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Neighbors press council to scale back Bruce Apartments project; council holds item for one month
Summary
Neighbors opposed a proposed 190‑unit Bruce Apartments development near downtown citing parking, density, outreach and school capacity; the council agreed to hold the item to allow the developer and council office to pursue further changes.
After extensive public comment on Sept. 17, the Las Vegas City Council voted to hold consideration of the Bruce Apartments project (agenda item 58) for one month to allow the developer and Councilwoman Olivia Diaz’s office to attempt further revisions.
The proposal covers 4.5 acres at the northeast corner of Harris Avenue and Bruce Street and initially sought entitlements for as many as 204 units; the applicant said the plan was reduced to 190 units following neighborhood meetings requested by the councilwoman. The project seeks multiple variances, including a residential adjacency setback reduced to 75 feet where 111 feet is required, and a parking waiver. The developer told the council they had reduced the requested parking shortfall from 28% (95 spaces) to about 15% (47 spaces short) by changing unit mix and adjustments to the plan.
Why it matters: Neighbors told the council they are not against housing but described the project as too dense for the site, and they raised concerns about traffic, parking, and insufficient bilingual outreach. Petition signatures were submitted by nearby residents. The area includes existing housing and nearby schools; neighbors and council members said impacts on on‑street parking, school capacity and public safety must be addressed.
Public comment highlights: Joseph Weber and other neighbors said notices had been delivered only in English and that many Spanish‑speaking households were not reached. Residents argued the project would overwhelm nearby Hallie Hewittson Elementary and increase traffic at local intersections. Joanna Weber, Grisele Benitez and others urged the council to deny variances that would reduce setbacks and parking.
Applicant response: Developer representative Ricky Barlow said the project had been in planning for two years, that the design now includes significant landscape buffers and building orientation strategies, and that the unit mix shift was meant to reflect market demand for more one‑bedroom units. Barlow said further reductions below the current 190‑unit plan would make financing infeasible.
Council action: Councilwoman Diaz moved and the council approved holding items 58A–D to the Oct. 15 meeting to allow additional work with the neighborhood and the applicant.
Next steps: Staff, the applicant and Councilwoman Diaz’s office will pursue additional revisions and neighborhood outreach before the Oct. 15 council meeting.
