Thursday, November 17, 2011
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Thursday, November 17, 2011 |
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Community | Obits | Editorial & Columnists | Society | Sports | Education | Classified Ads | Calendar of Events | Features | Newsbriefs | Legals | Archives | Subscriptions | New Photo Gallery |
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Moratorium: adult entertainment By SUE WATSON The Holly Springs Board of Aldermen passed a moratorium on any adult entertainment business requests to the Planning Commission until the city’s comprehensive plan is adopted next year. Mayor Andre’ DeBerry asked for the moratorium, saying anything that was permitted in adult entertainment before the new Comprehensive Plan is adopted could set a precedent. But the city needs to plan for how it will handle permit requests for adult entertainment establishments, he said. “If you don’t plan, you find yourself in a precarious situation,” said DeBerry, adding that focus groups could take this up at the last meeting before the Comprehensive Plan is finalized. In the meantime, without a moratorium, DeBerry said, “It’s leaving us out there for interpretation. How we feel about adult entertainment is one thing. How we address it is our call.” Zoning administrator Felicia Autry said the city needs to clarify what adult entertainment means by definition – bookstores, etc. Alderman Harvey Payne asked where the Planning Commission stands now on such permit requests. DeBerry said the new Comprehensive Plan will be ready for final adoption in February or March 2012. “The moratorium allows us to look at it,” he said. Adult entertainment is prohibited in B4 zones now, he said. The board unanimously passed a motion to set the moratorium to include all business establishments, sales within an already established business and home sales of adult entertainment products within the city limits until the new Comprehensive Plan is adopted. Alderman Garrie Colhoun asked if the police are going into bars and night spots to enforce the new ordinance prohibiting any alcohol on the table at 1 a.m. “Does that include private parties?” he asked. DeBerry said he is sure state statutes already address the closing hour rules regarding alcohol. He said the city may publish a public notice about the moratorium. Colhoun restated his question. Sgt. Elijah Wilson with the police department said there have been no arrests by his department, but only citations. The ticket is a form of arrest and the person has to appear in court on the ticket, he said. Autry said ABC (alcoholic beverage control) can pull a business license if the statutes are being broken. Wilson added that ABC looks at the number of tickets a facility gets and once a threshold is met, they come in. “They were just here,” he said. |
     
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