Commission set to receive Henderson Strong results

The Henderson Strong Comprehensive Plan, in which residents outlined their top priorities for the city, is expected to go before the Planning Commission in February, followed by the City Council for approval in March.

Henderson Strong, the results of which were set to be unveiled to the public this month, is in concordance with the Southern Nevada Strong Regional Plan, a three-year plan that started in 2012 and was funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

For 18 months, the city has sent out surveys and invited residents to comment online; about 5,700 have responded.

The top priorities for residents were school and education, health and well-being, and parks and open spaces.

“These seem to make sense knowing our residents,” said Stephanie Garcia-Vause, the city’s community development and services department director. “Especially for something like parks and open space. That is something our community really enjoys.”

The plan also helped narrow down locations in Henderson that would benefit from the plan’s implementation — downtown Henderson, the Boulder Highway corridor, Lake Mead Parkway and western Henderson.

The findings are expected to go before the City Council before the department begins to focus on goals and implementation. Garcia-Vause said that could be a range of things, such as finding creative solutions or addressing access to healthy foods in certain areas of town.

The city has a head start on achieving some of those goals. Last year, it received a $60,000 grant from the Reinvestment Fund and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to provide at-risk neighborhoods with better access to healthier food options.

To reach Henderson View reporter Michael Lyle, email mlyle@viewnews.com or call 702-387-5201. Find him on Twitter: @mjlyle.