LV requires developers, neighbors to meet

Open-space rules would affect Badlands project

Developers who want to build on former golf courses and other open spaces in the city of Las Vegas — which have provoked disputes valleywide — now must first hold a community meeting with neighbors.

Las Vegas City Councilman Steve Seroka, who sponsored the ordinance, said it was solely about “transparency and accountability.”

“If you’re going to build in someone’s backyard, you’re going to hold a meeting. You’re going to talk about it. You’re going to write down what you heard,” Seroka said during Wednesday’s council meeting.

The council passed the new public engagement rules for open space development within existing residential developments, with Mayor Carolyn Goodman and Councilwoman Michele Fiore casting the dissenting votes. The new rules also say the development team must submit a summary of the meeting to the city.

Fiore contended the ordinance was spurred by plans to put homes on the Badlands golf course redevelopment in west Las Vegas. That proposal in Seroka’s ward has been on the table for years, roiling residents in the surrounding Queensridge development, eating up thousands of hours of city staff time and generating at least eight lawsuits.

“I call this the Yohan Lowie bill,” Fiore said, referencing the CEO of EHB Cos., the Badlands golf course developer.

Fiore also argued that the ordinance disproportionately affects

OPEN SPACE

Graham expects to raise more than $100,000, while Leavitt could more than double that figure, according to their campaign managers. Tuesday is the first campaign finance deadline of the primary election cycle.

Should the race extend to the general election — which would happen if no candidate got more than 50 percent of the votes cast in the June 12 election — those figures could more than double for each candidate. The job pays a little more than $163,000 a year.

Ginn has posted campaign signs and launched a website. In a threeway race, he could be a factor in whether the seat gets decided in November.

Traffic violation

Graham’s television spot, expected to air this week, references a 1998 reckless driving charge against Leavitt. He was indicted on a felony that was reduced to a misdemeanor and one-year license suspension,

according to court documents.

A roadside flagger said he was struck in August of that year by Leavitt, who tried to drive away. Prosecutors said during a sentencing hearing that Leavitt had made a suggestion: “Wouldn’t a hundred dollars and a handshake just make this all go away?”

“His efforts to undermine the criminal justice system by offering the victim $100 to make it ‘go away’ are inexcusable,” Graham said. “He tried to circumvent the very system he is asking our community to entrust him to uphold. This conduct is completely unbecoming of a judicial candidate.”

But Leavitt called the allegation “categorically, 100 percent false.” He said he didn’t immediately know the flagger had been hit and pointed to a traffic report that stated there was no damage to his vehicle and the flagger suffered a minor injury.

Experience matters

Also at issue in the race is a debate over experience. While Leavitt, 56, has practiced law in Nevada for 26 years, Graham, 34, referenced having tried dozens of cases in Clark County.

“He has consistently criticized my age because he cannot legitimately question my experience,” Graham said. “I have tried over 25 jury trials, and he has done zero. My opponent touts as his experience having 100 cases set for trial, but that is not the same as actually trying a case. That’s like a surgeon having 100 surgeries scheduled but never stepping foot into the operating room.”

Leavitt says he believes any elected judge should have 20 years of legal experience, which Graham does not have. Nevada law requires Justice Court candidates to have practiced law for at least five years.

“You should have significant legal experience and you should have significant life experience to be a judge,” Leavitt said. “I don’t know anybody but the Legislature who would disagree with that. … I will be the most experienced judge in Justice Court when I’m elected. Every chance I get, I tell people the differences in our experience.”

Contact David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702380-1039. Follow @randompoker on Twitter.