The Pahrump Regional Planning Commission came up with a solution how to deal with many of the 1,250 remaining parcels left out of the Pahrump rezoning map adopted in 2007: rezone them residential if possible and let applicants come back with specific plans when they want to rezone it for a business.

While a number of property owners showed up for the RPC meetings in February and March to appeal for their own zoning requests, only a few made it to the county commission meeting Tuesday to see their zoning followed through to its legal conclusion.

When Marty Sadowitz appeared Tuesday to push for a commercial zone for property on Irene Street on which Sadowitz wants to build a strip mall across from the dairy, RPC Chairman Mark Kimball said three different groups -- Hogle-Ireland consultants, the RPC and a comprehensive rezoning task force -- have recommended a rural estates residential zone.

"We've been at this for five years. Everybody's been struggling to do it right," Kimball said. The master plan prepared by Tri-Core Engineering was approved in spring 2004, but it wasn't until June 2007 that it was followed up by zoning.

The comprehensive rezoning task force last year followed up on recommendations for the final 1,250 parcels that had special circumstances.

"The feeling, I think, is if there isn't some compelling reason to make it commercial, if there isn't some plan the property owner has in motion, then the wisest thing to do is to take the least restrictive zoning and allow them to come back later to ask for a zone change," Kimball said.

Commissioner Butch Borasky said owners of property zoned commercial pay a lot more in taxes.

Kimball said planners want to eliminate the old open-use zone. He said there's a misconception such a zone gives property owners more freedom.

"Open use is residential, one house on the property," Kimball said.

Sadowitz said he wants to own a piece of property where he can build a retirement home and make money with a small business.

"In the spirit of having a town grow and be attractive to people such as myself, it should offer the most land available to do business and to create businesses on the most available pieces," Sadowitz said.

Kimball said it would be spot zoning to designate Sadowitz's property commercial, since there are homes in the neighborhood.

But Commissioner Joni Eastley indicated she may differ from the planning commission.

"I understand all about master plans and why you've got to have an orderly layout of a city, but I can't understand why it should be so hard to open a business here," Eastley said.

Property owners also learned the RPC and county commission can't rezone something to a more intense use than what is posted on an agenda.

Nye County Planning Director Jack Lohman said his department is thinking of amending the master plan, which is five years old. It could look at Irene Street and other section line roads, he said. The master plan is a rough outline for the zoning map.

Borasky mentioned a property owner spent a lot of money on plans for an equestrian-themed community across the street from Sadowitz's property, complete with bridal trails.

The March 11 RPC meeting addressing the remaining parcels unearthed thorny situations brought up in previous meetings affecting the rezoning of properties north of Highway 372. But they delayed action on one of the biggest problem areas -- the Calvada Meadows Airpark -- where a homeowners association has to give consent and there are parcels complete with airplane hangars and a taxiway.

Among specific cases:

* Mike Davis was denied a commercial zone for a property on Bell Vista Avenue between Barney Street and Woodchips Street where he's been storing carnival equipment.

* A commercial manufacturing zone was seen as the best fit for properties owned by Paul Enck, owner of Enck's Auto Repair, 1820 W. Mesquite Ave. Two neighbors supported his business. Kimball said the RPC has been wrestling with whether main traffic arteries like Mesquite will develop into residential or commercial neighborhoods.

* But Ron Phillips, of 1981 N. Pinto Lane, was denied a commercial zoning for his property on Mesquite Avenue.

"It's been commercial from 160 out past Barney since I lived here in 1976. I bought the property as an investment. You just destroyed my investment," Phillips said.

But Kimball said the whole neighborhood was opposed to the commercial zoning.

* The planning department was asked to come back with an amendment to the master plan to rezone properties on Stagecoach Road, including the StageStop Casino, commercial.

* The RPC didn't feel a property on the southeast corner of Harris Farm Road and Blagg Road should be commercial, despite the Evergreen at Pahrump skilled nursing center down the street. A few neighbors spoke in opposition. Kimball said Blagg Road could qualify for a neighborhood commercial zone.

* Down the street, Pahrump Health Care was given a medical zone by a split 5-2 vote on 32.5 acres that include the nursing home. RPC member Vicki Parker said it allows the owner to build badly needed, multi-family senior housing in the future.

* Danette Wheelock, 90 East 2T Ranch Lane, resurrected complaints residents on her street had over a condominium project approved on Basin Avenue and Blagg Road in 2007 that was never built. A series of properties owned by Ron Murphy on Blagg Road near Irene Street across from the dairy were rezoned rural homestead instead of neighborhood commercial.

* Harvey Caplan complained the owners of a concrete batch plant near his home east of Highway 160 haven't complied with conditions of operation. The current owner bought the property June 30, 2004, just before the adoption of the master plan and was grandfathered in as a legal, non-conforming use.

"I'm totally against rezoning them to a heavier industrial activity. There are places to do that up on the allluvial fan," Caplan said.

Alexander Delgado, service manager for Service Rock Products, said Caplan's comments involved the prior owner of the property. He said his company abides by all the legal requirements of the conditional use permit.

Delgado said his company is well respected with projects from Dumont Dunes, across the California line, on up to the Nevada Department of Transportation Maintenance Yard in Tonopah.

The request was tabled.