City’s pet stores put on notice to clean things up

Tuesday, Oct. 13, 1998 | 11:02 a.m.

The Las Vegas City Council has passed an ordinance that will allow the city to revoke the business licenses of pet stores that are habitually unsanitary.

Mayor Jan Laverty Jones, before Monday's unanimous vote, called the measure "an important bill" that should put an end to "a pattern of mistreatment" by some professional animal handlers.

At a recent public meeting on the bill, Jones said: "Although animal control can go in there now and repeatedly cite them for having unsanitary conditions or sick animals, we do not have the ability to pull their business licenses under the current ordinance."

The bill was designed to address chronic violators of existing ordinances, not businesses with minor violations.

In the case of minor violations, a written correction notice would be issued, the bill says. In the case of violations that present a public hazard or a hazard to the animals, the proprietor would have 24 hours to correct the problem, the bill says.

However, "upon further reinspection, if compliance has not been obtained, the Animal Regulation Officer may commence proceedings to revoke the permit," the bill says.

In other action involving a major bill, the council put off for two weeks an ordinance that would limit to twice a year the number of times the general plan can be changed.

The semiannual reviews are supported by homeowners who say they find themselves at Planning Commission and council meetings practically every month to protest various projects. Four meetings a year would occur, each considering changes in two of the city's four wards at a time.

Developers and homebuilders, especially those who don't like the designated land uses, oppose the measure. They want a compromise of one meeting per month specifically for general plan changes.

The bill, which was published Oct. 1 and has just 30 days to be voted on, was held in abeyance so that city staff can determine whether there may be so many general plan change requests that it would make it impractical to address all of them at just four meetings per year.

It is believed that by limiting general plan changes to semiannual hearings, developers might come up with proposals that meet the land uses that were designated by city planners instead of submitting so many changes to the plan.

If a vote is not taken at the Oct. 26 council meeting, the bill will die for lack of action, City Clerk Roni Ronemus said.

In other bill action:

* The council unanimously passed a measure that changes the method of measuring minimum distances between liquor establishments and other businesses. The change will not allow a proposed bar's property line to be within 400 feet of the property line of a church, school or child-care facility. The old regulation prohibited the front door of a bar from being within 400 feet of the front door of a church, school or child-care facility. Under the old ordinance, a businessman could move the front door of his proposed bar just a few feet to get around the intent of the regulation.

* The council unanimously approved an ordinance that expands the city's open alcohol container law to include parking lots and property within 1,000 feet of establishments that are licensed for off-sales. The intention is to stop people from buying packaged alcohol, walking a short distance away and drinking it.

* The council introduced a pair of bills that would amend the Northwest Area General Plan to adopt a "Town Center Land Use Plan" and create the Town Center or "T-C" zoning standard. A committee of councilmen Michael McDonald and Larry Brown will hear the matter at 4 p.m. Monday at City Hall.