A pre-school and child care center that could house 150 to 175 children, was approved by Pahrump regional planning commissioners Wednesday, who promoted it as an example of how developers could find locations suitable to their businesses.

Curt and Pamela Moen, with M3 Planning and Consulting Group, were turned down Oct. 10 on a rezoning request for a child care center in a residential neighborhood at 2800 S. Sagebrush Ave.

Pamela Moen said she got on the Internet the same night and checked out the assessor's parcels for a new location. She found a site on 3.4 acres zoned for the golf course /parks/open space at 1560 S. Java Ave., just up the street from J.G. Johnson Elementary School.

The 8,700-square-foot child care facility and pre-school would have to be licensed by the state, if Nye County commissioners ratify the RPC decision at their Jan. 16, 2008, meeting.

The property had been designated as a park by Preferred Equities Corporation but was never developed.

Another owner acquired the property after the PEC bankruptcy in March 2004.

The plan calls for four classrooms, cafeteria type accommodations and an outside play area. It will be separated from residences by a six-foot block wall. It will be a concrete stucco building with red tile roofing.

RPC members continue to be asked for zone changes, master plan changes, waivers and exemptions following enactment of the zoning ordinance June 20. They heralded this project as a suitable use for zoning and noted the need for child care facilities in Pahrump.

"I think they found a great location for this right next to J.G. Johnson School. It's needed," RPC member Carrick "Bat" Masterson said.

"It shows planning does work because this parcel is going to work out very favorable to you," RPC member Jacob Skinner said.