Public land use meeting set for late April

Nevada Daily Mail

Nevada and Vernon County residents will have the opportunity to learn and ask questions about a Joint Land Use study at a public meeting on April 22.

The land use study, which began in late January, evaluates the impact Camp Clark and its military operations has on the community and land around the base.

In turn, the evaluation will explore how Nevada's growth and future changes could affect how Camp Clark is utilized for base activities.

City and county officials met with Tyson Smith, a planning consultant for the study, on Jan. 27 to discuss what the research will evaluate. Smith said then that the upfront concern is noise that comes from Camp Clark because of active gun ranges located along the camp's boundaries.

On March 25, Smith and two associates from his planning office met with the Vernon County Commission to gather additional information about the county. The focus of that meeting was future sprawl of residences and businesses near Camp Clark.

Presiding Commissioner Bonnie McCord said that since Highway 71 has become an interstate, the potential for growth toward Camp Clark has increased.

"We keep hearing we're prone to grow because of the interstate designation," she said.

Northern Commissioner Neal Gerster said that while agriculture remains the most likely use of surrounding land near the camp, future economic development could change that.

"You never know. Some big company could come in," he said.

Additionally, commissioners told Smith they have not heard any complaints about noise coming from Camp Clark.

Smith told the commission that recommendations supplied by the finalized report, which should wrap up at the end of the year, are not requirements. Instead, the community will make the final decision on implementing any tools or suggestions.

"This is not something that requires zoning or any type of tool," Smith said.

Vernon County residents will have the opportunity to learn more about the Joint Land Use study at the first of several planning meetings for this year. The April 22 meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Franklin P. Norman City/County Community Center.