North Little Rock council hears hours of public comment on proposed McCain inpatient treatment center; special-use request fails

The North Little Rock City Council declined to approve a special‑use permit for a proposed inpatient substance‑use treatment center at 4600 McCain Boulevard after extended public comment and council discussion.

The measure would have allowed an applicant who said his facility provides medical detox, residential treatment and intensive outpatient services to locate overnight beds in a C‑3 zone. The council voted on the final motion on the special‑use request with two members voting yes and six voting no; the motion failed.

The applicant, Grant Lee, described the operation as a medically licensed program that now provides outpatient services and a medical detox program and said the proposed facility would start with 34 overnight beds and could expand to 72 within 18 months if demand and build‑out permitted. He said his current program requires rides for most patients, screens clients and excludes people under indictment for violent crimes. “There’s 24‑hour security, 60+ cameras,” he told the council. Lee also said his facility does not plan to enroll…