Democratic Assembly member Sandra Jauregui’s proposed Assembly Bill 241 was heard by the Senate Committee of Commerce and Labor on Wednesday.
AB241, if approved, will require counties to streamline rezoning processes from commercial to residential or mixed-use. The bill is intended to target thousands of square feet of vacant commercial properties throughout the Silver State’s two largest metropolitan areas.
Jauregui stated the bill would allow for more residential areas near jobs, schools and public transport hubs that would in turn decrease both greenhouse gas emissions and urban sprawl. Furthermore, she stated the bill would allow developers to bypass the lengthy zoning process to bring more housing to the areas.
The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada and Southern Nevada Strong partnered to create an analysis that found 78,285 acres of land that was deemed to be vacant or underutilized. Of that land, 85% was vacant.
The Nevada Conservation League and Nevada State Apartment Association expressed support, while the Nevada Association of Counties, as well as Clark County and Washoe County, expressed dissent.
A representative from Clark County stated there are a number of existing commercial areas that would be inappropriate for multifamily or mixed-use developments. Furthermore, the representative argued counties should not be enforced to rezone properties. The county has not denied a single multifamily application since 2022.
Supporters of the bill argued the current zoning laws are outdated and have played a major role in the nationwide housing shortage. The zoning laws allow people who oppose density to stall housing production, which creates several problems and raises housing costs across the board.
Others were opposed to the bill due to its lack a specification for affordable housing developments. In contrast, Senate Bill 28, credited to the City of Las Vegas, would instruct municipalities to create tax increment areas. These areas would use property tax revenue to pay interest on bonds that would be used to finance affordable housing developments and public transportation.
If AB241 is approved, Clark and Washoe countieswould be required to adopt an ordinance for an expedited rezoning process by Oct. 1, 2026. The Senate Committee of Commerce and Labor did not take any action on the bill. (Source)