Invest in Complete Communities

Working with local jurisdiction code enforcement and outreach coordinators, develop neighborhood outreach plans to address community issues and provide resources for homeowner investments.

Continue to reach out to key landowners and developers to gain support for the preferred land use map and to coordinate redevelopment of key sites.

Foster new relationships between neighborhood leaders and businesses to identify incentives for businesses to support neighborhood identity and commitment.

Develop regional goals and standards that aim to reduce transportation costs and provide increased mobility in neighborhoods to everyday amenities, such as grocery stores, offices and schools.

Consider development standards to reduce impediments to pedestrian access, such as block walls, cul-de-sacs, fencing and other obstacles that require the unnecessary use of a vehicle to travel short distances to otherwise adjacent uses, or consider including pedestrian access in the subdivision approval process.

Develop a toolkit, in collaboration with area economic development and real estate organizations and other institutions, that supports mixed-use development.

Identify opportunities to implement applicable incentives, including tax credits and other programs to support catalytic mixed-use projects.

Partner with local healthcare and educational institutions to encourage the development of attractive, high-quality housing, and supporting businesses and services that support and are supported by higher education, medical or hospital districts.

Encourage common licensing and development policies among local governments.

Identify and fund infrastructure investments that enable and support increased housing and employment density along key transit corridors, such as those described in the Regional Plan.

Provide technical assistance to local jurisdictions, such as model zoning overlays, for transit-oriented development.

Pursue a pilot program to purchase deteriorated homes and redevelop them into public amenities, such as parks, to curb the process of deterioration of aging neighborhoods and attract additional reinvestment.

Reduce negative impacts associated with redevelopment, such as displacement, by working closely with community members and developers to plan for a range of housing products for all stages of life and incomes.

Work with local governments and redevelopment agencies to acquire key parcels for transit-oriented development.

Increase or develop incentives on land use (e.g., FAR increases, parking reductions, etc.) to attract more compact development and allow the efficient movement of pedestrians, bicyclists, buses and motor vehicles within, to and through the area.

Consider revising and adopting minimum parking standards.

Establish and maintain a regional forecast of housing needs and set periodic goals for housing supply, based on population projections.

Monitor and disseminate information about regional housing development activity, developable land supply, residential zoning capacity, owner-occupancy rates, and use of zoning waivers to inform progress toward housing goals and to enable midcourse adjustments.

Educate elected officials, citizen organizations and the public on the housing needs and diversity of Southern Nevada's residents, and create a plan to provide quality housing for all residents regardless of income or stage of life.

Support rural communities and small towns to ensure long-term economic sustainability.

Encourage updates to the housing elements of local master plans to align with housing demand.

Diversify housing options to meet the needs of local talent and the workforce. Increase the supply of high quality multi-family (condominium) housing in the Region's commercial cores and mixed-use commercial areas.

Research and analyze the needs of people with limited mobility, including identifying where they currently live, what types of housing products and community features they need, and ideal locations for improvements in order to increase self-sufficiency and integration with the community.

Create development incentives for new residential construction and to rehabilitate existing housing to meet universal and visitability design standards.

Support existing boards and committees to evaluate plans, codes and policies to ensure that the needs of individuals with disabilities are addressed as part of the approval process.

Encourage local governments to adopt land use, building codes, and zoning regulations that allow a mix of housing types that serve people from a variety of income levels, including single-family homes, cottage homes, townhomes, condominiums and apartments.

Consider developing standards to allow for micro-units (200--400 square feet per person) that allow reasonable rents for low-income people and remove inefficient use of space in traditional homes.

Work with for-profit and non-profit developers to encourage new mixed-income developments across the Region that can provide easy access to employment centers, family support systems, shopping, public transportation and recreational facilities.

Conduct outreach with local businesses to develop Employer Assisted Housing (EAH) programs in which major employers provide incentives for their employees to live nearby.

Identify funding sources to support affordable housing to reach Energy Efficient and NetZero standards, and generate surplus.

Pursue grants and other sources of funding such as HOME Investment Partnership funds to rehabilitate affordable housing for rent or homeownership, including performing energy upgrades on homes to meet local codes and home energy rating improvements.

Working through the SNRPC and with the Southern Nevada caucus of the State Legislature, ensure an adequate supply of homeless housing is distributed throughout the region in ways that meet the needs of vulnerable populations.

Support the findings of the Regional Analysis of Impediments through continued engagement of housing and planning stakeholders and outreach with homeowner associations, multi-family property owners and residents to provide information on the Fair Housing Act, ADA, and rights of residents. (A Regional Analysis of Impediments is a housing analysis that assesses barriers to fair housing choice.)

Coordinate support services to interested homebuyers and first-time homeowners to prepare residents to establish credit, become financially stable, purchase homes, help ensure timely mortgage payments, maintenance of structure, and fulfillment of loan requirements.

Develop new lines of communication with residents to inform them of their rights and how they can deal with housing challenges (e.g., code enforcement, creation of neighborhood associations, contact numbers and offices if they feel there are issues, no retribution options, etc.).

Develop public-private partnerships to encourage the development of primary care offices, healthcare and health-related facilities, especially in mixed-use areas that are currently underserved, and areas that are well-served by transit.

Encourage the co-location of healthcare and behavioral health services to increase access to care, potentially within a "one-stop shop" or resource center for all types of social services, including an employment opportunity center.

Work with the healthcare industry to promote community wellness, and become partners with municipalities to build "healthy communities" like those championed by the Centers for Disease Control.

Partner with organizations that are promoting wellness programs and working to reduce obesity and childhood obesity.

Develop and implement a public health and safety education campaign.

To advance the priorities of Food Security in Nevada, Nevada's Plan for Action, support in-depth research on existing or emerging geographic concentrations of food insecure populations within Clark County.

Support and coordinate with organizations working to increase access to healthy food options, including Southern Nevada Health District, including Southern Nevada Health District, Southern Nevada Food Council and the School of Community Health Sciences at UNLV, to identify underserved areas that could support healthy food outlets, urban agriculture, community gardens and farmer's markets.

Promote healthy food options and ensure Supplemental Nutritional Program (SNAP) benefits are available in areas with concentrations of fast food outlets that also have high food insecurity rates.

Work with the National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program to request their assistance in developing community-led parks and other community gathering spaces, especially prioritizing underserved areas.

Identify vacant or underutilized land with low-income, at-risk or underserved communities that can be repurposed for public spaces.

Develop an action plan to increase park accessibility for areas that are underserved.

Promote a development pattern that provides direct pedestrian-friendly connections to parks and open space between low-income, at-risk or underserved communities.

Encourage adoption of ordinance/code changes to ensure developments dedicate open space or pay impact fees to a regional parks and open space fund.

Provide superior access to the valley's natural environment (Red Rock Canyon, Mt. Charleston, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, Craig Ranch, and other parks) that includes welcome centers accessible to all Southern Nevadans.

Support Outside Las Vegas Foundation's efforts to maintain trails and provide education on existing trails in the region.

Support the planning and development of the Vegas Valley Rim Trail connecting neighborhoods to open spaces.

Develop and adopt uniform design and maintenance standards for trails and bike lanes.

Initiate and expand existing community organizing programs and/or street crime prevention programs to build neighborhood pride and increase crime prevention awareness.

Encourage the use of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) practices.

Pursue the creation of community development organizations and community development efforts to ensure there are nonprofit organizations based in local neighborhoods working to build safety, community pride, and reinvestment projects.

Replicate successful local and national examples of community-based partnerships with law enforcement to improve safety in communities experiencing high crime rates.

Educate property owners pursuing new developments and home renovations about the benefits of using low or non-toxic materials such as low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paint and carpet, and other strategies to improve indoor air quality. Create healthy building material checklists and fact sheets that can be provided to property owners and contractors when applying for building permits.

Encourage new development to incorporate project design features and guidance for building orientation to create areas for community interaction, maximize solar access, provide passive solar heating during cool seasons, and minimize heat gains during hot periods.

Partner with Nevada Healthy Homes Partnership, EnergyFit Nevada, UNLV, state/county agencies, and EPA to provide education and technical assistance to improve health and comfort, especially to reduce mold and lead hazards and increase air quality standards in residential, office and commercial land uses.

Partner with EnergyFit Nevada and the Asthma Coalition to promote education on asthma, allergy and other breathing disorder triggers caused by pollutants in homes.

Develop and distribute spatial health analysis maps to stakeholders of Southern Nevada to initiate conversations about community health and the built environment.

Reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides and herbicides on public properties that negatively impact human health, especially in parks and publicly accessible open spaces.

Avoid locating new schools, childcare centers and senior housing in proximity to sources of pollution (e.g., truck routes and busy roadways) or near existing businesses that handle toxic materials. Where such uses are located in proximity to sources of air pollution or toxic materials, use building design, construction safeguards and technology techniques to mitigate the negative impacts of hazardous materials and/or air pollution on indoor air quality.

Remediate EPA/state/locally-identified brownfield sites to prevent further pollution and to utilize land for other uses.

Develop area-wide plans and specific implementation strategies for integrating the cleanup and reuse of brownfield and grayfield sites into neighborhood revitalization efforts.

Provide incentives for private sector cooperation to reduce the creation of hazardous wastes, the cleanup of brownfield sites, and the return of land to productive uses.

Establish appropriate measures for long-term environmental protection of previous brownfield sites.

Promote and incentivize quality housing design that meets the needs of its users, enhances the neighborhood, and is built to last.

Promote the rehabilitation of existing residential and commercial properties and energy efficiency standards to reduce the negative impacts of new development.

Promote the use of residential solar installations and passive design techniques.

Promote energy efficiency audits as a real estate industry standard and develop an associated financing mechanism for the purchase of homes meeting a designated standard.

Expand energy-efficient housing choices that move the community toward NetZero homes.

Encourage adoption of energy code to increase NetZero homes.

Develop incentive programs to identify inefficient housing stock and to retrofit older residential housing to achieve energy efficiency standards.

Expand incentive programs, such as EnergyFit Nevada, that install high-quality, high-efficiency building technologies and assist homeowners in understanding how to make their homes more energy-efficient through energy assessments and financing/rebate options.

Expand existing programs that assist in the production of Energy Star and LEED homes, such as those built by Habitat for Humanity for affordable housing.

Educate homebuilders, renters and homebuyers of the importance of shade near and around homes for additional energy conservation in the summer.

Collaborate with subject matter experts and advocacy groups to foster sustainable communities and exhibit leadership in sustainable practices.

Grow and encourage use of EnergyFit Nevada's low interest loan funds for home energy upgrades.

Encourage adoption of ordinance or other code changes to promote the use of Air Quality Impact Analyses for certain types and sizes of land developments, including industrial developments.

Encourage adoption of ordinance or other code to limit the use of solvents and aerosol sprays for painting and dry cleaning.

Support and expand programs that incentivize electric-powered lawn equipment instead of mowers with gasoline motors.

Promote natural spaces, particularly native trees, which are proven to counter poor air quality by absorbing greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and other pollutants.

Support transit and land-use improvements and amenities that make walking and biking short distances viable, to further reduce carbon emissions.

Support a variety of regulations by local governments to promote efficient use of water resources (e.g., turf restrictions, plumbing code requirement for high efficiency fixtures, etc.).

Continue to encourage the use of incentives to manage and reduce overall water use (e.g., providing rebates on water efficient technologies program).

Continue and expand education and outreach programs to improve water efficiency (e.g., school programs) and reduce water consumption during peak usage times of day and year.

Consider local government adoption of ordinance or other code restricting water usage during peak usage times of day and year to enhance enforcement efforts.

Continue SNWA, Las Vegas Valley Water District and local government adoption of progressive/tiered water pricing structure based on quantity and use.

Encourage all new golf courses to use recycled water and submit drought-tolerant landscape and irrigation plans.

Encourage existing golf courses to submit turf conversion/irrigation management plans.

Support the Clark County Flood Control District's Stormwater Quality Management Committee's adopted Stormwater Management Plan to promote site design standards in large parking lots, such as depressed medians, buffer strips, porous paving and minimized parking standards.

Encourage adoption of ordinance or other code for new and existing commercial businesses with water intensive uses that regulate/restrict water usage and provide other minimum standards. For example, consider requiring commercial car washes to recycle water on-site or send it to a wastewater treatment facility, where it can be cleaned and returned to the water cycle.

Promote sustainable water practices among businesses, such as dry cleaners, gas stations, hotels and other similar uses.

Work toward meeting or surpassing federal, state and local water quality requirements.

Encourage energy-efficient new home construction to meet or exceed energy efficiency standards.

Promote Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems, such as MGM's existing CHP system at CityCenter, to increase reliability and decrease regional energy demands of Southern Nevada's resort hotels.

Establish a regional Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program to assist commercial, industrial and multi-family property owners' access to affordable, long-term financing for smart energy upgrades to their buildings.

Promote the use of electric vehicles in local and state government fleets.

Incentivize the construction of electric vehicle charging stations in local government zoning codes by offering parking reductions and other zoning-related incentives.

Expand incentive programs to include retrofits for existing commercial and residential structures for both energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Develop shared renewable energy and energy-efficient models for higher density neighborhoods and public spaces, such as solar charging stations and NetZero cooling stations.

Encourage solar PV and solar thermal hot water for new homes.

Encourage all new commercial and residential construction to allow for solar energy connections.

Develop campaign to educate local governments and HOAs on Nevada Revised Statute 278.0208, which prohibits the unreasonable restricting of systems for obtaining solar energy.

Implement a green energy program that allows customers, both commercial and residential, to opt into purchasing clean energy from the local utility providers.

Incentivize utility-scale renewable energy projects

Incentivize solar thermal on existing residential buildings measured by existing goals established by Southwest Gas for solar thermal installations.

Promote the adoption of legislation to allow small distributed generation sale of power and point-of-sale regulations to allow homeowners the ability to sell power back to their respective service company.

Coordinate conservation and development of natural resources by establishing a regional entity that represents the views of the federal, state, and local agencies involved in these efforts, including private and non-profit agencies.

Maintain the publicly available database to showcase the Region's network of park, trails and open space amenities.

Implement the SNRPC Regional Open Space Plan to conserve areas for their value as open spaces and acquire public recreation access to public lands.

Incorporate xeriscaping and native/ adaptive landscaping from the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition (SNRPC) plant list into public agency design standards for trails, roadways, and other public rights-of-way.

Create incentives to encourage use of native plant materials in meeting the landscape code through outreach programs for developers, designers, engineers and contractors.

Encourage franchise agreements to require single-stream recycling programs throughout the Region.

Encourage franchise agreements to pilot and implement a composting program.

Introduce regional composting pilot program utilizing the EPA-supported best practices for establishing a composting program.

Create an incentive-based program to promote regional recycling for both residential and commercial recycling based on case study research.