vegas Planning Commission to change the zoning to M1, or light industrial. Association members want it to remain R1, or residential.

Karl Bonar says that if the rezoning is granted and the project allowed to move forward, it would create hundreds of jobs.

"The average worker-to-square foot ratio is about one per 1,000," said Bonar. "If you do the basic math, that's about 1,600 jobs."

Bonar also says he's aware of the location of Gilbert Magnet School, and has special plans for five acres of land immediately next to the school to mitigate any issues with the remainder of the development. "We are not going to do anything on that (land) until we sit down with the neighbors," said Bonar, adding, "We do not want to impact the neighborhood in a detrimental way. The traffic is also a concern of ours," Bonar said. "We understand and appreciate their concern, being the majority of the traffic, according to them, is flowing over onto the east side toward the school."

North Valley Neighborhood Association president Lydia Garrett would rather see some type of development, other than warehouse space.

"I would love to see a mixed-use development with housing and businesses," Garrett said. "That would also help the value of the land in this area, and also bring in needed businesses and services we need in this community," she added.

Garrett said she is also wary of the kinds of businesses that might move into the development, especially since it's so close to Gilbert Elementary. "I don't think that's a good idea for our children, or for our quality of life in this community," she said.

She says that would include any business that might grow marijuana.

Bonar says, if the zoning change is granted, and if the development is allowed to proceed, he would not invite a marijuana cultivation business, however, "I'm also going to say we're not going to turn anybody away if that's their desire," said Bonar. "But, they have to go through the process just like everybody else."