Las Vegas and Clark County Spar Over Expiring Northwest Valley Service Agreement Ahead of Back-to-Back Meetings

What happened

A longstanding agreement between the City of Las Vegas and Clark County over services in the northwest valley has turned into a public dispute, The Nevada Independent reported. At a Sept. 16 Las Vegas City Council meeting, the city held a public hearing to push for renegotiating the compact. Without that step, the agreement would be set for a five-year renewal in December.

The two governments are expected to take up the agreement separately this week, according to the outlet. The county is scheduled to address it at its Oct. 6 commission meeting, and the city at its Oct. 7 council meeting.

What the agreement covers

The 12-page agreement dates to 2016 and came out of a multiyear fight over annexation, The Nevada Independent reported. It sets out how the city and county divide land use, park and trail planning, sewer and firefighting services, and annexation in the northwest valley. It also addresses flood control districts, transportation and street design.

Under the current deal, the city cannot annex new land unless a Clark County property owner asks to join the city. The agreement also bars the county from seeking legislation that would impede the city's annexation rights. If the agreement lapses, those guidelines would no longer be in place.

Two sides of the dispute

The city's case

Councilmembers Francis Allen-Palenske and Nancy Brune both represent northwest districts. They said their areas were covering the cost of pockets of county land that rely on city fire resources, and that the county did not fund parks in the region. "We are left holding the monetary bag," Allen-Palenske said at the meeting, though she added that she welcomed talks with the county.

Seth Floyd, the city's director of community development, presented information showing that residents of "county islands" use the city's sewer system. Las Vegas Fire & Rescue Chief Fernando Gray said his department serves people in those county pockets. As the outlet summarized it, county residents use city services without paying city taxes.

The county's response

Commissioners Marilyn Kirkpatrick and April Becker responded in an emailed statement. They said the county pays more than its fair share and that much of the city's information was wrong and one-sided. "This is a money grab, plain and simple," they wrote.

Commissioner Tom Collins, who spoke at the council meeting, theorized that the council did not know the full history of the agreement, The Nevada Independent reported. He said most of the council members do not understand the agreement and that the county pitches in for more services than the city does.

Why residents are watching

Density and taxes

Residents who spoke on Sept. 16 focused on annexation, which could change both the density of their neighborhoods and the taxes they pay, The Nevada Independent reported. Parts of the northwest are designated Rural Neighborhood Preservation areas meant to protect a low-density, ranch-like feel. Some city areas in the northwest allow higher-density zoning.

Tax rates can differ from one side of a street to the other. Gail Powers owns an equestrian farm on 4 acres of county land and is charged a 2.7 rate, while her neighbor across the street on city land pays 3.2, according to public data cited by the outlet. That works out to $2.70 versus $3.20 for every $100 of value. Powers firmly opposes annexation and told the outlet, "The city's broke, so they're looking for a quick way to get revenue."

What state law allows

Without the agreement, the city could annex land by a council vote, according to Nevada law as described by the outlet. A majority of property owners in the affected area could block the annexation if they act within 15 days. Unlike other Nevada counties, Clark County cannot take back land once a city has annexed it.

A long history

Collins traces the conflict to 2001, when AB179 made it easier to annex unincorporated land. Las Vegas tried to annex 52,000 acres of BLM land that year, and the first city-county agreement followed in 2002. A 2008 contract replaced it and ran until 2013.

In 2016, the city grew by roughly 7 square miles through 39 annexations, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal reporting cited by the outlet. Disputes have mostly settled since the 2016 agreement. One exception came in 2018, when the city tried to annex 872 acres of county land surrounded by city property and drew 1,200 letters in protest.

What to watch next

• The Clark County Commission's presentation on the agreement on Oct. 6. Kirkpatrick deferred comment until then.
• The Las Vegas City Council discussion on Oct. 7. City spokesperson Jace Radke said the council is expected to comment then.
• Whether the two governments renegotiate the agreement before its five-year renewal date in December.