PA Township May Zone Adult Nearly Out of Existence

by Kathee Brewer

The township may be entering the zoning fray a little later than most of its Pennsylvania brethren, but at least Doylestown didn’t miss the party altogether.

Township supervisors are considering new zoning codes that could restrict adult businesses to one tiny parcel of land on the outskirts of town. The new ordinance, which would be Doylestown’s first to address adult-oriented businesses, would mandate a buffer of at least 400 feet between public spaces like residential neighborhoods, schools, religious institutions and recreation facilities and any commercial endeavor that trades in sexually explicit arcades adult books, novelties and DVDs; exotic dancing; escort services sexual encounters or adult cinema.

In addition, the ordinance would require a 2000-foot buffer between any two adult businesses.

But wait: There’s more. Adult businesses also would be required to erect signs warning the public that adult materials are available inside the establishment, ensure no sexual activity or nudity is visible from outside the building, disallow entry by anyone under the age of 18, and close between 1:00 am and 6:00 am on weekdays and Saturdays. The businesses would not be allowed to open until noon.

Doylestown’s board of supervisors plans to vote on the ordinance at its next meeting, scheduled to occur November 18th.

At least some of the town’s leaders would prefer adult businesses be outlawed altogether, but as Supervisor Chairwoman Barbara Lyons noted at the last meeting, nearby cities’ efforts to do away with adult entertainment haven’t worked out so well.

If Doylestown doesn’t allow adult businesses to locate somewhere within the township’s limits, “they can break our ordinance and put one wherever they want,” Lyons said.