Pahrump Master Plan Survey deadline extended

What should Pahrump’s future look like?

It’s a very broad question, involving all sorts of aspects of the community, and it’s one that local officials are currently tackling. The Pahrump Regional Planning Commission is in the process of updating the Pahrump Master Plan and the public has the opportunity to weigh in on this important matter by taking part in the 2020 Master Plan Survey for the town of Pahrump.

The original cutoff date for public input was April 10 but with COVID-19 causing disruption in both government and every-day life, the deadline for submitting that survey has been extended. Residents now have until July 31 to express their thoughts and vision for the town’s growth, population, town quality and more.

“The purpose of this survey is to gather input, opinions and ideas from residents and business owners on current and future town issues,” information from Nye County explains. “Results will be used in development of the Pahrump Regional Planning District Master Plan… A master plan is a guide to help shape local land use and other community decisions. It will prepare the town for changing needs and will allow for informed decisions about transportation, housing, infrastructure, recreation, land use, the economy and overall quality of life.”

The Pahrump Master Plan Survey can be found online at www.nyecounty.net and either submitted directly online, downloaded and emailed to the planning department at planning@co.nye.nv.us or printed out and hand-delivered to the planning department at 250 N. Highway 160, Suite 1 in Pahrump.

The survey poses a variety of questions to assess what residents feel is most important when considering the future of the valley.

It begins by asking the person taking the survey to keep in mind the image they see for the town in the next 10 to 20 years, assuming that the population grows, followed by a series of queries that are to be answered on a 1 to 5 scale basis, 1 meaning totally disagree, 2 meaning moderately disagree, 3 being neutral, 4 meaning moderately agree and 5 meaning totally agree. The statements to be answered include, “I would like to see Pahrump become a hub for residential and commercial development” and “I would like to see Pahrump limit growth within the town boundaries, presuming that suburban-like development would occur in the areas surrounding Pahrump” as well as “I would like to see the residential population of Pahrump stay the same (41,069 people as of 2019 estimate)” and “I would like to see the residential population of Pahrump increase”, among other questions.

The next section focuses on economic growth and vitality, posing statements such as “I would like to see more commercial growth in Pahrump” and “I would like to see more growth for the town as a tourist destination”, which are also to be answered on the same 1-5 basis as the previous section. This section also asks the respondent their opinion on increasing the local economy through initiatives involving light manufacturing, industrial development, high technology and more.

Section three of the survey concentrates on town qualities, asking respondents to label individual items with a 1 through 5 score, with 1 being not very important and 5 being very important. The items include subjects such as locally owned businesses, safe walking and biking along town streets, infrastructure/funding for improvements for things like public transportation and utilities, protection of habitats surrounding the town, unique small town character and many other aspects to be considered when updating the master plan.

The survey continued with future land use questions focusing on how the respondents feel about the amount of resources devoted to residential, commercial, industrial and cultural and recreational facets of the community. This is followed by a section on new policy development, a section specific to promoting the town and a section focused on the demographics of the person taking the survey and their thoughts on different types of funding methods for town improvements, such as sales taxes, tolls, gas taxes, etc.

“As a resident and stakeholder of the town of Pahrump, your input and opinions are key to the planning process,” the county’s website states. “Residents’ values and priorities will be the foundation of the update, so we encourage you to take this opportunity to share your thoughts about Pahrump and its future.”

For more information contact the planning department at the aforementioned email address.

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com