Ruling sides with South Tucson in drug clinic dispute

A controversial adult treatment center proposed in South Tucson violated city’s zoning rules, a judge has ruled.

Pima County Superior Court Judge Jeffery Bergin ruled the former Arizona’s Children Association home that’s now owned by the Pasadera Behavioral Health Network has been closed for too long for the nonprofit to qualify for a grandfathered clause of South Tucson’s zoning rules.

Those rules require the noncomforming business, which had been operating for years in a residential area, operate continuously. The center is directly across the street from Mission View Elementary School.

The facility had been closed for over a year when South Tucson refused to approve permits sought by Pasadera. The city allows nonconforming businesses to cease activities for no more than six months.

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Pasadera sued in an attempt to reverse the zoning decisions by the South Tucson City Council.

Chuck Burbank, the chief executive officer of Pasadera Behavioral , said he was disappointed in the judge’s ruling but wouldn’t discuss future plans for the facility.

“We are weighing what our next steps should be. We are not interested in any further litigation and would love to resolve this issue with the city, but we are keeping our options open,” he said.

South Tucson officials did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment about the ruling.