Capital Video general counsel Lesley Rich initially dismissed Northampton’s new adult-use zoning ordinances as “totally illegal”, but it now appears the company has decided to accept them.
Wayne Feiden and Carolyn Misch from Northampton’s planning department have just received an email from Capital Video attorney Michael Pill stating that they “will comply with all legally valid provisions of the Northampton Zoning Ordinance, including the most recent amendments adopted by the City Council concerning signage, outside window displays (no outside windows will be blocked or shaded), and layout of the store within the 1000 square foot limitation on adult content.”
Capital Video’s revised plans for their store at 135 King Street have not yet been disclosed. Pill writes, “Store layout plans are still being developed and will be provided to the building inspector at the time of application for a building permit.”
Read the full email from Michael Pill (PDF)
Pill promises that “Capital representatives will be at the 7:00 P.M. Planning Board Hearing on Thursday, December 14, 2006, at the City Council Chambers, to answer questions that the planning board may have, and to discuss the retail use of the building.” We encourage the public to attend this hearing, which will take place at 212 Main Street.
While the ultimate outcome of Capital Video’s involvement with Northampton has yet to be determined, other cities and towns considering adult-use zoning should feel encouraged that they need not fear porn merchant bluster and rhetoric when enacting legal regulations.
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The December 5 Gazette has an article on this development, “Adult video store to have hearing next week”. Apparently it’s not clear if the Northampton Planning Board has all the information it wants to proceed with Capital Video’s Site Plan Review. Senior land use planner Carolyn Misch is quoted as saying, “What they do in other stores doesn’t matter. They need to show what they’re going to do in this store.”
Ha ha.
You’re gonna lose.
We shall see.
Ok,I would really like to know what exactly is your agenda here anyway?You say that you want to regulate the business,which has happened.Then you come off as not wanting in town anywhere.Seems to me you can’t have it both ways.If you don’t want it in town then too bad.There are several businesses in town that I don’t want,but hey,I live with it.And don’t go on and on with your blah blah blah speech.I’ve read it all before and it’s old.Just let the business open and learn to live with it.Again,what exactly is your agenda? Regulated porn or no porn?If it’s no porn,then shame on you for keeping a legit business from opening in my town.Again.Too many businesses have wanted to come into this town and have been shot down.It’s time to stop the madness and let businesses that WANT to come to town,come into town.
We support legal zoning regulations to combat secondary effects. We don’t support censorship, but that doesn’t mean we can’t criticize speech that we think is bad.