FINAL ORDINANCE NO. 97-198 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Sexually Oriented Uses Orm-ance Planning Commission; 8-13-07 (C) The Report, based upon the above referenced studies and the testimony and evidence it concluded, among other things, " ... that sexually oriented businesses are associated with high crime rates and depression of property values...." Prior to the issuance of the Report, the State Attorney General's Working Group also heard testimony that " ... the character of a neighborhood can dramatically change when there is a concentration of sexually oriented businesses adjacent to residential property." The Report found and concluded that: (1) Adult uses have an impact on the neighborhoods surrounding them, which is distinct from the impact caused by other commercial uses; (2) Residential neighborhoods located within close proximity to adult theaters, bookstores and other adult uses experience increase crime rates (sex -related crimes in particular), lowered property values, increased transiency, and decreased stability of ownership; (3) The adverse impacts which adult uses have on surrounding areas diminish as the distance from the adult uses increases; (4) Studies of other cities have shown that among the crimes which tend to increase either within or in the near vicinity of adult uses are rapes, prostitution, child molestation, indecent exposure and other lewd and lascivious behavior; (5) The City of Phoenix, Arizona study confirmed that the sex crime rate was on the average 500 percent higher in areas with sexually oriented businesses; (6) Many members of the public perceive areas within which adult uses are located as less desirable than other areas which do not have such uses; (7) Studies of other cities have shown that the values of both commercial and residential properties either are diminished or fail to appreciate at the rate of other comparable properties when located in proximity to adult uses; and (8) The Indianapolis, Indiana study established that professional real estate appraisers believe that an adult bookstore would have a negative effect on the value of both residential and commercial properties within a one to three block area of the store. (D) The Lake Elmo City Council finds the characteristics of Lake Elmo are substantially similar to those of the cities cited by the Report when considering the affects of adult uses. Section 1336. Adult Establishments P9 2