A group of nearly 200 Golden Valley residents packed the Fire Training Station on February 25th to voice concerns about a proposed 29 acre development on Hwy 68 and S. Teddy Roosevelt. The meeting between locals and Las Vegas developer Peter Cimino was facilitated by community activist Danielle Ohle-Keck. District 4 Supervisor Don Martin and District 2 Supervisor Rich Lettman were also in attendance.
Cimino made his pitch to locals about a proposed rezone and amendment to the General Plan that would allow him and his Canadian business partners to build a grocery store with fast food restaurants, gas station with convenience store, apartments, storage facilities, and houses, directly to the East of Shipps Estates. The proposal had received unanimous support from the Planning and Zoning Committee.
Not one person at the community meeting voiced support for the project, citing concerns about lack of infrastructure, public safety, traffic and road maintenance, and the issues surrounding water use and wastewater treatment.
Cimino admitted under questioning that no actual grocery store or fast food chain had committed to the project, and some locals feared that if the proposal went forward all that might manifest would be more unwanted high density housing with no additional jobs.
About two dozen Golden Valley locals made their voices heard at the subsequent Public Hearing on the project during the Board of Supervisors meeting on March 3rd, where Cimino offerred to withdraw plans for the 47 unit apartment complex portion of the project.
During public comment it was revealed to the supervisors that Cimino, the previous owner of Castle Rock restaurant and event center, had been a debtor in bankruptcy where he was found guilty at trial of inducing an elderly man to transfer $80,000 worth of property under false pretenses.
Ultimately, the Board unanimously rejected the rezone and General Plan Amendment over concerns that Cimino had not done adequate research and preparation. Cimino admitted to Supervisor Borrelli that he hadn’t even reached out to ADEQ regarding wastewater compliance requirements.