Residents urge caution on water, ask county to pause large developments

Pahrump residents used public comment at the Sept. 10 Pahrump Regional Planning Commission meeting to press officials to slow large-scale development until water availability and infrastructure impacts are better clarified. Multiple speakers said they were worried that current and proposed approvals — including expansions tied to the Mountain Falls South development agreement — risk exhausting local groundwater.

"We don't have the water to support it," said Beth Borysiewicz, who urged the commission to make land-use decisions "based on water availability first." Residents and commissioners repeatedly asked staff and applicants to wait for a water study the Water District plans to release in June, and asked the developer and state engineer to confirm that enough water rights exist to serve proposed rooftops.

Developers and staff countered that water rights for projects added into the Mountain Falls South development agreement were dedicated to utility service years ago and that annexation into Great Basin Water Company is underway for other projects. Attorney Mark Fiorentino representing the Mountain Falls applicant told commissioners, "All of the water rights for both the projects that are in front of you and the existing Mountain Falls have been dedicated to the utility for these units." Staff also reminded the commission that state allocation is a separate step: projects cannot proceed to construction without state-engineer approvals.

Commission discussion focused on the trade-offs between denying a master-plan amendment (which could force smaller-lot, higher-density development later) and approving zoning changes that allow a development agreement to secure infrastructure commitments, impact fees and open-space obligations. Commissioners requested staff provide a report on active development agreements, buildout status and estimated water demand before upcoming hearings at the Board of County Commissioners.