Today’s Republican reports on progress in regulating adult businesses in Northampton:
In what some called a first step in the fight to restrict pornography in Northampton, the Planning Board and the Ordinance Committee last night both approved bans against adult viewing booths in most sections of the city…———————
The viewing-booth measure now goes to the City Council for a final vote…
The viewing-booth amendment, approved unanimously, would ban any such booths along with live nudity in every zoning district except highway business. In a highway business zone, those uses would have to be at least 500 feet from any residence, church, school, day-care center, park or playground.
NoPornNorthampton attended this meeting, which also saw approval of a new ordinance to regulate signage that describes sexual conduct or sexual excitement.
At the meeting, we urged the Planning Board and Ordinance Committee to extend adult-use zoning to adult theaters of any size, not just viewing booths and live nude dancing. Adult theaters could be considered as a porn-viewing room intended for more than one person. Members of the board and committee seemed amenable to this, but prefered to defer this issue to a later meeting in order to speed progress on the ordinance at hand. We understand this reasoning.
Northampton’s Planning Board will meet again at 212 Main Street on October 12, 7pm, to consider an additional ordinance that will regulate the location of all businesses with more than 1,000 square feet of adult material on display. This ordinance would prevent Capital Video from opening their planned 6,222 square foot porn shop at 135 King Street. This meeting will also conduct a Site Plan Review on Capital Video’s building and parking plans for 135 King Street. A representative of Capital Video is required to attend in person. We encourage the public to attend this meeting.
“the first step…”
So much for your platitudes about not creating an environment of censorship and sexual repression.
We are trying to create an environment of sexual mindfulness. We do not advocate laws that are more strict than those found elsewhere in Massachusetts.