Strategic Plan to Address Growth in Southern Nevada

Executive Summary

Senate Bill No. 383, approved during the 1997 69th Session of the Nevada State Legislature, established the Southern Nevada Strategic Planning Authority (“the Authority”) and called on the Authority to:

(a) Identify and evaluate the needs of Clark County relating to its growth.
(b) Prioritize the objectives and strategies relating to the growth of Clark County.
(c) Recommend to the 70th session of the Nevada Legislature strategies for meeting the growth needs and objectives of Clark County.

The twenty-one member Authority consisting of elected representatives from the Southern Nevada City Councils and the Clark County Board of County Commissioners along with Southern Nevada business leaders and residents began meeting on September 8, 1997. The Authority proceeded to hire a facilitator and coordinator in accordance with budget contributions from Southern Nevada government entities. In order to accomplish the deliverable mandates set forth in Senate Bill No. 383, the Authority organized the following committee structure:

Committee		Role
Executive Council		Manage committee assignments and provide administrative oversight
Master Plan and Capital Improvement Plan Review		Assess Southern Nevada service provider Master and Capital Improvement Plans
Needs Assessment		Identify 20 year growth related needs of Southern Nevada
Infrastructure Financing		Match revenue sources to needs assessments and identify gaps
Strategic Plan		Develop Strategic Plan to address growth needs
Legislative		Develop Legislative recommendations
Technical Committee (Cities and County Managers and Managers of key service providers)		Provide technical and staff support; provide administrative oversight
Finance Subcommittee (Cities and County Finance Directors)		Provide technical and staff support

Scope of Study

One of the first tasks of the Authority was to estimate the future population of Southern Nevada. All subsequent needs assessments and finance projections would be based on the future population. After examining a variety of forecasts, a year 2020 population range of approximately 2.3 - 2.8 million Southern Nevada residents was adopted. This range consists of projections from the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the Nevada State Demographer.

The Authority proceeded to identify a scope of work and the specific issues which should be studied with respect to growth. It was determined that the Authority would examine the following:

• Economy/Economic DevelopmentSchools/Education
• Air Quality and the Environment
• Housing
• Land Use and Growth Strategies
• Parks & Recreation
• Public Safety
• Transportation
• Water Supply/Distribution
• Water Quality/Wastewater
• Flood Control
• Health Care

Key Findings

Since no Southern Nevada entity has ever undertaken a comprehensive study of the above issues from a regional perspective in Southern Nevada, the findings of the Authority may be surprising to some. The Authority finds that revenue sources are in place to meet 20-year growth related needs in many areas if they continue to be properly managed. This includes water, wastewater, flood control and streets and highways. The capital facility needs for K-12 education are met for the next 10 years. Capital facility needs for the 10-20 year horizon remain to be addressed. Substantial revenue gaps are apparent when considering quality of education program improvements and higher education needs in Southern Nevada.

While revenue sources for street and highway construction are in place, there is a substantial revenue gap for mass transit. Future mass transit options are important to the future of Southern Nevada’s economy to ensure ease of movement within the rapidly expanding resort corridor and to assist in avoiding mandated constraints due to air quality noncompliance.

The Authority has identified significant revenue gaps associated with park needs. The current Residential Construction tax is intended to supplement other sources of park development funds and other dedicated sources are not in place at this time. Revenue gaps were also found for public safety facilities (e.g. fire stations) due to the absence of dedicated revenue sources.

 

Key Recommendations

The Authority has identified public service and facility issue areas that are key to the future of Southern Nevada. Four of these issues emerge to the forefront: transportation, education, the environment and the economy. The majority of Southern Nevadans confront the impacts of transportation and education systems on a daily basis. Actions taken in the 1990’s have established revenue sources to address growth related needs in these areas. While substantial revenue sources are in place, significant challenges remain. Educational and transportation systems are complex and interwoven with other needs. Education system improvements are viewed as key components in our need for economic diversification. Economic diversification needs are reinforced by our vulnerability to economic downturn resulting from the continued nationwide expansion of gaming, in particular, the November 3, 1998 vote in California to legalize gaming on Indian reservations. Transportation systems directly affect air quality and the future attractiveness of Southern Nevada as a place to live and visit. Failure to attain compliance with federal air quality standards has potentially severe consequences. Also, development of a management plan to improve the Las Vegas Wash will be critical both from an environmental quality perspective and our ability to secure additional water resources in the future. Chapters III and IV contain detailed and critical issue recommendations. Critical issue recommendations are summarized as follows:

Transportation

• Improve regional transportation planning, including study of the feasibility, methods and structure of regional planning, prioritization and construction of road projects.
• Conduct an independent reassessment of proposed public fixed guideway system.
• Implement short term financing when prudent, permitted and advisable to fund construction of highways and streets in the early years of the 10-year Capital Improvements Plan.
• Pursue legislative changes to allow bonds to be sold in synchronization with construction phases and allow “design-build” methods of road construction.
• Examine issues regarding the flexibility and optimization of existing revenue sources from a regional perspective.

Education

• Identify and implement capital funding sources for the 10 - 20 year time horizon.
• Implement Clark County School District’s School construction and modernization program as proposed by the approved November 1998 School Bond Question.
• Separate school construction management from oversight of the quality of education.
• Provide funding for programs that improve the quality of K-12 and higher education programs.
• Fund Southern Nevada institutions of higher learning consistent with the needs of growth.
• Develop long term strategic planning for funding of higher education capital facilities and programs.

Governance

• Support the establishment of the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition to carry forward the recommendations and studies called for in this Strategic Plan and to provide an ongoing forum to address regional issues.
• Local jurisdictions should continue to use interlocal agreements as mechanisms for delivering services across jurisdictional boundaries.

Parks & Recreation

• Establish bondable revenue sources to allow borrowing to accelerate park development.
  Develop coordinated park, trail and open space planning and public/private partnerships for development, operations and maintenance.

Public Safety

• Continue to fund public safety as a priority item of general fund expenditures and seek voter approved bond issues for capital improvements.

Environment

• Improve coordination among agencies and integrate land use, air quality and transportation planning.
• Improve coordination among agencies and integrate land use, air quality and transportation planning.
• Develop a comprehensive management plan for the Las Vegas Wash.
• Implement smog check program improvements and allow air pollution penalty funds to be retained for air pollution control programs.

Economy

• Coordinate and enhance economic diversification efforts and focus on businesses and industries that will contribute to tax base expansion.

Health Care

• Develop programs to increase the number of health care professionals in Southern Nevada including establishment of a dental college at UNLV.
• Support legislation for the Clark County Organized Health System to coordinate publicly assisted medical programs and to establish state mandated industry performance standards.
• Encourage the State to designate a group to be responsible for coordinating health care issues.

Conclusion

Systems and funding sources are in place to allow Southern Nevada to meet most of its growth related needs on a local basis. The local actions needed are best approached with a coordinated regional perspective. Implementation of local actions and future studies should be coordinated through the recently established Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition.

This Strategic Plan also identifies areas where state assistance is needed. For legislation, the recommendations contained in this plan will allow local entities to improve efficiency in service delivery. Quality of education programs and higher education needs are funded through the state. The Authority recommends that methods be found to increase funding for education in Southern Nevada.