Fiore delays efforts to repeal Las Vegas’ open space laws
Las Vegas Councilwoman Michele Fiore said Monday she plans to delay an effort to repeal controversial rules approved last year that govern the redevelopment of open spaces and vacant golf courses, allowing three new council members to first catch up on the background of her proposal.
“I don’t want to put something in front of them that they’re really not familiar with, and this is a big issue,” she said following a recommending committee meeting.
Fiore sponsored a bill that would return city rules to those in place before two ordinances championed by ex-Councilman Steve Seroka were adopted — one in May 2018, the other in November.
Seroka said those laws, which installed a series of public engagement and reporting requirements, were a way to ensure developers considered how new projects would impact neighbors. But critics accused the former policymaker of rushing his plan, potentially cooling development across all wards and, most pointedly, targeting developers of the defunct Badlands golf course.
Seroka and the developer, EHB Cos., had long been at odds over a proposed residential housing development on the 250-acre property weaving through the Queensridge neighborhood near Summerlin, leading to several lawsuits and an acrimonious recall effort. Seroka resigned in March.
Fiore opposed both open-space ordinances along with Mayor Carolyn Goodman. The councilwoman said she hasn’t changed her mind, but during the recommending committee on Monday, she informed a small group of Queensridge residents who oppose her repeal effort that she planned to strike her bill during the City Council meeting Wednesday. Otherwise, her bill would have been eligible for adoption.
Contact Shea Johnson at sjohnson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0272. Follow @Shea_LVRJ on Twitter.
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