LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Residents who live in a designated rural preservation neighborhood in Las Vegas are raising concerns over the expansion of a church in their Spring Valley neighborhood. Their biggest worry is that the proposed design could change their rural area landscape drastically.
“I really don’t look forward to seeing 400 people on the other side of my wall. Every day we turn around the church gets bigger and keeps taking up more and more land,”Howard Karsh said. Karsh lives directly behind St. Michael’s Antiochian Orthodox Church near Russell Road and Jones Boulevard.
The church opened 13 years ago and now, church leaders want to expand for their growing congregation. A few years ago they purchased 10 acres of land next door.
“Initially we could not see eye to eye, but 5 years down the road, I think we’ve come a long way,” said Grmia Zaid, a member of the church and an advisor for the proposed expansion.
Zaid tells Channel 13, the proposed plans include 465 additional parking spaces, a community center for kids, and an indoor basketball court.
“We’re losing some of that rural neighborhood that we came here to enjoy,” Karsh said.
The church is located in one of Clark County’s rural preservation neighborhoods, meaning there are restrictions on what can be built there. Things like condo complexes and commercial shopping centers are just some examples.
Karsh worries the added development could impact the area's tranquility, character and future appeal.
Channel 13 has reported on similar concerns for Lone Mountain area residents, where a proposed temple for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is set to be built. The temple would fall right on the line of a rural preservation area.
Despite the concerns, St. Michael’s church leaders are arguing the importance of accommodating their growing congregation..
“We've let them know our concerns and my understanding is they’ve listened to us,” Karsh said.
“We have to meet with our neighbors. We have to listen to their issues and try to mitigate the problem,” Zaid said.
The law group representing St. Michael’s church is hosting a neighborhood meeting on Wednesday night. The meeting will be at the Holiday Inn Express located at 6220 S Rainbow Boulevard at 5:30 pm.
Channel 13 also had some questions about the request for a special use permit at the church site and what it was for. Our team has contacted both Clark county and the attorneys representing the church to get some answers.
