Adult zoning: Plan 3
New proposal restricts adult entertainment to three areas in city
KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustinerecord.com
Publication Date: 09/24/07
In what could be a version of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," the St. Augustine city staff believes it has found a plan for adult entertainment businesses that could be just right.
"The public said the first plan was clustered too much in one area. The second option dispersed the businesses throughout the city too much," said Mark Knight, city planning and building director. "So we combined the two. We picked three clusters of properties that are dispersed throughout the city. We think this will work."
The public blasted St. Augustine City Commissioners for the city's previously proposed designated areas for adult entertainment. Today, the commission will vote on what city staff said could be their last option.
The new ordinance allows adult businesses to locate in areas on Ponce de Leon Boulevard, South Dixie Highway and West King Street.
This oridinance includes the city's first proposed site on Ponce de Leon Boulevard. Roughly 70 people spoke against this site at three different meetings.
And unlike the last proposal that put adult entertainment in numerous sites throughout the city, none of the new areas are directly next to residences.
Previously, the city did not have regulations for these businesses and they could have located in any commercial zoning. The City Commission says this ordinance will prevent that from happening.
Mayor Joe Boles said the newest plan could be a winner.
"I think the fewest number of parcels would be the most beneficial," he said. "I want to hear from the public and make sure they are comfortable with this. I don't want to rush something through."
Commissioner Errol Jones was vehemently against the first proposal of clustering adult entertainment in one area of the city because it was unfair. But he feels the latest proposal could work.
"It seems to be the least harmful and the fairest to our citizens," Jones said. "I think there is no solution that would satisfy everybody."
Knight said if this plan is voted down he's not sure what city staff will try next.
"We're running out of options," he said. "The commission is going to have to pick one."
Adult entertainment ordinance
Previously, St. Augustine did not have ordinances governing adult entertainment.
In an attempt to be proactive, the city passed two ordinances regulating the businessesÕ operations.
Now, a third ordinance is needed to designate where adult entertainment can be located in the city.
The new proposed plan would allow adult entertainment on parcels of land on Ponce de Leon Boulevard, West King Street and South Dixie Highway.
Adult entertainment would not be directly next to residences.
Within each site, there could only be one of each type of adult entertainment, such as one adult book store, one novelty store or one adult dance club.
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1 comment:
Ed Slavin, you're a nutball. Your appearance at the commission meeting on Monday was ridiculous, but even more ridiculous was that letter you wrote to the City Commissioners and Mayor asking for full disclosure of all business activities. Did you honestly expect them to do that? Honestly. As a (disbarred) lawyer, you should know they simply would not do that unless they were guaranteed confidentiality. Which would defeat the entire purpose of fully disclosing all their business activities!
The St. Augustine, FL City Commission is not a conspiracy. It's a small city's commission.
I look at this blog, and think to myself: there are much better ways this time could be spent. All this time invested in trying to prove something which isn't there.
It's times like this, I'm not proud to be an American: to know we live in a society that can tolerate behavior such as this. I highly suggest you speak with a therapist or psychologist, Ed Slavin. Delusions of Grandeur are abound.
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