Pahrump RPC approves waiver allowing 10-foot block wall and emergency upward-facing lighting at Calvary Chapel tower site

On June 11, 2025, the Pahrump Regional Planning Commission approved waiver application WV 25-8 for a parcel at 1331 South Barney Street owned by Calvary Chapel Pahrump Valley Inc. The waiver permits a 10-foot block wall (exceeding the usual 6-foot district limit) limited to the tower area, removes the landscape requirement for the tower area for phase 1 site development, and allows permanently affixed upward-facing lighting to be used only for emergency repairs.

Planning staff told commissioners phase 1 of the site development submittal covers only the tower area and that the upward-facing lighting is not intended to remain on during normal nighttime operations but would be used when emergency repairs require illumination. The applicant’s representative said the tower-area wall is intended for security and safety around the tower equipment.

During the hearing Commissioner Medici (disclosure: she reported a light donation to Calvary Chapel but said she saw no pecuniary conflict) clarified that the lighting condition must be emergency-only and asked staff to ensure the 10-foot wall applied only to the tower area. The applicant confirmed agreement to staff conditions as written and to the clarifications on lighting and wall location. Commissioners included those clarifications in the motion to approve. The motion passed and staff will include as conditions that the block wall be limited to the tower area and that upward-facing lighting be used only during emergency repairs.

The waiver was approved by a recorded vote of the commission; implementation will follow standard permitting and site-development review within the conditions approved by the RPC.