Las Vegas recycling business denied permit to operate

A Las Vegas company will have to find another place for its recycling operations after Pahrump planning officials rejected its request to operate in town.

On Wednesday, the Pahrump Regional Planning Commission denied a request for a modification of the conditional use permit that would allow Lunas Construction Clean-Up to operate a clean MRF (Materials Recovery Facility) on 1811 and 1941 East Simkins Road in Pahrump.

At the Oct.14 meeting, the company representatives said they intended to operate a clean MRF where potential recyclables would be sorted, packaged for resale and stored until they would be trucked out. Officials then gave the applicant, Norberto Madrigal, a 60-day extension to address the concerns associated with the operation of the business.

Madrigal wasn't present at the Wednesday meeting, and officials said he had failed to make good-faith efforts to present the information that had been requested during the last meeting.

"I had to send them a reminder that we were quickly approaching the December deadline and I needed the information to adequately prepare my staff report. A week later that's what triggered the request for the additional continuation," Nye County Planner Beth Lee said.

"The only thing that's different from the October meeting is the sale of the property closed and it is now in the ownership of NVDDRP LLC," she said.

In a letter to Lee, Paul Strange of Civilwise Services, Inc., who represented Madrigal said his client had been unresponsive to multiple requests to provide information to Nye County and said Civilwise Services, Inc., no longer represented the applicant as of Dec.1.

Some of the issues that had been brought up by members of the commission included a memorandum of understanding that stated the company wanted to operate a landfill, violations in Las Vegas and potential water contamination and flood control.

Vice chairman of the commission Gregory Hafen said the conditional use permit will not be harmonious with existing properties to the north, to the south and to the east. It also will be "hazardous or disturbing" to existing or future neighboring uses, he said.

"The conditional use is not a substantial improvement to the property in the immediate vicinity and to the community as a whole," he said. "This use will have a substantial detriment to the community due to the potential excessive odors and potential water contamination issues."

Robert Bolling, the lienholder of the property located at 1811 East Simkins Road consisting of several parcels said he didn't want the recycling facility to be approved at these properties.

"I'm holding the note on the property in question and do not want to get stuck with, or be responsible for, the cleanup that may occur if it is necessary to repossess these properties," the letter reads.

"The nature of this request (for) conditional use modification will produce odors, will produce dust, will increase traffic and has a potential for site contamination of water and runoff," Hafen said. "The planning commission has substantial concerns regarding the incoming mixed waste stream and the design and operation of the dirty MRF facility."

Contact reporter Daria sokolova at dsokolova@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @dariasokolova77