Clark County to submit $80 million settlement for housing development near Red Rock

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Clark County announced Monday that it is proposing an $80 million settlement with Gypsum Resources, LLC, for a housing development project near Red Rock Canyon.

This comes after developer Jim Rhodes' lawsuit against Clark County was dismissed, but there have been several allegations against Commissioner Justin Jones, who has been accused of trading favors to block development.

The terms of the settlement reduce the potential of 5,026 homes, previously approved by a previous council, to 3,500 homes and divert traffic from Scenic Route 159 to Route 160, pending approval of the right-of-way from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). If the BLM grant is not obtained within two years, the county will begin paying up to $6 million.

Additionally, once the final map is approved, the county will be able to acquire, for one dollar, 192 acres of the most environmentally sensitive land located in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

RELATED |Federal judge dismisses lawsuit against Clark County over Red Rock development

In light of the recent court ruling finding willful destruction of evidence against the county and a recent Supreme Court ruling on government land use decisions, this settlement avoids the risk of a judgment potential for more than $2 billion in taxpayer damages and risk of future liability while addressing concerns about population growth in this region and preserving the scenic and natural landscape.

By allowing lower-impact development and redirecting traffic, county officials said the agreement aims to maintain public access to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, benefiting both current and future.

Clark County officials will propose a settlement agreement to the board of county commissioners at the June 18 meeting.