City Of Las Vegas: May 5 City Council

Press release from the City of Las Vegas:

Apr 29, 2021

Las Vegas City Council will meet on Wednesday, May 5, following the Redevelopment Agency (RDA) meeting which begins at 8:30 a.m. Below are some agenda items that may be of interest. Get the agenda. Watch live at kclv.tv/live. 

Agenda Item 10 – Opening Meeting Law Violation: On April 14, 2021, the Office of the Nevada Attorney General (OAG) issued its “Findings of Facts and Conclusions of Law” stemming from an Open Meeting Law (NRS 241) Complaint against the city, which was received by the OAG on December 1, 2020. The OAG identified five discernible allegations in the Complaint and reviewed a written response from the city. Thereafter, the OAG issued twenty-one findings of facts and made eight conclusions of law. Seven of the OAG’s conclusions of law found no violations of NRS 241; one conclusion of law found a violation of NRS 241 related to an allegation concerning the November 18, 2020, City Council meeting. Because of this single finding of a violation of NRS 241, this agenda item, acknowledging the existence of the OAG’s “Findings of Facts and Conclusions of Law,” is placed on the City Council’s meeting agenda pursuant to NRS 241.0395. The inclusion of this agenda item is not an admission of wrongdoing for the purposes of civil action, criminal prosecution, or injunctive relief.

Agenda Items 12 to 15 – Grant Allocations from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development: City Council will vote using grant allocations from the Department of Housing and Urban Development on the following:

Agenda Item 22 – East Last Vegas Community Center Improvements: City Council will vote on contracting with Richardson Wetzel Architects to design interior and exterior improvements to the East Las Vegas Community Center. The project is funded by Community Development Block Grant funds. Richardson Wetzel Architects has a local office in Henderson, Nevada.

Agenda Item 23 – Las Vegas Days Parade: City Council will vote on a funding request in the amount of $110,000, which was approved by the Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial at the March 22, 2021 Commission meeting, for the production of the Las Vegas Days Parade to be held on May 15, 2021 between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. along Third Street between Garces Avenue and Charleston Boulevard. Production costs include the running of parade, entry fees for student bands and floats and the staff necessary to operate and manage the event.

Agenda Item 24 – Blue Angel Starred Wans, Neon Halo & Back Panel Loan Agreement: City Council will vote on a loan agreement with the Neon Museum for the display and care of these Blue Angel components that are no longer in use as the statue has been restored to her original design.

On February 9, 2017 a Donation Agreement between the City of Las Vegas and Bartsas Enterprises, LLC was signed for the donation and transfer of the Blue Angel statue and sign to the city.  Between 2019 and 2020, the sign and statue underwent restoration to their original 1957 design at Hartlauer Signs. The restoration was completed on March 11, 2020, with funding from a Centennial Commission grant. On March 12, 2020, the restored statue and sign were installed at the intersection of East Charleston Boulevard, South Eastern Avenue and Fremont Street, collectively known as “The Five Points.”

Prior to the 2020 restoration, the statue was remodeled a number of times between the 1960s and 1990s, which included adding a starred wand, a neon halo, and a back panel. Because the statue was restored to her original 1957 design, the wand, halo and panel were not included in the final 2020 restoration. These three pieces, as described in the Loan Agreement, require proper curation. The city and the Neon Museum have signed a “Sign Components Loan & Display Agreement,” in which the Neon Museum will display the pieces at their facility for a period of ten (10) years, with the possibility of an extension if so requested. Displaying the pieces at the museum will ensure their proper care.

Agenda Item 29 (related to RDA agenda item 4)  – Commercial Visual Incentive Program Agreement for 1605 E. Charleston Blvd.: City Council will vote on a Resolution to assist Bella Tux Properties, LLC with the cost of improvements to the property located at 1605 E. Charleston Blvd. Approval will adopt findings that the CVIP Agreement is in compliance with and furtherance of the goals and objectives of the RDA and the Redevelopment Plan.

Agenda Item 33 – Animal Cruelty Provision: If adopted at this meeting, this bill will update provisions regarding animal cruelty and related penalties. The bill will more closely align the city’s animal cruelty provisions with state law on the subject. In addition, the bill will amend the penalty provisions for animal cruelty convictions to authorize (or require, in some cases) that the defendant be prohibited from owning an animal for a specified period.

Agenda Item 35 – Waiver from the Normal Distance Separation Requirements for Taverns: If adopted at this meeting, this bill will establish distance separation requirements for taverns in relation to other taverns and in relation to certain protected uses. The code also allows for the waiver of those requirements under certain specified circumstances. This bill will amend LVMC 19.12.070 to allow such a waiver for proposed tavern locations that are within certain distances from the US 95 Freeway and another major thoroughfare of a specified width and character.

Agenda Item 43 – Criminal Division Webpage Update: Report from Ed Poleski, Assistant City Attorney, and Sonia Lucero, Victim Witness Advocate, regarding the city’s new webpage for the Criminal Division, which will help victims and witnesses obtain information regarding the court process, answer frequently asked questions and provide information on community resources.

Agenda Item 44 – Report from the RTC: Report from M.J. Maynard, Chief Executive Officer for the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC), regarding an overview of proposed transit service changes and stimulus funding update. The RTC transit system is considering system-wide service changes beginning August 2021. Proposed changes include increased frequency, enhanced routing and schedule changes.

This press release was produced by the City of Las Vegas. The views expressed here are the author’s own.