MARK WAITE / PVT John Buchanan addresses Nye County Commissioners. Advertisement

TONOPAH -- Nye County Commissioner Joni Eastley correctly predicted the vote on a slew of parcel maps in Amargosa Valley would go quickly Tuesday.

Amargosa Valley Town Board Chairwoman Jan Cameron could only watch and grow frustrated as commissioners approved 57 parcel map applications, dividing up 217 lots.

The applications were submitted at the last moment before new regulations took effect, requiring the donation of 2.2 acre feet of water rights per parcel Nov. 1.

The rush of applications led Nye County commissioners to declare Nov. 27 a six-month moratorium on subsequent and contiguous parceling outside Pahrump until changes are made to the Division of Land Ordinance.

The Amargosa Valley planning committee voted against most of the parcel map applications because they would constitute subsequent parceling in anticipation of the new regulations. Nye County commissioners approved the applications regardless.

When it came to a request by William Hernstadt on 16 applications, to subdivide each of his 10-acre parcels down to a smaller plots on Amargosa Farm Road and Indian Springs Street, the Amargosa Valley planning commission also cited sub-standard lot sizes and a concern over landlocked parcels.

Nye County planning recommended all 16 parcel maps be recorded en masse to ensure adequate physical access to all parcels.

The smallest parcels would be below the 2.5-acre minimum size specified in the Amargosa Valley area plan, which has been approved by the Amargosa Valley Town Advisory Board but is awaiting approval by Nye County commissioners.

Amargosa Valley planning commissioners also cited sub-standard lot sizes and the possibility of landlocked lots in rejecting four parcel map applications by the Olson Family Trust, dividing up lots on Conestoga Avenue into parcels as small as 1.5 acres.

A concern over sub-standard lot sizes, down to 1.1-acre parcels, was cited as a reason to recommend disapproval of six parcel map applications filed by John O'Farrell.

John Buchanan, a realtor with Tri-State Realty, said he tried to work with the Amargosa Valley planning commission on his 12 parcel map applications, each one subdividing 10-acre lots. The planning commission still objected to the subsequent parceling.

"Nobody wanted to take lots below two and a half acres, so we adhered to that requirement and broke these into fives and two and a halfs. The size is marketable, the cost is less and its easier to buy per acre," Buchanan said.

The developers spent $14,400 on application fees with the impression the maps would be acceptable to county officials, he said.

Paul Raby, a Las Vegas attorney who is a co-owner of Buchanan's project, E Street Apartments LLC, said "We've gone by the rules that were in place at the time."

Nye County Commissioner Butch Borasky admitted the applications were "already in the pipeline" in making the motion to approve the first batch of parcel maps.

Most of the discussion involved a road improvement agreement for seven streets in Amargosa Valley as part of the E Street Apartment project. Cameron said the town advisory board is wary of ending up in a situation similar to that in Pahrump, where houses are being built without roads to reach them.

"I've practiced law in Las Vegas, Nevada, since 1975. I'm not a fly-by-night person who's come to Nevada to make quick money and go back to New York," Raby replied. "I have personally guaranteed this bond. So if the road is not built, it all comes back to me, and I assure you I will not let anything go into default."

Buchanan said when parcel maps are recorded, the county tax base will increase, allowing more money for the road department. He told Eastley chip-sealed roads would deteriorate if people don't drive on them on a regular basis.

Buchanan's parcel map improvement agreement was approved with a three-year time limit. Eastley cast the sole vote against it, saying, "This is a subdivision."

The Nov. 27 moratorium, however, means the sun is setting on the rush of parceling in Amargosa Valley.

Buchanan told commissioners, "This is about the last time you're going to see my lovely face with these parcel maps because this is the last go-round."