Following a large public outcry, the City of Lakeway announced Feb. 17 it would not permit an addiction recovery center to be built near Lakeway Elementary School.

The city rescinded its site development permit that allowed Recovery Ways, a post-detox addiction recovery center, to break ground on the project near Lohmans Crossing Road. The city also announced it would not issue a building permit for the center at the location.

The city's announcement came two days after a heated town hall meeting in which multiple Lakeway residents blasted city officials over the proposed addiction recovery center.

"After the (Feb. 15) public hearing, the city manager and I were convinced that the Recovery Ways business was not appropriate for the proposed location, and I believe the rest of the council felt the same way," Mayor Dave DeOme said.

Zoning

Recovery Ways had been approved for zoning at the location by the Lakeway Building Department. The facility technically qualified as a convalescent facility and did not require review or approval from City Council or the Zoning and Planning Commission, Lakeway City Manager Steve Jones said.

DeOme said the city would immediately institute new procedures to require all site development permits for commercial projects on property next to residential or institutional zoning—which would include schools—to be reviewed by ZAPCO and City Council. He said he also requested an immediate formal review and update of site development permitting procedures.

At a Feb. 21 council meeting, several community members apologized to Jones and city leadership for the verbal abuse they endured during the town hall meeting that brought approximately 300 people to the Lakeway Activity Center. Lakeway resident Karen Bradford said going on a witch hunt is counterproductive when trying to solve a problem.

"Remember, we are all in this together," she said. "It is our community; please be part of the solution and not part of the problem."

Lakeway attorney Don Little said his research led him to believe that city leadership was not to blame for the recovery center controversy. He added that a representative of Recovery Ways was willing to put in writing that the facility would not take legal action against the city for issuing and then rescinding a permit.

Moving forward

According to an Oct. 4 letter from Recovery Ways Vice President Jim Petersen to the City of Lakeway, Recovery Ways is a quiet home in the community that serves people for 30 to 90 days. The facility offers experimental therapies such as fitness training, yoga, hiking, winter and summer sports, and therapy, the letter says.

"Recovery Ways will benefit from the outdoor amenities offered in the area," the letter stated. "Our residential treatment program will utilize these amenities, and this allows clients to remain in treatment while gradually reintegrating into their community."

DeOme said Recovery Ways still wants to work with the city to open a location somewhere else within Lakeway. He added that regardless of the location, Recovery Ways would now have to get a special use permit that would be up for public review.

"They are willing to proceed on that basis," DeOme said.

A representative from Recovery Ways did not respond to multiple attempts for comment.