Adult zones: Plan 4

Adult zones: Plan 4

City again wrestles with ordinance

KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustinerecord.com
Publication Date: 10/08/07


The St. Augustine City Commission is facing its fourth attempt today to pass a location ordinance for adult entertainment, with the other three measures rejected because of public pressure.

The new proposed measure would allow adult entertainment on U.S. 1, which is also Ponce de Leon Boulevard, throughout the city.

Since June, the commission has wrestled with finding an ordinance that sets the location of adult entertainment in the city. Commissioners have passed three measures on first reading, and every time angry public filled City Hall to speak against the plans.

In response, the commission changed the ordinances to fit what the people were asking for. But it seems the public will never be happy because no one wants adult entertainment in their backyard.

Mayor Joseph Boles said creating the ordinance has been a process of educating the public who didn't understand that the city is trying to be proactive.

Previously, the city did not have regulations for adult entertainment businesses so an adult entertainment business could be located in any commercial zone, including St. George Street downtown. The commission hopes a location ordinance will prevent that.

Boles said he can get behind the current proposed plan because it's a hybrid of the past proposed measures. If it doesn't pass, Boles said he won't mind.

"We want to make sure that all possibilities are aired to the public," he said. "Because we don't have a deadline, we can keep bringing it up."

The commissioners originally tried to contain adult businesses to one area of the city, but after a public outcry, they moved to putting it on several sites throughout the city. Commissioner Don Crichlow has been the lone vote restrict the businesses to one area.

Commissioner George Gardner spearheaded the current proposed plan to put the adult entertainment zones on U.S. 1. He hopes it works.

"I hope (today) will be the end of it," he said.

However, Mark Knight, city planning and zoning director, said the putting adult entertainment on U.S. 1 could be an issue.

"There is no real, defined area just commercial zoning on U.S. 1," he said. "Someone could come in and buy a couple parcels of land and build an adult novelty store the size of Target if they wanted to."

PROPOSED ORDINANCE


Proposed measure would allow adult entertainment on U.S. 1, which is also Ponce de Leon Boulevard, throughout the city.


Would include several parcels of land near residences and prominent businesses such as Herbie Wiles Insurance.


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