Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary seeks to become city annex
It is now up to the city of Las Vegas to decide whether to grant requests to transfer Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary from Clark County to city designation, a move that would ease large-scale redevelopment plans for the property.
The sanctuary, 8103 Racel St., is home to about 1,500 exotic and native birds and animals.
The facility hosts daily visitors and serves as an educational hub via the animals and paleontological finds on the land.
But in order to reach its potential, officials say, considerable upgrades and redevelopment must be made. A master plan has been drawn up and funding has been secured, but getting a new home designation proved to be an initial roadblock.
A petition to the city of Las Vegas Planning Commission was filed this year and subsequently approved to annex a 8.02-acre area south of Racel Street and east and west of Al Carrison Street. The land is in one of a few county-run segments that freckle the northwest.
New restroom facilities top the renovation list, and the added plumbing requirements would overwhelm the county system currently in place.
Annexation would make it easy to hook up with the city of Las Vegas sewer system, said Gilcrease board member Don White, who also heads the sanctuary's development committee and is architectural plans examiner with city of Las Vegas building department.
The city of Las Vegas Planning Commission voted unanimously in favor of the request during its May 10 meeting.
White said he was confident the commission would OK the measure.
The Las Vegas City Council is now expected to review the plan June 15.
If approved, the sanctuary can move forward with implementing plans for a $4 million grant it received.
About $500,000 of it is slated to be used directly for renovations and the other $3.5 million is to be invested into an endowment for future development, White said.
Architects have drafted immediate plans for upgraded parking lots, an entry way and landscaping and installing new restrooms and aviaries.
Surrounding neighborhoods were notified of the nonprofit sanctuary's intentions for annexation and eventual redevelopment, and White said he is unaware of opposition to either plan.
Las Vegas City Councilman Steve Ross of Ward 6 said he supports the decision.
He said he mentioned annexation to Gilcrease representatives in recent years so the sanctuary could be another jewel in the city of Las Vegas' crown.
"It's one of the last great bastions of agriculture and our heritage," he said. "It's a beautiful place to walk through and take a look at the birds and animals. It's a great asset to Nevada, and I would like that to be a city of Las Vegas asset."
Ross said he probably will remove it from a consent agenda distinction at the June 15 meeting as to allow supporters like himself to weigh in on the sanctuary's importance.
For information, visit nature
sanctuarygilcrease.org, call 645-4224 or e-mail info@naturesanctuary
gilcrease.org.
Contact Centennial and Paradise View reporter Maggie Lillis at mlillis@viewnews.com or 477-3839.
