Luxury builder Blue Heron withdraws plans for a subdivision at Alta and Campbell after neighbors push back

What happened

Las Vegas luxury homebuilder Blue Heron has withdrawn its application for a new subdivision at the southeast corner of Alta and Campbell drives, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. The decision followed widespread opposition from people who live nearby.

Land-use attorney Stephanie Gronauer, who represents Blue Heron, informed city officials of the withdrawal in a letter Wednesday, according to the Review-Journal. She did not give a reason. The Las Vegas Planning Commission had been scheduled to take up the project on Nov. 10, after the builder asked last month to postpone the original vote following neighbor complaints.

What Blue Heron proposed

A 61-lot tract on nearly 12.9 acres

The original filing called for 61 lots on nearly 12.9 acres in an older section of the city, the Review-Journal reported. Property records indicate the site is owned by former casino magnate Steve Wynn. The newspaper noted that developers often go under contract on a property and then close escrow once they secure approvals.

Councilman Brian Knudsen, whose ward includes the site, said on social media last week that the developers had been revising their plans based on neighborhood feedback and had proposed a 37-home version. This week he announced online that the applications had been withdrawn, without saying why, and posted Gronauer's letter.

42 requested variances

According to city staff, the original plan sought 42 variances. In several cases, Blue Heron asked to shrink the minimum lot width from the required 60 feet to 20 feet and the minimum front setback from the required 20 feet to 5 feet.

In an August letter to the city, Gronauer argued that the site had sat vacant for years and drew homeless and illegal activity, and that the subdivision would improve the neighborhood by removing a nuisance along a busy road.

Why staff and neighbors objected

City staff recommended denial

City staff found the original proposal "not compatible or harmonious with the surrounding area" and recommended denying it, the Review-Journal reported. A staff report said the project would add needed housing stock but described it as "an attempt to overdevelop" the site.

Residents organized against it

Caleb Sheldon, who lives across from the site, told the Review-Journal that every house in the neighborhood is different and compared the plan to a "suburban subdivision plopped inside." Neighbor Mica Keller said she worried the many variances could set a precedent for the city. "It completely changes the entire community here," Keller told the newspaper.

On a recent visit, the Review-Journal saw numerous opposition signs around the area. Many read "Say No To Blue Heron" inside a red stop sign, while others showed a cartoon pig wearing lipstick with the messages "No Blue Heron" and "No Lipstick On A Pig."

What the builder and the city say now

In a statement Friday, Blue Heron confirmed the withdrawal to the Review-Journal and said it appreciated the neighbors and city staff who engaged with the company. The builder said it remains committed to bringing new homes to the city's core. Last month it had told the newspaper it was revising plans to reduce density and address other concerns.

City spokesman Jace Radke said the developer can resubmit the project or a new version of it, but because the plans were withdrawn, it would have to go through the application process again. For more on how local housing projects move forward, see our development coverage and real estate section.

What to watch next

• Whether Blue Heron resubmits the Alta and Campbell project or a new version, which the city says would require starting the application process over.
• Whether the builder or its attorney gives a reason for the withdrawal, which neither the letter nor Councilman Knudsen explained.
• What happens next with the vacant site, which property records show is owned by Steve Wynn.