By Mike Trask

Mon, Nov 3, 2008 (2 a.m.)

The plan to build a massive mixed use project on the former gravel pit at Stephanie Street and Wigwam Parkway in Henderson still hasn’t received Planning Commission approval.

The issue was continued for a third time Thursday and will go before the commission again later this month.

GSG Development has proposed building two 30-story towers that would include 1,700 residential units and 851,000 square feet of retail, office and hotel space. The project would also feature a 13-story condominium tower, a 12-story hotel and a 13-story office building.

It would be connected to a planned city park that would incorporate a 20-acre manmade lake that was left behind after gravel mining at the site ceased about a decade ago.

The property sits on a major thoroughfare between the Galleria at Sunset mall and Interstate 215.

Planning Commissioners are concerned about the traffic burden in the mostly residential area. They are awaiting the results of a traffic study being done by the developer.

The city would have to waive height limits for the towers.

Many in the city would welcome the project on a site designated for redevelopment in 2001.

The city approved plans for an apartment complex in 2004, but it wasn’t built. Two years ago a small mixed-use project was approved for the site. It has since been canceled.

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Henderson city officials also are eyeing the future of another former mining site.

The city is considering annexing the former Three Kids Mine area, an 804-acre site southeast of Lake Mead Parkway and Lake Las Vegas Parkway.

“It’s quite a contaminated and blighted site,” said Tracy Foutz, assistant director of community development.

A public hearing will be held Nov. 18 and the City Council could make a final decision by the end of the year.

Annexing the site would allow the city to control any development in the area. By annexing it, the city could potentially make it a redevelopment area, which would make it eligible for federal funding for a cleanup effort.

Foutz said there is probably an appetite to develop the site. However, no proposals have been made.

Manganese and other minerals were mined at Three Kids until the late 1960s.

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Rolando Cruz, 36, is the latest to announce his candidacy for North Las Vegas City Council.

He will face two-term incumbent Robert Eliason in the Ward 1 race. Ward 1 is the oldest section of the city and includes much of downtown.

Cruz promises not to take donations from casinos and big development.

“I strongly believe that council people can be pro-growth and not take money from the casinos and developers,” he said. “It’s not that I’m against casinos or developers. But I want to make sure when we do have growth that it is growth for everybody.”

Cruz worked as a manager of a car dealership in the area for about four years. He now works as regional representative for a chemical company.

Three North Las Vegas council members — William Robinson, Stephanie Smith and Shari Buck — have said they plan to run for mayor. Mayor Mike Montandon can’t run again because of term limits.

Smith must vacate her council seat because of term limits. Army reservist Angelo Carvalho, a member of the city Planning Commission, plans to run for her seat in Ward 3.

No North Las Vegas council seat has changed hands since Eliason took office in 2001.

The municipal primary is April 7 and the general election is June 2.

In Henderson, Councilmen Andy Hafen and Steven Kirk and former Councilwoman Amanda Cyphers will likely run for mayor.

Kathleen Boutin, who founded the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, and Jack McClary, a local businessman, have said they will run for the Ward 3 seat.