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	MVTAB Discusses Omega Vista Project

	by Tim Robison Moapa Valley Progress The Moapa Valley Town Advisory Board (MVTAB) met on Wednesday January 9. At the meeting, the Board heard from Joel McCullough of the Clark County Major Projects Team. McCullough was there to discuss the want/need list request he made to Board Member Guy Doty last month, concerning Omega Vista, Logandale Town Square Project;. The request had been discussed at length at the previous Board Meeting but, because it had not been added to the agenda in time, it could not be an action item. According to McCullough Omega Vista would do one of two things at the planning Commission meeting on January 16. “They are going to hold it indefinitely before this coming meeting,” McCullough said. “Or they are going to withdraw the applications and come back and try to work with the Town Board and the residents more closely than they did the first time to resubmit” MVTAB member, Kurt Lytle responded saying, “I know that there has been a lot of conversation about this project and it is a significant project for the Valley. It would impact everyone who lives here. The Board’s recommendation was not to approve the plan that was presented at a previous meeting.” Lytle further expressed his hope that Omega Vista would come back to the Board and the community, discuss what they would like to do, and listen to input from the community. Lytle further said that it was his hope for everyone to come together, develop a consensus that would be supported by the community, and be beneficial to Omega Vista. Commissioner Tom Collins, who was in attendance, informed the Board that the community was no longer alone in the situation it faced with the proposed Omega Vista Project. He stated that four other Commissioners faced the same situation in their districts. “It has dawned on a majority of the Board to recognize that growth in a rural outlying area is different than in downtown Las Vegas,” Collins said. According to Collins, proposed developments in Sandy Valley, Indian Springs, and Bunkerville has brought the issue of the various subtleties of rural development to the attention of the four members of the Board of County Commissioners whose districts are facing such rural development. “So, I want to make sure the premise here is not that you are working up a frigin’ wish list,” Collins said. “You are directing Clark County of what kind of development you want out here. So I hope you are taking it with that seriousness and not just thinking that Christmas is lingering.” Board Member Guy Doty then expressed the desire to keep the ranch that Omega Vista intends to develop as a ranch and felt that it was possible for someone to purchase the property and use it for that purpose. If not as one ranch, Doty said, he would like to see it divided into two-acre ranchetts. Board Member Jay Young said that while he disagreed with some of the design ideas shown to the community. Specifically, he mentioned, the close quarters of the design and the proposal to build three story structures. Despite this, Young said, that he did not have a problem with the density numbers, if those numbers were implemented with acknowledgement of the community’s desire to maintain its rural flavor. Young expressed his concern that to build fewer units would price some young families out of the community. Board Member Rik Eide expressed his appreciation to Commissioner Collins for explaining the newfound support the community has from the County Commission. Eide then went on to say that he felt that Omega Vista, instead of asking for a want/need list, after all the meetings that the Board and the community has gone through, should have compiled such a list themselves and presented the Town Board with that list. “To come to us at the eleventh hour and say give us a list,” Eide said. “I have to say no. We have given you a list that should have been compiled over the last year with your community meetings, your closed door meetings, and your meetings with the major projects group. The list should have been compiled all along, instead they have come to every meeting with an attorney. They come to every meeting hoping we will say something they can bind us with. They know what we want as a community they know what we will accept as a community; let them bring a list to us.” McCullough finished the discussion by saying that this being the first rural major project it was a learning process for him and the County’s Major Projects division as well. He informed the Board that the Planning Commission had an item on the agenda for their meeting on January 16 that would amend the major projects process to create a rural as well as an urban process for major developments in the County.