Churches stall new business development in West Las Vegas

Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2000 | 10:56 a.m.

Churches are popping up all over Las Vegas City Councilman Lawrence Weekly's district -- and are frustrating efforts to bring new businesses to the area, city staff members and others said Tuesday.

At a Tuesday morning Las Vegas Planning Commission workshop, city staffers unveiled a map dotted with dozens of active and former places of worship, all of which make it tough to place new bars or nightclubs, convenience stores or markets selling alcohol.

"A lot of the constituents don't understand that religious facilities do have an impact on redevelopment efforts," Weekly said. "It doesn't all have to be jammed up in one area of the city."

Some would like to amend the city's laws to encourage more development near churches.

"It is a conflict," said Sarann Knight Preddy, president of the Jackson Street Redevelopment Co., a nonprofit group working to revitalize the West Las Vegas neighborhood that was once an entertainment and gaming center.

"The churches, especially the larger ones, are doing a very fine job ministering to their members," she said. But the many small, storefront churches "did sort of kill the movement to redevelopment."

She suggested opening a dialogue among religious and government leaders and city staff to work out a compromise.

Not all the people in Weekly's district would welcome a change that would make it easier for businesses to open and sell beer and liquor.

"We'd like to see the area more conducive to family-style living," said Michael S. Jackson, president of Westside New Pioneers, a community development corporation with headquarters on North D Street.

Alcohol sales at stores or at bars attract people "hanging out," drugs and prostitution, he said.

"I don't want to see more churches move in. I think there's more than enough churches around here already," Jackson said -- but he'd like to see more stores that don't sell beer, wine and liquor.

The Rev. S.C. Hooks, a member of the West Las Vegas Neighborhood Council, agrees with Jackson. The pastor at the Great Commission Interdenominational Church on Coleman Street said the council is fighting to keep such businesses away.

"We have been fighting that hard," Hooks said. "We don't need bars close to churches or close to schools.

"I'm the first one to believe in free enterprise, but there's certain places where a business of that sort should be," he said. "It's just not good by our children.

"There are a lot of churches opening up, and some are in places where bars used to be." That helps cut crime, he added.

Weekly said he is sympathetic to those who want to keep alcohol sales out. The chronic alcoholic was a fixture of his life growing up on the same West Las Vegas streets, he said.

"My children don't have to see Willy the Wino on the corner," Weekly said, because of laws restricting alcohol sales. People passed the laws "to protect them, protect their children, protect their way of life."

Steven Ressler van Gorp, an urban design coordinator with Comprehensive Planning, said alcohol sales are restricted within 400 feet of a church, and taverns are restricted within 1,500 feet of a church.

"One issue is defining what is a religious facility," van Gorp said.

That issue recently erupted over a strip club planned for Westwood Drive. A small church with ties to a competing strip club opened 219 feet away from the business property, just two days before the Las Vegas City Council was to vote on the liquor license for the would-be club.

That temporarily nixed plans for the club. The church, the Universal Church for Life Enhancement, has since moved, clearing the way for the liquor license and club.

Robert S. Genzer, planning deputy director, said a church can move into a neighborhood and have a dramatic impact on existing businesses.

A convenience store, tavern or other business that has a church open nearby cannot expand, the owner cannot sell the business with a liquor license and if the business burned down, it cannot reopen with a liquor license, Genzer said.

"In essence, we've zoned them out of business," said commission member Richard Truesdell.

A study of the number and location of churches in Weekly's district is a long way from amending the city statutes, Genzer said. Before any action can be taken, the issue would have to be passed by the Planning Commission and forwarded to the City Council for action.

The city would have to hold public hearings before amending the law, he said.

Weekly said he is willing to talk with anybody on the issue. Any change to the law, however, will only come with the solid support of the community, he said.