Thursday, May 26, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Liquor law shift proposed

Mack urges relaxing store distance limits

Las Vegas City Councilman Michael Mack has proposed relaxing a city law barring liquor sales near churches, schools, child-care facilities and parks.

Mack's proposal, eligible for adoption next month at the final council meeting of his term, would reduce the size of stores allowed to seek waivers to a law that prohibits liquor sales within 400 feet of places typically frequented by children.

Under a current city ordinance, only stores exceeding 20,000 square feet in area, such as small supermarkets, may apply for a waiver to be within 400 feet of churches, schools, day care centers and parks.

Under Mack's proposal, that would be reduced to 12,000 square feet, as long as the business does not devote more than 10 percent of its floor space to the display or merchandising of liquor.

That would largely affect drugstores, neighborhood markets and a few very large convenience stores.

Two of the three council members representing mature wards near the city's core said they oppose adoption of the ordinance, because some of their neighborhoods already are plagued by social problems associated with alcohol.

"In my area, it would be devastating. We try to do everything we can to protect our kids," said Mayor Pro-Tem Gary Reese, who represents Ward 3.

His ward is the city's easternmost district, generally running from Las Vegas Boulevard to Nellis Boulevard between Owens and Sahara avenues.

"There's an oversaturation of places that sell liquor in the district I represent, and I have to think of my ward," said Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian, who represents neighborhoods generally running alongside Charleston Boulevard between Rancho and Durango drives.

"I think we should be maintaining our standards, not lowering them," Tarkanian said. "Too often, once the door is open, it's pushed very wide open."

The councilman representing the other mature ward, Lawrence Weekly, said he has concerns about the proposal.

"I am interested in hearing the argument for doing it," said Weekly, whose ward includes most of downtown and the neighborhood to the north known as West Las Vegas.

"It's important to continue to protect the integrity of our child-care centers, as well as our churches and our parks."

Councilman Larry Brown said he wants to further investigate the proposal before making a decision, but Brown said he is pleased the bill does not actually authorize any waivers.

"It just enables an applicant to seek a waiver," Brown said, noting that such applications would have to come before the council for review.

"I need more information on what the proposed changes are intended to do. What is the target of this? Who's asking for it?"

Mack said he sponsored the proposed ordinance amendment at the request of drugstore chains currently prohibited from selling hard liquor because of the distance-separation requirements.

"It came from the neighborhood drugstores. It is the Walgreens, the Sav-Ons, the CVSes that would be affected by this, not 7-Elevens," Mack said. "I want to hear from my council before it goes any further and see if it's a good idea or not."

Mayor Oscar Goodman wouldn't comment on the proposal, and attempts to reach Councilman Steve Wolfson were not successful Wednesday.

Mack traditionally has abstained from more items before the council than his colleagues because of conflicts of interest stemming from his consulting business or his family's business interests.

Mack said Wednesday "absolutely none" of his clients would be affected by his proposal.

Regardless, Reese said Wednesday that he in the past has raised questions about the seemingly haphazard manner in which the council has sometimes granted waivers to the 400-foot rule.

"Certain people got waivers, and certain people didn't," Reese said. "I could never understand what the difference was."

Mack's bill will not be voted on by the council at its meeting next week. Instead, it will be read into the record then. It is eligible for adoption at the council's June 15 meeting, which will be the final one for Mack, who is not seeking re-election.

Two candidates, Mary Gillins and Steve Ross, are vying to be his successor representing Ward 6.

Mack is supporting Gillins in the race and spent Wednesday afternoon campaigning for her in his sprawling, northwestern district.

Mack also is Gillins' chief fund-raiser as part of his paid consulting job with Southwest Strategies, the firm running Gillins' campaign.

Review-Journal staff writer Henry Brean contributed to this report.