A local conservation group praised city council approval Tuesday of a resolution supporting legislative designation of the Gold Butte Complex as a National Conservation Area with wilderness as a sign of progress.
The unanimously-passed resolution also urged Congress "to enact these designations and mandate that an effective management plan be implemented that secures the interests of neighboring jurisdictions."
"The council's resolution will help lead to economic benefits for our community, conservation of an important wildlife area, and help safeguard it for coming generations," said Friends of Gold Butte president Nancy Hall.
Friends of Gold Butte is a non-profit citizens' conservation group working to preserve and protect the historic, prehistoric and natural resources of the Gold Butte area.
"We worked with Nancy on the resolution," said Mayor Susan Holecheck. "It's very important. The area needs protection. The resolution has a mandate to bring people to the table for an effective management plan. We want to get Congress thinking in terms of ‘Let's do it sooner.'"
Council received two e-mails supporting the resolution. No one spoke in opposition to the resolution during two rounds of public comment.
"No one questions that Gold Butte deserves to be preserved," said council member Karl Gustaveson. "The devil is in the details."
"Nancy and I have taken the congressional delegation out there," Holecheck said.
"Gold Butte is a treasure," said Mesquite resident Charlie Loomis. "The historical continuity is incredible, from the pioneers and Spanish explorers to the rock art of Native Americans thousands of years old."
Defend Our Desert president Michele Burkett commended council's action.
"This is good for the community and a measure of conservation that everyone should be able to enjoy," she said.
Hall said Friends of Gold Butte would continue to work with elected officials, partner with business and other conservation groups and campaign for legislation that would designate Gold Butte as a national Conservation Area with wilderness, legally placing the area in the National Landscape Conservation System.
"That's our goal," she said. "And then as a group we will continue to be volunteer stewards and advocates for Gold Butte and its connection to our community."
Planning commission
Holecheck said the city is beginning to talk about formation of a planning commission. Nevada general law cities, such as Mesquite, are required by Nevada Revised Statutes to have a planning commission when the population reaches 25,000.
"It will take a long time for council to determine what authority a planning commission might have," she said. "The city has never undertaken this before. We want to schedule a workshop (regarding a planning commission) in mid-November.
"Staff prepared a survey of cities in Nevada about their planning commissions: what do they do? How much power do they have? What is their appeal process? The process is long. We want to make sure we do it right."
Holecheck encouraged citizens who are interested in serving on the planning commission to pick up an application at city hall.
