Southwest Las Vegas valley community pushes back on potential campsite

Editors Note: This article was updated to correct an earlier version that said Commissioner Justin Jones attended the Tuesday meeting. He was not present at the meeting.

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A southwest Las Vegas community is pushing back after a potential campsite was recommended to be built outside their neighborhood.

The Litchfield & Windham gated community is located off Blue Diamond Road and Hualapai Way, near Mountain’s Edge. Community members showed up Tuesday in droves to hear about the potential site.

“If it’s such a good idea they can build it in their neighborhood,” Litchfield & Windham resident, Alan Mar shared with 8 News Now.

The community members stated that it would not benefit the community in any way and would instead cause more harm than good.

“We had two weeks notice and we weren’t informed. The plans for the campground have changed tremendously,” valley resident Jeanette Mersino explained.

Residents said that the proposed campsite would add to the already long list of issues in the area.

“We are currently fighting the noise from the ATVs and then there’s the dumping and illegal campers as well,” she added. “We are looking at 30 to 40 sites so that’s at least 50 cars coming in and out.”

There are also concerns about light pollution, fires and trash.

Those proposing the idea like avid rock climbers, Laura Tociu and James Lee, say there’s a clear need for more camping sites across the valley. They also note that the available campgrounds book up fast and it’s a struggle to find sites with proper amenities.

Their goal is to have this be a safe site for all.

“We’ve been in touch with security companies and we have gotten some very comprehensive plans of how they would secure the sight,” Tociu said

Tociu also told 8 News Now that initially, they didn’t want to build a campsite near a residential area, but due to circumstances and the kind of site they envisioned, this spot was their only option for now.

“750 ft away from the street is where we would have our first open-air common area. We don’t think any noise will travel towards the residences,” she added.

Meggan Holzer, the Rural Towns Liaison for Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones was also at Tuesday’s meeting.

“This is where your voice will be heard. Like I said, there is no vote tonight, this is informational,” Holzer told the crowd.

James Lee shared that making this campsite a reality, could protect the land from more development being built in the future. Something he knows residents don’t want to see.

“By solidifying an outdoor recreation area, it could potentially mitigate an apartment building from being built here in the future,” Lee stated.

A further discussion will be had next week where a vote will be made on whether or not a recommendation should be made to Jones.

Currently, Tociu and Lee are in the process of getting a lease from the Bureau of Land Management in addition they are trying to get a campground permit through Clark County.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.