Anthony Patillo, Building Commissioner CBO of the City of Northampton, kindly wrote to NPN today to clarify what happened with the porn shop’s permit application:
“The permit was denied because it requires additional permits from the city. Specifically the use prior was car dealership which required one space per 800 sq ft of floor area, 12 spaces, new use is mercantile retail which requires one space per 300 sq ft of floor area, 30 spaces a change increase of 18 spaces. Northampton Zoning section 11.3-5 deems a project a major project requiring site plan approval from the Planning Board if new parking
requirements are 10 or more over previous use. They also must apply for special permit from Planning Board as per section 8.6 for a reduction from parking requirements. Finally because booths are a pay to view they require a public amusement license issued by the Mayor as per MGL chapter 140 section 181.”
The Daily Hampshire Gazette has posted an article about the denied permit at http://www.gazettenet.com/…
A subscription may be required to read it.
In your picture of the proposed site of the porn store, our church steeple is located in the background. We are the closest house of worship to this proposed business. I am one of the two visiting priests who serve the small congregation of St. Valentine National Catholic Church at 127 King Street. I live in Deerfield, MA. Deerfield had to hold a special Town Meeting to zone for businesses such as Capital Video Corporation’s. If there is not a specific area zoned for such businesses, they can legally open up anywhere in town. I cannot imagine a more improper place in Northampton to open such an enterprise than King Street. It is one of the main thoroughfares of the city. It is completely out of character with Northampton’s progressive attitudes about equality and women. There may be a legal right to operate such an establishment, but I believe it should be zoned in a place that is much less conspicuous than King Street, and I would hope much farther from a place of worship than four buildings away. As a matter of fact, if St. Valentine does receive an appointment of a pastor, he will live only three doors away from this building site. We hope that the city of Northampton will not approve the building permit for this corporation, and that if they do find a legal right to open in Northampton that it be located in a less traveled, less conspicuous location, and that finally if they are able to open that they quickly go out of business for lack of a clientele. Fr. Randy Calvo, associate pastor of St. Valentine National Catholic Church, 127 King Street, Northampton, MA.
There is no zoning ordinance prohibiting this business. What there is – is a lot of phony baloney concerns that legally selling adult toys and videos.
This is more about uptight attitudes toward human sexuality and free expression than it is about laughable fears of crime etc.
We disagree. The concerns are legitimate. I suggest you read these minutes from a recent Kittery Town Meeting:
http://nopornnorthampton.org/…
We are not proposing to prohibit this kind of business from the city of Northampton. We are proposing that it be located a safe distance away from homes, schools, churches, and other vulnerable populations, just as if it were a benzene plant or other business with well-known risks.
If you feel that porn shops are harmless to the community, we would be happy to see studies and documentation.
Good morning. I just wanted you to know that for the second time when I clicked onto this web site a porn site pop ad appeared as well.