Commissioners advance charter amendment requiring land-supply and construction-cost analysis

Commissioner Jay introduced amendment 26-07, which would require Clark County to prepare a land-supply and construction-cost analysis before adopting land‑use or construction-code changes. Jay framed the proposal as a transparency and accountability measure intended to help the county understand how proposed regulations affect housing supply and affordability.

Jay cited county housing shortfalls and projections — including a stated current deficit estimate and multi‑decade unit-need projections — and said credible analysis should be data-driven, disclose assumptions, and be prepared or reviewed by qualified professionals. He said analyses would be funded from the general budget to avoid passing costs to homebuyers via impact fees.

Commissioners raised practical questions about staff capacity, whether analyses would unduly constrain future reforms, the distinction between county and urban growth-area planning, and whether such a requirement would impose an unfunded mandate. Jay responded that many planning teams already perform cost analyses at some level and that the requirement could be achieved with existing staff or, for larger projects, consultants at the council’s discretion.

After discussion, the commission voted to refer 26-07 to a study committee (9 ayes, 6 nays). Commissioner Jay will chair the committee, which will prepare the required detailed policy report and submit it to the executive committee and the prosecuting attorney’s office for review under the adopted committee protocols.