<div class="chunk-title">Sec. 14-124. - Purpose.</div>
<div class="chunk-content">
            <p class="p0">
               The county board of commissioners are committed to protecting the general welfare
               of the county through the enforcement of laws prohibiting obscenity, indecency, and
               sexual offenses. It seeks to reduce and eliminate the deleterious effects of adult
               establishments while preserving constitutionally protected forms of expression. The
               board recognizes that important and substantial government interests provide a constitutional
               basis for reasonable regulation of the time, place and manner under which adult establishments
               may operate. Specifically, the board has determined that the operation of adult establishments
               should be required to observe specific location requirements before commencing business,
               as provided for in the county zoning ordinance. The board finds that the licensing
               of adult establishments is necessary to help ensure compliance with the land use management
               regulations applicable to such businesses. Further, the commissioners find that adult
               establishments, as defined in this article, have been used for unlawful sexual activities,
               including prostitution, and sexual encounters of a more casual nature. The concern
               over sexually transmitted diseases is a legitimate health concern of the county. Live
               entertainment is the center of some adult establishments and therefore special attention
               must be focused on such entertainment. There is also evidence to suggest that adult-oriented
               business of the type regulated herein increase the incidents of crime, require additional
               police patrolling in the area of such businesses and create other problems requiring
               the county to respond to those problems with manpower and other resources. Therefore,
               to protect public health, safety, and welfare, reasonable rules and regulations have
               been established under this article and made applicable to those businesses by means
               of the licensing procedures established herein. The provisions of this article shall
               not be construed as permitting any use, activity or structure that is otherwise prohibited,
               illegal or made punishable by law, nor shall it be construed so as to prohibit conduct
               or expression that is subject to constitutional protection.
               
            </p>
            <p class="historynote0">
               (Code 1993, Â§ 14-104; Ord. of 2-21-1995, Â§ 1)
               
            </p></div>