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 Process
Started in March 2006 with Much Community Input
The
County Commission adopted an updated land use plan for Laughlin to
better guide future growth while maintaining open space,
accommodating transportation needs and housing, and
creating a district aimed at enhancing the Riverwalk.
The
new plan, which updates one created in 1993, was adopted
following an extensive public outreach effort that
included planners gathering information at open houses
and other public meetings, and working citizen feedback
into the new plans. Planners made themselves available
to answer questions and explain elements of the process
throughout.
Information
gathered at an initial open house in March 2006 was
collected for a report stating the community vision and
a draft list of community issues, opportunities and
goals. The report was presented to the Laughlin
Town Advisory Board. Workshops were conducted to
develop a concept plan. The 21-member Planning
Advisory Group (PAG) met to review public comments and
consider changes to the plan. A preliminary draft
plan was developed and was presented in July at a second
open house, where further requests and suggestions were
gathered for incorporation into the final draft
plan.
“It
was very effective to have several people with a wide
variety of interests and backgrounds working together on
this process,” said Commissioner Bruce Woodbury, whose
commission district encompasses Laughlin.
“Homeowners, business operators and builders had the
chance to have their voices heard regarding development
matters in Laughlin and guide that future development
through land use planning.”
One
important component of the new plan is its
“transportation element,” whose primary purpose is
to preserve rights-of-way. As roads need to be
developed or widened, the right-of-way will be in place,
eliminating the need to condemn or purchase land, thus
saving tax dollars. The plan also aids in planning
by identifying where major transportation systems will
be located, thus allowing for future location of more
intensive land uses. The transportation element
also serves to alert property buyers and owners where
the heaviest traffic corridors will be in the
future.
The
Laughlin plan is the seventh land use plan update to
take place since the County Commission overhauled its process for updating land-use plans in
2003. Due to Clark County’s rapid growth, most of the unincorporated county’s
11 land use plans undergo updates every five years.
Citizen participation is considered a crucial link in
the process.
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