LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Clark County School District has received national recognition for its magnet schools, but its plans to construct a career and technical academy in the south Las Vegas valley is facing stern opposition.
South Career and Technical Academy (SCTA) would be constructed on an empty lot that borders Starr and Neal avenues, and Gilespie and La Cienega streets, according to a site plan.
In documents given to the Clark County Zoning Commission, the district states it hopes to begin construction in the fall of 2024 and open the school to students in the fall of 2026.
“We’re really concerned. We’ve talked about possibly selling our house. Or possibly moving out, buying somewhere else and renting this one out,” Dedan Thomas said.
Thomas lives nearby and he says the proposed high school would not only block his view of the Las Vegas Raiders practice facility, which is located near St. Rose Pkwy and Starr Ave, but also increase traffic to his street.
“You’re talking about three schools within a mile, a mile and a half radius. It would’ve been fine for more homes. They’re building more homes here,” Thomas said.
The CCSD schools that are already in this south valley area are Liberty High and Schorr Elementary.
According to CCSD’s plans, SCTA would house about 1,800 students but homeowners say there is just no room.
“They’re trying to stuff a large watermelon into a plastic grocery bag and waiting for it to split,” Kevin Paulsen, president of a nearby homeowner association, said.
Paulsen is referring to the 20 acres CCSD wants to use to build the three-story school. Several homeowners 8 News Now spoke with say CCSD is attempting to ram this project through.
“They need to provide a traffic study. They’ve still failed to do that and they’re talking breaking ground in 2024. So, we’d like to see what this school is actually going to do in this area,” Sterling Kavitky, vice president of the Tierra Linda subdivision, said.
Homeowner Michael Pride doesn’t buy into the idea that having a magnet school in your backyard improves property values.
“I’ve seen the amount of cars that’s flooding the neighborhoods. It’s dangerous, and dangerous situations don’t improve property values. Safe ones do,” Pride said.
The Clark County Zoning Commission will consider approving CCSD’s plans for South Career and Technical Academy at its Wednesday meeting.
Several of the homeowners 8 News Now spoke with will be in attendance.
