Newport May Limit Sex Shops No Such Businesses Planned; Proposal Would Leave Few Sites

The Newport City Council tonight will consider a zoning amendment to restrict the location of X-rated businesses.

The amendment would limit adult cabarets, theaters, bookstores, arcades, video outlets and lodging to commercial and industrial zones. Those are along Washington Street, which is the local name for U.S. Highway 2, and Union Street.

Sex-oriented businesses also would be required to get a conditional use permit. They could not be within 600 feet of a residential zone, public or private school, “religious facility,” child-care service, day-care center, community youth center, library, massage parlor or other adult business.

City Administrator Jack Henderson said “a couple of spots” in the 18-square-block industrial and commercial area that would be available.

The zoning amendment would end a moratorium on adult businesses imposed Dec. 29. The City Council imposed the moratorium when it passed an emergency ordinance to regulate adult businesses and limit them to yet-undesignated zones.

“I’ve had more activity on this ordinance than I’ve had on any ordinance in 16 years,” Henderson said.

Citizens overwhelmingly want to ban sex-oriented businesses entirely, but restrictions are the best the council can do, he said.

“People have a hard time understanding that we have to allow it,” Henderson said.

Newport has no adult businesses, and no one has proposed one.

The council decided to act after a bar made a casual inquiry about offering strippers.

, DataTimes