COH Sr Planner Update Aug8
The following message was received from the City of Henderson, Senior Planner, Sean Allen. Please read this message to learn more about the update provided. To be clear, this message in no way is saying it is a done deal. We should ALL continue to show our opposition for the proposed temple complex. If this is approved we are able to appeal the decision with city council. This message will be linked to open conversations on NextDoor for all to discuss.
I have highlighted, bolded and underlined a few phrases for readability.
Good day to you, Henderson residents. The American Hindu Association is requesting Conditional Use Permit and Design Review to operate a religious assembly use on 5.0 acres, located on the southeast corner of Kiel Street and Berlin Avenue, in an RS-1 zoning district within a Rural Neighborhood Preservation area. You may have received a postcard regarding this request, however, City staff agreed to keep the neighbors informed as to the status of this moving forward.
The proposal is for a temple complex that includes a main and secondary residence, a multipurpose building for visitors/pilgrims, and additional assembly space, along with the 35-foot-tall main temple structure. The site will be open to the public each day during specific hours, for individual prayer and meditation, training and instruction related to the religious use.
Formal prayer services will be held once a month on the second Sunday. Additional activities will include six festivals events per year that are proposed to each run 24-hours or less which must comply with all code related noise regulations. There are no waivers being requested for this project.
Since the April neighborhood meeting, and in response to the feedback from the public, the applicant has made some notable changes. The height of the main Temple dome has been reduced by 12 feet (from 47 to 35 feet), and now complies with the height restrictions of the RS-1 zone. They have eliminated two buildings: an administrative office building and a building designed with 8 bedrooms that was intended for visitors/pilgrims and withdrew the rezoning request—all of which was done to align more closely with the neighborhood zoning. Also, they have added more parking, giving the site a surplus of 8 spaces from Code and arguably another couple spaces if the driveway is used for the Main Residence. Parking has been a staff concern in the context of the festival events. Six, 24-hour events are anticipated. The applicant has assured staff that they will restrict the site to no more than 20 people at one time. The proposed onsite parking is designed to accommodate more if need be.
Staff is recommending approval of the CUP. Religious assembly is a Federally protected use (through the federal RLUIPA law) and is allowed conditionally in the RS-1 zone. The Rural Neighborhood Protection overlay does not prohibit religious assembly uses and, in fact, there are two other religious assembly uses located within the same RNP, one of which is less than a half-mile from the subject site.
Concerns expressed at the neighborhood meeting relating to building height and lighting have been mitigated to blend and comply with the Rural Neighborhood standards and character. As mentioned above, the height of the tallest building (Temple) has been lowered to meet RS-1 zoning requirements. Exterior lighting is minimal, being limited to ground level lighting for the internal pathways that convey foot-traffic throughout the site, which would not be in view because of the perimeter wall, and there will be sconces for lighting the main entry and porches. The site will be surrounded by a decorative 6-foot-tall perimeter wall and the site design and building architecture comply with the Development Code; therefore, staff is recommending approval of the Design Review request as well.
This project is scheduled to be heard at the August 11 Planning Commission. Approval or denial by the Planning Commission would be final action, unless the project was appealed to City Council. Please contact me if you have any further questions. Thank you.
Sean G. Allen
Senior Planner
City of Henderson
Community Development & Services
240 S. Water St, MSC 115
Henderson, NV 89015
T 702-267-1550 F 702-267-1501
H Mon-Thu, 7:30am-5:30pm