Las Vegas Sun

February 12, 2012

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ANSWERS: CLARK COUNTY:

‘Barrier’ could allow liquor store closer to church or school

By Joe Schoenmann (contact)

Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Is it true the county is going to start allowing liquor stores much closer to schools and churches?

Commissioners are set to conduct a public hearing and then vote on a code amendment that would change the distance required between liquor stores and churches or schools to 500 feet instead of the current 1,500 feet. The smaller separation would be allowed, however, only if an “adequate barrier” is between the stores and any churches or schools.

The adequacy of a barrier could be in the eye of the beholder. How does the county define “adequate barrier”?

As an improved drainage facility no less than 100 feet wide, the Las Vegas Beltway or Interstate 15.

That sounds like this code amendment was tailor-made for a particular applicant. Which juiced booze purveyor has the commissioners doing his bidding?

That question is loaded with opinion, and I try to stick with the facts. The facts are that the change would allow Lee’s Discount Liquor to open a store at 8180 S. Maryland Parkway, near East Windmill Lane and the Las Vegas Beltway.

Is anybody opposed to this proposal?

Letters of opposition have been filed that say the rule in place now works just fine and shouldn’t be changed. Vergiels Enterprises, which does business as The Liquor Outlet, is one of the opponents and is imploring commissioners to reject the proposed change. The Lee’s Discount Liquor that would be allowed under the change is a few miles south of — and on the other side of the Beltway from — The Liquor Outlet’s store on Warm Springs.

So The Liquor Outlet’s complaint is that this change will help its competitor and hurt the Liquor Outlet?

No, because those probably wouldn’t be valid reasons for commissioners to reject the change. The Liquor Outlet is arguing that the highway is not a suitable barrier between a liquor store and a church or school. The new Lee’s would also be within 500 feet of a park and a university extension location, The Liquor Outlet notes.

•••

Months ago, the county talked about new fees for different uses within the parks system. Is that going to come about, too?

That also will be discussed at the meeting Tuesday. But it will meet with some questions because the amount of money the county could raise by changing fees is pretty small.

What are some of the changes?

General use permits, for instance, for ball fields and soccer fields would increase from $75 to $150 per day per field. Track and field facilities would be used by youth teams for $50 per team instead of the current $25 per team.

If all these fees are raised, how much more money does the county expect to take in?

Not very much. Less than $15,000. It’s so little that Commissioner Steve Sisolak questions the change and said he plans to challenge it during the meeting.

“What’s the point?” he said. “It’s going to cost us more to print the changes than we’ll get in revenue.”

•••

When is that county shooting park going to open to the public?

It looks like the opening date is approaching because officials plan to test its lighting early this week. The lights could “burn all night as part of an effort to ensure the system works correctly,” the county announced last week. That may burn up some of the neighbors who have been trying to prevent the opening of the big gun range, which skirts the Sheep Mountains in the northern valley. Bob Hall, president of the Nevada Environmental Coalition, who has joined neighbors in their fight against the park, said you can count on that. “Light pollution at night can be a big problem,” he said. The shooting park “is huge. People don’t realize the size of this thing.” It’s 3 miles long by 1.5 miles wide.

What about the lawsuits and requests for more environmental studies?

The Bureau of Land Management is expected to finish the more extensive environmental assessment ordered by a federal judge by Dec. 15. After that, those who oppose the shooting park will be given time to respond, all of which could lead to more delays in court, of course.

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