Medical terms clarified for LV zoning regulations

Judy Odierna

Friday, May 9, 2003 | 9:25 a.m.

Modifications to the way Las Vegas defines drug and alcohol treatment facilities were made to the city's zoning code on Thursday.

The Planning Commission voted 5-0 to accept revised, new and modified definitions for medical, laboratory and withdrawal management facilities.

City staff members took more than nine, often confusing, classifications such as medical, office and office medical and broke them down into four categories:

The item for the reclassification came at the urging of Councilman Michael McDonald, who asked questions in February about how a drug treatment center wound up in a residential neighborhood.

The city is in a bind trying to find a new home for Choices Group Inc., a center that provides court-ordered counseling for drug and alcohol offenders.

The center was originally located on Third Street and applied to move to 800 S. Valley View Blvd., the former offices of the Las Vegas Sun, in August 2001.

The business license application was initially denied because a special use permit was needed for that area. But somehow during the same month the facility was granted a permit for an outpatient drug treatment center.

The location is across the street Hyde Park Middle School, a park and a residential neighborhood.

McDonald alleged in February that some city employees approved the center to make himself and Mayor Oscar Goodman look bad.

Choices now has to be moved -- which could cost the city more than $1 million to take over the facility's five-year lease.