Blue Diamond Blues FOUR | T I M E L I N E
Did the election throw a plot twist into the long saga of Jim Rhodes’ attempt to build a city on a hill near Red Rock? BY
Heidi Kyser
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t’s been more than two years since a developer related to Jim Rhodes proposed its most recent plan to erect a huge housing development on top of Blue Diamond Hill, cheesing off seemingly everyone who loves to recreate in Red Rock. The organized opposition, Save Red Rock, gathered tens of thousands of petition signatures and raised tens of thousands of dollars, enough support to put Gypsum Resources on the defensive and keep the project at bay. Clark County, meanwhile, appeared to take the developer’s side, suing the nonprofit to get out of the way and let the process go forward. Since then, the fight has mostly languished in court, but in November that all changed — and in an election year, it got political. Here’s what happened, and what’s next.
JUNE 12, 2018: FEBRUARY Sisolak beats 2017: After Giunchigliani in the seven hours of debate Democratic gubernatorial MAY 2017: SEPTEMBER and testimony, most of it primary, despite Judge Jerry 2016: Gypsum anti-development, the County Giunchigliani’s campaigning Wiese rules Resources revives Commission votes 5-2 to let the on her devotion to public against Clark Rhodes’ 2011 plan to build project go forward, based on the lands protection, County, a development on heavily premise that Rhodes’ 2011 plan is still particularly Red allowing Save mined land that he bought in valid. Commissioner Susan Brager, Rock. Red Rock the early 2000s. The new plan whose district includes the area in OCTOBER to present is for around 5,000 homes — question, and Commission Chair Steve 15, 2018: Jones its case that along with schools, stores, Sisolak are among the five voting debates Tisha Black, the county and other necessities for a for it. Commissioners Chris his opponent in the race violated community that size — Giunchigliani and Lawrence for termed-out Brager’s open-meeting on 2,000 acres. Weekly are the two DECEMBER County Commission seat. laws at the against. 2016: Following Responding to an audience February a contentious public member’s question, Jones hearing. hearing, Clark County files says he would try to stop the a district court complaint Blue Diamond project from asking a judge to bar Save proceeding during his Red Rock from raising issues first 100 days in MARCH 31, 2017: State Assemblyman related to the 2011 plan and office. Steve Yeager introduces a bill to to allow the project to limit private development within five proceed through the miles of national conservation areas, SEPTEMBER approval process. OCTOBER 26, 2018: including Red Rock. The bill passes 2017: Wiese Responding to Gypsum the Assembly and Senate but is denies the county’s OCTOBER 2016: Resources’ request to vetoed by Governor Sandoval. effort to have the The Clark County have its BLM right-of-way case dismissed, ruling Planning Commission requirement waived, Sisolak that the validity of votes to recommend MARCH 16, 2017: Represented says the county should delay the 2011 plan is at that the county pro-bono by former State Senator hearing or voting on the issue. commissioners Justin Jones, Save Red Rock files matter until after the soondeny the plan. a countersuit against Clark County to-be-elected commissioners and Gypsum Resources. take office in 2019.
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DECEMBER 2018