A proposed Ethiopian Orthodox church in Spring Valley has slashed the height of its planned dome from 112 feet down to 68 feet, a 44-foot cut made after nearby residents raised concerns about how the structure would sit in their residential neighborhood. The project is planned for a 1.59-acre vacant lot on Westwind Road south of Sahara Avenue, in an area zoned for single-family homes.
Church leaders made the reduction in stages, first trimming the proposed dome to 85 feet before settling on the current 68-foot design, according to KTNV. Church leaders said the dome's height carries religious and cultural significance to the Ethiopian Orthodox community, even as they worked to address pushback from the surrounding blocks.
A Neighbor Weighs In
Ralph Wenger, who lives next to the vacant lot, says he supports the church coming to the neighborhood but wants the building to better fit its surroundings. He has suggested that other churches in the area could serve as examples of how a religious structure can blend into a residential setting rather than dominate it.
Wenger said the church should assimilate to the neighborhood rather than force the neighborhood to change around it, framing his concern as one about the character of the residential area rather than opposition to the project itself. He put it starkly, saying the structure risked becoming the neighborhood itself rather than simply a church within it. Wenger said he hopes county officials weigh the concerns of nearby homes as they review the updated proposal.
What the Waivers Would Allow
The project requires several development waivers tied to the site's residential zoning, including a reduction in parking requirements, modifications to parking lot landscaping, and an increase in retaining wall height. It also calls for an increase in building height and changes to residential-adjacency standards, the rules meant to buffer homes from larger neighboring structures.
Separate Clark County meeting records shed some light on the categories of relief such projects in the area have sought. A Clark County document from May 2025 referenced waivers covering reduced parking, modified buffering and screening, eliminated street landscaping, increased fill height, increased retaining-wall height, reduced driveway throat depth and attached sidewalks. A separate Spring Valley Town Advisory Board document from February 2025 listed similar categories, including modified residential-adjacency standards. Those records are tied to Clark County's town advisory process rather than the church's final application, and officials have not confirmed how closely the finalized waiver list will track them.
Compromise and Next Steps
Girma Zaid, a member of the church, said the congregation compromised after hearing neighbors' concerns, and that church leaders are willing to keep working with residents near the site. Zaid said the church will continue working with its neighbors as the project moves through the county review process.
Church leaders plan to submit their updated plans to Clark County on Oct. 20, and they hope to break ground within the next year. The Clark County Planning Commission will consider the church's use permit, design review and development waivers as part of its review of the project.
