Pahrump was specifically identified by the Urban Land Institute for lacking experience to deal with sudden and major growth, according to a report presented at a recent conference in Las Vegas.

The Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit education and research organization that advocates quality land use.

The institute convened a recent conference of civic leaders to discuss the growth of satellite communities around Las Vegas. The institute report estimates the existing population of Pahrump of 33,700 will increase to 55,000 within 10 years and to 75,000 residents within 20 years.

Other satellite communities identified at the conference included Coyote Springs, a planned community which will house 40,000 residents north of Las Vegas; Overton, Logandale and Mesquite.

The report on Pahrump states bluntly: "Elected officials are not experienced with the issues associated with major and sudden growth. Planning and public works staff lack experience and resources necessary to deal with size and nature of workload. Infrastructure is already overburdened and the structure of the counties revenue sources, including new impact fees, leaves the county no opportunity to improve the level of service. Even with existing levels of service the county and town face a projected shortfall of $74 million over the next 10 years."

The report concludes that the level of infrastructure in Pahrump is generally inadequate. It states schools are at capacity, a large percentage of roads are unpaved and there are no flood control facilities. It remarks that there aren't any municipal water and sewer authorities, and the availability of water rights will probably limit growth within the next decade.

(By comparison, the Urban Land Institute issued a glowing report about Mesquite where there are new middle and elementary schools, a fully-equipped recreation center, a new 600-acre technology and commerce center on I-15 and a planned general aviation airport. It stated, "elected officials work hand in hand with city staff planning for controlled growth.")

"I don't know exactly where they came up with the statement. I'm assuming it's from the various developers, it's their understanding of what they've seen in getting their various projects going," said Nye County Principal Planner Steve Osborne who was at the conference. "I think they have some validity to those statements. That's their opinion, and if that's what they've experienced, certainly comments about the infrastructure, the large percentage of unpaved roads, yeah that's true. I can't really say they're way off base with their comments."

Osborne said that during the conference, "they talked about there's all these problems, but its not just Pahrump, it's all these satellite communities too. It hasn't stopped the developers from going to these satellite communities."

While he admitted the county lacks resources in the planning department, Osborne noted that both he and Interim Planning Director Cheryl Beeman are nationally certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners. Public Works Director Samson Yao is a certified engineer, he added.

The developers comprising the institute, including John Ritter, chief executive officer of the Focus Property Group, talked about setting up a super regional task force to help oversee growth and coordinate planning among governmental agencies.

Sherry Jasperson of Pahrump referred to the Urban Land Institute symposium in her remarks at the public hearing Tuesday on the development agreement for the Focus Property Group.

Jasperson said, "The general consensus was that Pahrump specifically was lacking experience, preparedness and willingness to deal with the growth that is already here, with more to come. We were identified as not a friendly environment for business or growth, and that if we continue on the present course, we will be faced with a $75 million shortfall within the next 10 years."

Jasperson said Mesquite, Coyote Springs and Kingman, Ariz., are embracing the benefits smart growth can bring. She said Focus Property Group could be a good neighbor and partner.

"Equally important in this vote you will be making is the issue of perception. We need to be perceived as a responsibly growing community that is looking to partner with developers and businesses to go forward and create the kind of community we can all be proud of," Jasperson told commissioners.