Officials deny permit for halfway house

John Hessling picked the building on Westwood Drive near Sahara Avenue for his Blue Moon Resort for several reasons, including the fact that it's close to the Strip and near freeway access, but also enough off the beaten path to offer some additional privacy to his guests.

A would-be neighbor likes the street, in an industrial/commercial area next to Interstate 15 and south of Sahara, for the same reasons.

But the clientele the new neighbor proposes to bring in is much different -- paroled state prisoners who are moving back into mainstream society.

The building at issue, 2701 Westwood, sits between two hotels, an office building and the Treasures Gentlemen's Club.

Some of those owners were aghast when they learned of a proposal to house up to 120 parolees in what's now an empty warehouse building.

"If this property goes in next door, I'm finished," Hessling said. "This will put me out of business.

"If one of these guys goes south of the law, where is the first place they're going to head? My parking lot. The guests in my parking lot."

The facility has been proposed by Arthur Weathers, a dentist who says he has decades of experience in adult education and an extensive commitment to this project. He said the concerns were misplaced -- people who committed violent or sex crimes won't be allowed in, there will be an 8 p.m. curfew, and inmates will be barred from bothering the neighbors.

"These people ... have already served most of their time," Weathers said. "Now they're in a work release program and trying to merge back into society."

While a parolee could do something to victimize a neighboring property, it's not likely, Weathers argued: "They're going to forfeit and they're going to go back to prison. They really don't want that."

The proposal presents thorny issues for city leaders. In an environment where hotels are struggling and office and commercial space is vacant across the valley, no one wants to hurt businesses that are still making it.

But facilities like the one Weathers proposes are needed. Halfway houses provide a place for recent parolees to live while they find work, get counseling and adjust to life outside of prison.

There are already two of these operating in Southern Nevada, according to a letter submitted by Weathers' attorney, and parolees who can't get into one of those usually end up living in residential areas.

It's also cheaper to house them in a so-called "custodial facility" than in prison -- Weathers estimates his program would save the state $2 million annually.

Members of the Las Vegas Planning Commission were not impressed, voting 5-2 Thursday night to deny the permit Weathers needed to move forward -- even though some were initially inclined to support it. The City Council is scheduled to have the final say Sept. 16.

"This, on paper, appeared to be an appropriate place," Planning Commissioner Ric Truesdell said. "You've taken what I considered to be a straightforward land use item and turned it into something I'm not going to vote for."

He said he wasn't satisfied Weathers had the background to operate the center properly, adding that he took the concerns of neighboring business owners seriously: "You only need to make one small mistake," Truesdell said, "and he's done."

Planning Commissioner Byron Goynes wondered if a halfway house would work better away from an urban center, similar to youth camps for young people who get into trouble.

"You can't rehab an alcoholic by putting him next to the liquor store," he said.

Jay Brown, a lawyer representing Weathers, noted that the location is close to job training and the Strip, where many parolees find jobs in casinos. A more remote property wouldn't have that proximity, he said.

The most theatrical comments came from lawyer Matt Dushoff, who represents the owners of an office building across the street from the proposed halfway house.

He repeatedly cried out "not in my backyard" and raised the spectre of "convicted felons" prowling the neighborhood and succumbing to their baser natures.

Weathers said the center would focus on white-collar criminals and people who did time for driving under the influence. He said state correctional officials monitor the program, and that participants are people wanting to get on with their lives, not recommit to crime.

Dushoff was not swayed.

"These are convicted felons. We're talking drug dealers. Grand larceny. Identity theft," Dushoff said. "They can't guarantee our protection.

"Once this opens up, we'll never, ever be able to get another tenant."

Contact reporter Alan Choate at achoate@reviewjournal.com or 702-229-6435.