Orange County NC Website
2 <br /> 1 Staff is proposing to amend the UDO to establish locational criteria for such businesses <br /> 2 including mandatory setbacks from identified sensitive uses (i.e. church, school, single-family <br /> 3 residence, etc.)while allowing for their development consistent with applicable State and <br /> 4 Federal requirements and prohibiting the consumption and/or sale of alcohol. In support of <br /> 5 recommended land use regulations, staff offers the following information with respect to <br /> 6 addressing identified secondary impacts. <br /> 7 Staff's review of these studies caused a conclusion that the secondary effects of <br /> 8 sexually oriented businesses have negative impacts on the surrounding area, in the form of <br /> 9 crime and property devaluation, which will be addressed by the proposed regulations. <br /> 10 Planning staff is recommending sexually oriented businesses observe a 1,000 ft. <br /> 11 setback from each other as well as identified sensitive uses (i.e. church, residence, playground, <br /> 12 etc.). Staff is recommending the setback for several reasons, including: <br /> 13 a. Referenced studies have found the clustering of such land uses in a given area could <br /> 14 attract an undesirable quantity and quality of transients adversely impacting property values, <br /> 15 creating blight for adjacent properties, cause an increase in crime and encourages residents <br /> 16 and businesses to move elsewhere. <br /> 17 b. Courts have consistently found local communities have the legal ability and interest in <br /> 18 promoting stable neighborhoods through requiring a setback. This was viewed as being a <br /> 19 substantial government interest and the incidental impact of an ordinance regulating such <br /> 20 businesses on protected speech. (United States versus O'Brien — US Supreme Court <br /> 21 (1976); Young versus American Movie Theaters Inc. — US Supreme Court (1979) ; City of <br /> 22 Renton versus Playtime Theaters — US Supreme Court (1986)). <br /> 23 The proposed setback does not restrict the activity that can occur within the business. <br /> 24 Planning staff is recommending sexually oriented businesses not be located within a <br /> 25 structure or on property where alcohol is allowed to be sold or consumed. Staff is <br /> 26 recommending the standard for several reasons including: <br /> 27 a. Referenced studies have found such land uses could attract an undesirable quantity and <br /> 28 quality of transients adversely impacting property values, creating blight for adjacent <br /> 29 properties, and causes an increase in crime (most notably prostitution). <br /> 30 In some of these studies alcohol is identified as contributing factor. <br /> 31 b. Courts have found local communities have the legal ability to restrict or prohibit the <br /> 32 consumption/sale of alcohol (Fay versus State Board of Alcoholic Control — NC Court of <br /> 33 Appeals (1976). <br /> 34 c. State law allows governing bodies to restrict alcohol sales/consumption at sexually <br /> 35 oriented businesses. Please refer to Attachment 2. <br /> 36 The prohibition on alcohol sales/consumption does not restrict the activity that can occur <br /> 37 within the business. <br /> 38 <br /> 39 Michael Harvey, Orange County Planning, made the following PowerPoint presentation: <br /> 40 <br /> 41 November 23, 2015 <br /> 42 Agenda Item: C-1 <br /> 43 Public Hearing-Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Text Amendment <br /> 44 Sexually Oriented Businesses <br /> 45 Orange County Planning Department <br /> 46 <br /> 47 Background: <br /> 48 • Local governments cannot prohibit sexually oriented businesses outright. <br /> 49 <br /> 50 • Courts and State law allow local governments to regulate their location and certain <br /> 51 operational characteristics to ensure identified secondary impacts are mitigated. <br />