A look at growth in Boulder City

Due to the Clark County School District’s Change of School Assignment program (COSA) as well as declining resident enrollment, a large percentage of the school’s enrollment comes from outside of Boulder City. For the high school, out of the 618 students, 29%, or 179 kids, come from elsewhere, mostly from Henderson.

According to the Jan. 23, 2025 Boulder City Review, Councilwoman Sherri Jorgensen spoke of her efforts to keep Clark County from combining Boulder City’s existing two elementary and one junior high school into a single K-8 campus. According to state records, with fewer than 1,300 students across four public schools, BC schools depend on a large number of non-resident students to keep the doors open. Boulder City is also unusual in that its two elementary schools are split by grade level with one serving grades K-2 and the other grades 3-5.

Growth in Boulder City requires social engineering, doesn’t it? It appears as though the city as well as the city council is facing a conundrum. A vote of the electorate is required to sell more than one acre of city property. Boulder City continues to control its growth as well as plans regarding all land sales and availability. The community is required to decide to make land available for housing since there is virtually no private land. Plans on the horizon only include housing properties from $800,000 to multimillion-dollar golf course homes.

Without building smaller housing to provide for young families as has been constructed in the past, Boulder City schools may not be able to provide the programs they have in the past. Enrollment in the school system of Boulder City has been declining as our population continues to decline as well as age. That could affect the programs available in schools along with the quality of education available in Boulder City, couldn’t it? Young families would likely have children attending our schools.

With the construction of a pool as well as the availability of ample parks and recreation facilities, Boulder City requires citizens to use these facilities. Who will coach the children? Who will swim in the new city pool? Who will fish in the lake at Veterans Memorial Park? While talking with those fishing at the lake, I discovered that most are non-resident. Without consideration of these issues, who will pay for these facilities?

Boulder City’s Growth Control Referendum allows for 120 residential units to be added to the city annually. That rate of growth is currently about one percent a year. Since 1979, the city has only grown by using all of the 120 allotment units, once. Why not keep Boulder City consistent with its past by encouraging proportional increases in the types of development already present in Boulder City in context with the growth initiative? Yes, I am saying that land would need to be available for smaller lots or apartments to be built. I have enjoyed living in an apartment for more than 10 years.

Boulder City requires a new police station, a fire department substation, as well as other community infrastructure. If the city were to sell land, these capital improvements would be possible, funded by land sales. How is it that Boulder City can maintain its quality of life?

All that needs to be accomplished is to ensure that Boulder City’s growth encourages proportional growth in similar types of housing to that which is already present. That would ensure growth would contribute to keeping Boulder City qualitatively similar to the past.

Eric L. Lundgaard is president of the Aquarian Theosophy Foundation. He is the former mayor of Boulder City and a former city council member.