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RES-2016-040 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> RESOLUTION OF AMENDMENT <br /> A RESOLUTION AMENDING CHAPTER 8 OF THE ORANGE COUNTY CODE <br /> OF ORDINANCES <br /> Be it Resolved and Ordained by the Board of Commissioners of Orange County, North Carolina: <br /> WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina authorizes counties to regulate sexually oriented <br /> businesses through North Carolina General Statutes 153A-121, 153A-134, and 160A-181.1; and <br /> WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of Orange County specifically finds that the operation of <br /> sexually oriented business has unsafe secondary impacts on the health, life, safety, and welfare of <br /> individuals and the community in which the sexually oriented business is located, which may <br /> include increases in crime rates, decreases in the property values of neighboring properties, and <br /> disturbances of the peace; and <br /> WHEREAS, licensing is a legitimate and reasonable means of accountability to ensure that <br /> operators, contractors, and employees of sexually oriented businesses comply with reasonable <br /> regulations and to ensure that operators do not allow their establishments to be used improperly or <br /> as places of illegal activity or solicitation; and <br /> WHEREAS, there is convincing documented evidence that sexually oriented businesses, because <br /> of their nature, have a deleterious effect on existing uses, including but not limited to businesses, <br /> schools, daycare facilities, religious institutions, parks, and rural fire departments around them and <br /> the surrounding residential areas adjacent to them, causing increased crime and the downgrading <br /> of property values; and <br /> WHEREAS, tourism is an important aspect of the local economy that would be negatively affected <br /> by increased crime and downgraded quality of life resulting from the adverse effects of sexually <br /> oriented businesses; and <br /> WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners desires to minimize and control these adverse effects and <br /> thereby protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizenry, protect the citizens and residents <br /> from increased crime; preserve the quality of life, preserve the property values and character of <br /> surrounding neighborhoods; and <br /> WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners has determined that locational criteria alone do not <br /> adequately protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the people of Orange County; and <br /> WHEREAS, it is not the intent of this ordinance to suppress any speech activities protected by the <br /> First Amendment, but to enact a content neutral ordinance which addresses the secondary effects <br /> of sexually oriented businesses; and <br /> WHEREAS, in order to protect the health, life, safety, and welfare of individuals engaged in the <br /> operations of sexually oriented businesses and that of individuals living, working, or otherwise <br /> engaged in activities in and around areas in which sexually oriented businesses are located and to <br />