07/28/1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MINUTES OF THE COMMITTEE TO REVIEW ORDINANCE TO REGULATE SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESSES July 28, 1998 The Committee to Review Ordinance to Regulate Sexually Oriented Businesses met on Tuesday, July 28, 1998, at 4:32 P.M., in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, Paris, Texas. Chairman, Jerry L. Thomas, called the meeting to order with the following members present: Councilwoman Mary Ann Fisher, Leon Williams, Reverend Doug Miller, and Loren Stephens. Also present was City Manager Michael E. Malone, City Attorney Scott P. Foster, Chief of Police Karl Louis, and City Clerk, Mattie Cunningham. Chairman Thomas called for discussion of the studies on the secondary effects of sexually oriented businesses in the City of Paris. City Attorney Foster advised that at the last meeting the committee received a compendium of eight different studies compiled by Mr. Terrence S. Welch, Attorney, in Dallas, Texas, and the Committee needs to discuss these studies. City Attorney Foster directed the Committee's attention to the map drawn up by the City Engineering Department, which basically is a zoning map that has been enlarged. City Attorney Foster said that the blue area on the map shows areas that are residential, churches, daycare centers, schools, nurseries, city parks, and things of that nature. He said that the yellow line circled outside of the blue area is the one thousand foot marker for those areas. City Attorney Foster advised that most of the municipal type ordinances are set in at one thousand feet. City Attorney Foster pointed out that more than 5% of the land is available after you go outside the one thousand feet. City Attorney Foster said the residentially zoned area is easy to determine, but you can also have a resident located within an agriculturally zoned area that is not necessarily dedicated to residential use. He stated that the Engineering Department has checked areas looking for houses and churches in order to compile this map. City Attorney Foster said that this map is within 2% of being complete. Chairman Thomas asked if this type business is already established, does the business have priority if a church builds next to them? City Attorney Foster advised that recently a suit has been filed by a sexually oriented business to keep a church from locating within the one thousand foot area. City Attorney Foster said if you do not state the distance in the ordinance then they are going to measure door -to -door, but if you are going to put it in the ordinance, and it is for a business you will measure from the exterior wall, if it is for a residence you will measure from the most distant item on the lot, or if it is a public park you will measure from the boundary line.