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City Council votes to annex Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary land
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Jerry Henkel/Las Vegas Review-Journal
Mambo, a moloccan cockatoo, dances on his cage in February at the Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary, which was annexed Wednesday by the city of Las Vegas. » Buy this photo
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A goat roams on a hillside at Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary. The sanctuary, established in 1970, once was part of a 1,500-acre Gilcrease-family-owned farming empire. Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal » Buy this photo
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: Oct. 20, 2011 | 8:17 a.m.
The 9.3-acre property that is home to the Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary has finally become part of the city of Las Vegas, but only after a contentious process that took months to complete.
On Wednesday, the City Council voted unanimously to approve a measure to annex the land, a move sanctuary operators say will help them redevelop the northwest Las Vegas neighborhood attraction that is home to thousands of birds and other exotic animals.
The approval, made after little discussion, followed months of public bickering between current and ousted members of the Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary board of directors.
As recently as two weeks ago, Ward 6 Councilman Steve Ross, whose district surrounds the Gilcrease property, sought to postpone the annexation until he could speak in person with William Gilcrease, the reclusive 92-year-old founder of the sanctuary that bears his name.
"I did clear up that confusion for myself and visited Mr. Gilcrease," said Ross, who said he was comfortable that Gilcrease did, indeed, want the land annexed.
For decades the sanctuary has been a fixture in the northwest part of Las Vegas. Founded by Gilcrease and his late brother, Ted Gilcrease, it represents a small slice of a Gilcrease-owned farming empire that in the middle of the last century was as big as 1,500 acres.
Visitors to the sanctuary make a small donation and can walk through row after row of several acres of cages, pens and ponds that are home to macaws, cockatoos, parrots, parakeets, ducks, geese, swans, ostriches, emus, goats, miniature horses, donkeys and tortoises, among other creatures that Gilcrease collected over the years.
The sanctuary operates separately from Gilcrease Orchard, a popular pick-and-pay farm also founded by the brothers but controlled by a separate board.
Sanctuary board members Helen Mortensen, a longtime community activist and conservationist, and Assemblyman Tick Segerblom, D-Las Vegas, attended in support of the annexation.
Opponents of the annexation didn't show up for the vote Wednesday, including ousted board President Ellie Ahern.
She had attended previous meetings and alleged Gilcrease could be forced off the property by higher taxes if it were annexed.
Afterward annexation supporters had little to say about the vote.
"We have worked a long time to get to this point," board member Jessica Pigula said.
The board is embroiled in another lawsuit filed in June by Ahern and Sue Newman, who was also on the board.
Ahern was voted onto the board in April and was elected board president in May, after lobbying for the positions with promises of financial contributions to the sanctuary, other board members said.
But just 10 days after Ahern was elected president, she was ousted in a vote her lawsuit alleges violated the organization's bylaws, according to the complaint.
She opposed the annexation, alleging it would be damaging to Gilcrease's ability to stay on the property.
Ahern also said current sanctuary officials weren't authorized to sign off on annexation paperwork.
The doubts sown by Ahern prompted several delays and a meeting between Gilcrease and Ross, who wanted assurance the founder was in favor of the plan.
Ross said Gilcrease, whose attorney, Diana Foley, did not return calls, was in a wheelchair but otherwise in good condition.
"He certainly had his wits about himself," Ross said. "He is excited to see the sanctuary morph into something bigger and better."
The annexation will make it easier for the sanctuary to tie into city water and sewer services. It will allow operators to work closely with the city planning department to make long-awaited upgrades.
Plans are in the works to overhaul the entire property, starting with the parking lot, facade and entryway.
Contact reporter Benjamin Spillman at bspillman@reviewjournal.com or 702-229-6435.
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@Accountmaker: how does annexation make it any easier for your child (or your grandchildren) to go see the sanctuary? Just get int he car and take the kid there. The annexation does not make it any easier for you to take your kids there!! There is some logical disconnect in your post!
Another question is whether this annexation will help the sanctuatry to survive. I don't know. Board President Ahern is opposed -- I don't know if that is because she wants to grab the land for commercial development or if she fears that the annexation will make it easier for others to grab the land for development. But I do know that this fight is because SOMEONE plans to make a lot of money -- which side is wearing white, I don't know, but I would bet that neither side is on the side of the angels, and both sides are motivated by venal motives.
Enjoy the sanctuary now. Who knows how long before the land grabbers take over!
Well Vegasdude, since you seem so up on what the shortcoming of the sanctuary are, I'm sure they would be more than happy if you were to volunteer some of your time and clean up the rotten duck eggs and make repairs. Or are you one of those that would rather gripe and complain while doing nothing?
This 'sanctuary' is not wonderful. It is a stinky, ratty property with outhouse type buildings and animals that look like they'd much rather be somewhere else. Rotten eggs laying around from the ducks, etc. Get rid of it.
The sanctuary is a wonderful place to go. I hope this new annexation will be for the good and was not just another bunch of political crap we so often see just to earn votes. Children so enjoy the sanctuary and it is something that needs to be cherised and loved by all. From what I've read, it seems the board, present and past all more concerned about themselves than what is really good for the sanctuary. I'm sure it's all about money as most things are. Greed and assinine behavior seem to rule the day.
@ accountmakr - Good post! And all you out there with kids. Have you ever taken them through the sanctuary? To see the smiles on the kids' faces and excitement and feeding the animals and on and on: PRICELESS. Surely do hope this sanctuary is a "forever" thing for the area.
This is another sign that people actually care about Las Vegas and the valley. No one can say that this is a way for our elected officials to get campaign contributions or bribes. This is a way for a non-profit to help make their services (nature conservation) better available to the public. I'm sure some people will try to spin it, but I'm glad that my kid can go see this place. I'm hoping that my children's children will too.
Was Stevie Boy Ross acting as a consultant or as a council person or a consultant consulting with fellow council people?