<div class="chunk-title">Sec. 4-83. - Purpose and intent.</div>
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            <p class="incr0">
               (a)
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            <p class="content1">
               It is the purpose of this chapter to regulate adult business establishments in order
               to promote the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the Craven County, as
               well as to establish reasonable and uniform regulations and licensing requirements
               to prevent the harmful location and concentration of adult business establishments
               in the county. Adult business establishments, because of their very nature, are recognized
               as having serious objectionable operational characteristics. Studies and experiences
               that are relevant to North Carolina have shown that lower property values and increased
               crime rates tend to accompany and are brought about by adult business establishments.
               The board of commissioners finds that regulation of these uses is necessary to ensure
               that these adverse secondary effects do not have harmful impacts on the health, safety,
               morals, welfare, or peace and dignity of the county and do not contribute to the blighting
               of surrounding neighborhoods.
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            <p class="incr0">
               (b)
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            <p class="content1">
               The provisions of this chapter have neither the purpose nor effect of imposing a limitation
               or restriction on the content of any communicative materials, including sexually oriented
               materials. Similarly, it is neither the intent nor effect of this chapter to restrict
               or deny access by adults to sexually oriented materials protected by the First Amendment,
               or to deny access by the distributors and exhibitors of sexually oriented entertainment
               to their intended market. Neither is it the intent nor effect of this chapter to condone
               or legitimize the distribution of obscene material.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (c)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               This chapter represents a balancing of the legitimate ends of the community by imposing
               an incidental, content-neutral, place, time, and manner regulation of adult business
               establishments, without limiting alternative avenues of communication; and, at the
               same time, requiring the business to carry its share of the financing, administrative,
               and enforcement activities.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="historynote0">
               (Ord. of 10-4-2010, Â§ 1)
               </p></div>