Boone County Approves Adult Business Regulations
BOONE COUNTY, Ky. — The Boone County Fiscal Court voted 4-0 on Feb. 26 to approve zoning regulations for sexually oriented businesses.
"We are attempting here to put some safeguards in place so that we will continue to try to preserve the integrity of our community," Boone County Judge-Executive Gary Moore said.
The measure restricts adult businesses to specifically zoned areas, and requires that no sexually oriented business may be located within 1,000 feet of any residence, daycare, government building or community facility, church or religious facility, library, hospital, a business that serves alcoholic beverages and has a local/state liquor sales license, public and private parks, recreational facility, senior center, public or private school or other sexually oriented business — whether the other business is in an unincorporated area, Florence, Walton, Union or in an adjacent city or county outside of Boone County.
No one spoke in favor or opposition.
The Florence City Council also approved the regulations Feb. 26. The Walton City Council passed the regulations on Feb. 11.
The Union City Commission hasn't voted on the regulations.
For more information, click here.
MASSACHUSETTS
Milford Approves Nude Dancing Regulations
MILFORD, Mass. — With a local bar planning to offer adult entertainment, the city board adopted a 28-page set of regulations drawn up by Police Chief Thomas O'Loughlin on Feb. 25. The regulations prohibit of lap dances and also ban patrons or dancers from touching each other. Viewers would have to remain six feet from the stage and put tips in a tip jar at the edge of the stage.
"The only entertainment that's going to take place, in a nutshell, is on stage," O'Loughlin told the board.
In a preface to the regulations, O'Loughlin wrote that strip clubs and erotic dance places elsewhere have contributed to spikes in violent and organized crime, prostitution, sexually transmitted diseases, lower property values and other problems that harm the community at large.
The bar is scheduled to present its request to add adult entertainment to the Planning Board next Tuesday.
According to the new requirements, applicants for adult entertainment must now receive licenses from selectmen and the police chief, in addition to a Zoning Board special permit. The licenses are $100 each and good for one year. Selectmen would issue an adult entertainment premises license, and the police chief would issue an adult entertainment employee license for each employee — entertainers, managers and security personnel — after a background check.
Milford residents opposed to adult entertainment have announced plans to picket the bar.
For more information, click here.
Town Revives Adult Entertainment Proposal
WESTPORT — A town meeting later this year will be asked to consider an adult entertainment zone similar to the one voters rejected last year. Selectmen voted unanimously Monday to place a zoning article on the warrant for the annual Town Meeting this spring. The Planning Board will be scheduling a hearing on the proposal, and officials said the bylaw is still being refined.
Proponents argue the town cannot legally keep out strip clubs and other adult entertainment — but the bylaw would at least give the town control.
Last year's town meeting overwhelmingly shot down an adult entertainment overlay district, and Deutche Donn Corp. of Fairhaven sued the town after the Zoning Board of Appeals rejected the company's proposal for a strip club.
Officials did not go into detail about how the new bylaw may or may not differ from the defeated proposal.
For more information, click here.
WISCONSIN
Last Adult Bookstore in Racine Closes
RACINE, Wis. — Adult bookstore Racine News had its last day of business Wednesday with no warning or clearance sale. On Thursday morning a crew of workers arrived, quickly carried out all merchandise and racks, and trucked the materials away.
"Best news I’ve had in a long time," said JoAnn Lebre, co-owner of the nearby Dover Flag & Map. "We’re getting rid of a pimple on the block."
Lebre also had some good things to say about Racine News: "They have always been good neighbors," she said. "Years ago, there were people who were causing problems downtown. I would have had no hesitation calling them. I know they would have come to my aid.
"They were mostly inconspicuous, mostly discreet."
According to past city directories, both Racine News and the former City News of Racine opened in about 1976. The latter has been gone for years, but Racine News lasted three decades.
For more information, click here.
ENGLAND
Southsea Sex Shop Set for License Renewal
SOUTHSEA, England — Hidden Pleasures in Southsea has sold adult toys, lingerie and X-rated films since November 2004 and it looks to be granted a license to trade for another year.
Portsmouth City Council has recommended that officers approve the application because no objections have been made by police, council officers or the public.
Under the terms of the license, Hidden Pleasures is allowed to open 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday to Saturday, and must close on Christmas Day, Boxing Day (Dec. 26), Good Friday and Easter Monday. No website can be advertised on the outside of the shop and notices banning people under 18 and warning customers about what is inside must be displayed in the inner lobby.
The license will be considered at a council meeting on March 5.
For more information, click here.
