Update: Lakeway City Manager Steve Jones announced Feb. 17 that the City of Lakeway will not issue a building permit for Recovery Ways. The permit previously issued for the project will be rescinded and the company will be advised to stop construction under that permit, according to a press release from the City of Lakeway.

Lakeway City Manager Steve Jones said the city will figure out a way to prevent an addiction recovery center from opening near Lakeway Elementary School.

On Feb. 15, about 300 people showed up to the Lakeway Activity Center for a town hall meeting about a proposed addiction recovery center. Jones said city leaders got the message loud and clear that residents do not want Recovery Ways, which would be staffed 24 hours a day and serve people with addiction problems who have already gone through detoxification, near the elementary school.

"We are working on it, and we're going to figure out a way to have it go somewhere else," he said.

Jones said Feb. 16 that he was working with the city attorney to examine legal options to prevent Recovery Ways from opening a two-story location near Lohmans Crossing Road in Lakeway. He said the leadership of Recovery Ways heard the concerns from residents during the town hall meeting and that they said they were willing to be flexible on moving locations.

Recovery Ways did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Zoning

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

"We are definitely going to clarify our ordinance so nothing like this happens again," Jones said.

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 such as hiking, golfing and water activities," the letter says. "Our residential treatment program will utilize these amenities and this allows clients to remain in treatment while gradually reintegrating into their community."