Las Vegas council briefs

Thursday, Aug. 22, 2002 | 8:53 a.m.

Strip clubs will be able to expand

Up to seven adult-oriented businesses, including the Crazy Horse Too and Cheetah's strip clubs, will be allowed to expand under a new ordinance adopted by the Las Vegas City Council Wednesday.

Mayor Oscar Goodman said he proposed the ordinance because of the city's plans to widen Industrial Road to six lanes. With the new ordinances, the property owners who could have portions of their properties shaved off would be allowed to expand to make up the difference.

Fed grants sought for beautification

The city of Las Vegas will attempt to secure more than $2.9 million in federal grants for downtown beautification projects on Fremont and Third streets.

The council approved the city staff's application for the funds through the Nevada Department of Transportation's enhancement program. The applications are to fund enhancement projects in the funding cycle that begins in October 2004.

The two projects are on Fremont from Las Vegas Boulevard to Eighth Street; and Third Street from Lewis Avenue to Fremont. The improvements would include landscaping, widening of sidewalks and other aesthetics.

Salaries extended for absent military

The city of Las Vegas will extend its program to supplement the salaries for its employees who are called to active military duty in connection with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

As of this month, the city has eight city employees who have taken part in the program, in which the city makes up the difference between the employees' salaries and military wages.

The city has spent $113,097 to subsidize their salaries.

Strip club given deadline to open

The City Council has given the developers of a proposed strip club until May 2003 to open the club's doors.

The special use permit for the proposed Boardroom on Westwood Drive south of Sahara Avenue expired in May. But on Wednesday, the council granted an extension of the permit until May 2003, at which time the club must be open or apply for another extension.

Owners Ali and Hassan Davari of Houston have experienced setbacks, including a lawsuit filed by a woman who originally blocked the project last year.

Annette Marie Patterson alleges she was cheated out of $20,000 the brothers had promised her after she relocated the Universal Church for Life Enhancement to make way for the strip club.

Patterson blocked the project when her church opened two days before the City Council was scheduled to consider granting the tavern license to former owner Sig Rogich, a powerful political consultant.

The council approved Rogich's license, but made no mention of the church. The Davaris applied for a permit in July 2000, but it was denied because the church was too close to the office building.

After speculation grew that Patterson opened the church to block the club, which would rival the Crazy Horse Too, owned by her brother, Rick Rizzolo, she relocated her church.

Huntridge park to be improved

Clark County and the city of Las Vegas will work together to improve a historic circular park on Maryland Parkway.

Improvements for Circle Park were originally funded by the city for $600,000, but the council on Wednesday approved an agreement with Clark County to match the city's contribution. The $1.2 million will be used to install playground equipment and a jogging and walking path.

Residents living in the area have been working since January on plans for the park's design.

The park, between Charleston Boulevard and Franklin Avenue, had been a center for recreation activities for the Huntridge development in the 1940s and '50s.