Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988-06-21 Special Minutes - Adult Entertainment Businesses Public ForumJune 21, 1988 CITY OF TUKWILA City Hall 7:00 P.M. PUBLIC FORUM ADULT ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESSES MINUTES WELCOME Assistant Police Chief Steve Robinson welcomed those in attendance and inteduced the Task Force Members. Assistant Chief Robinson cited the objective of the Task Force on Adult Entertainment Businesses and stated the overall goal is to present the City of Tukwila with a comprehensive set of regulations that insures that all adult entertainment business complies with the law. SPEAKERS Paul Thrash, Pierce County Undercover Detective Vice. Detective Thrash related the efforts of his office in the enforcement of laws relating to topless entertainment and adult book stores. Pornography, prostitution and gambling all contribute to crime. There are many places in Tacoma whereas there is only one in Tukwila. His advice was don't let them open; they are very hard to close down. The people who run them do not have the normal values or morals. Pat Lamphere, Captain, Seattle Police Department Vice Squad Captain Lamphere stated in Seattle they have pornography stores, entertain- ment shops where there are conversation booths, pan -o -ram booths that show nude, lewd entertainment. All contribute to prostitution and crime. She cited instances and how difficult it is to prosecute. Seattle has an ordinance that has helped some but it is easy for them to evade the law and continue to operate. Dick Anderson, Bellevue City Attorney Attorney Anderson stated Bellevue has enacted a zoning ordinance and a pan -o -ram ordinance In 1984 there were three adult businesses in the City that showed adult videos, sold adult trinkets and had pan -o -ram booths. The ordinance on the pan -o -ram booths provided there be no doors on the pan -o -ram booths. The ordinance requires the businesses be regulated and licensed and premises meet standards at all times. They are hard to close down as the businesses are very lucrative. Each one grosses about $4,000 month for the operator. Many times there are big crime figures who back them. The pan -o -ram booths have half -doors (42 inches from the floor) and they must be unlocked at all times. Police can then check them when they make inspections. Since the ordinance was passed in 1985 there have been no new businesses open in Bellevue. A copy of the Bellevue ordinance is available. Andrea VanGore, Washington Together Against Pornography Ms. VanGore stated her organization is a non profit group created to help citizens exercise their rights against all of the forms of pornography. They would like to see laws enforced to protect minors and prohibit the various types of pornography that are readily available. They lead to all types of crime. Her group has explored what can and can't be done. They have explored how the following can be made illegal: obscene matter (material that can be sexually arousing), the depiction of sexually arousing actions, and material that lacks artistic value, scientific value or political value. There is also child pornography that sexually excites children, it depicts children in pornographic poses and situations. Cities need good topless ordinances. She cited legal cases where the CITY OF TUKWILA PUBLIC FORUM ADULT ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESSES June 21, 1988 Page 2 SPEAKERS Contd. Andrea VanGore, Washington Together Against Pornography contd. prohibition of these businesses has been upheld. QUESTION Norris Saari, 13535 53rd Avenue South, asked why a business is allowed to AND ANSWER continue to operate when the police have an injuction against the business? PERIOD Dick Anderson, Bellevue City Attorney, stated it is unconstitutional to close them down until it has been proved they are operating contrary to the law and that the law is a valid one. The business would object to the curtailment of the income they would receive during a period of shut -down. In the City of Bellevue the police get a temporary restraining order until they can proceed and the courts determine whether or not they are carrying on a legitimate business. Cynthia Stinson, 14499 58th Avenue South, stated she lived up the hill from the video store. She asked what limits have been imposed? Assistant Chief Robinson replied the Tukwila City Council passed Ordinance No. 1465 recently and the business has ninety days to move to an M -2 zone, which would be south of 180th Street. Dick Anderson, Bellevue City Attorney, stated sometimes it is quite some time before these matters can be heard by the courts, it depends on the court calendars. Ms. Stinson asked about minors going into adult entertainment video stores. Ms. VanGore, Washington Together Gainst Pornography, stated there is a law prohibiting minors going into the establishments. The law was written in 1969. It is really a piece of junk because it lacks teeth. Detective Thrash, Pierce County Undercover, stated if he found a minor in an adult entertainment store, he would take him to his parents and take the matter to the prosecuting attorney's office to be used in the future. A minor is someone under 18 years of age. This would also go for the topless dance places with regard to a minor. Ms. VanGore stated the topless dancing involves two different things minors dancing and minors watching. Dick Anderson, Bellevue City Attorney, stated cities have to be careful in adopting an ordinance because if they are found to be illegal in the courts the city may then be subject to expensive court action. Captain Lamphere, Seattle Police Department Vice Squad, stated there is a state law that prohibits exploitation of children that would fit in the City ordinance. Dave Lundsford, member of the Task Force, asked about the spin -offs from these businesses. What results when moral values are ignored? Paul Thrash, Pierce County Undercover Detective of Vice, stated the spin -offs are murder, homicides, major crimes, tax evastion, narcotics and money laundering to name a few. fr CITY OF TUKWILA PUBLIC FORUM ADULT ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESSES June 21, 1988 Page 3 QUESTION AND Captain Lamphere, Seattle Police Department, stated everyones' morals ANSWER PERIOD are not the same. The spin -offs are what has to be controlled. Spin contd. off& are prostitution, robberies, tax evasion, etc. Dave Lundsford, Task Force, stated applicants have to get a license, could the City deny license and control them in that way? Dick Anderson, Bellevue City Attorney, answered that the fact they are crime related cannot prevent them from operating a legitimate business and getting a business license in that way. Paul Thrash, Pierce County Undercover Detective, stated you can deny a business license if they leave something blank or if they falsified the form or violated any section of the law. Karen Van Dusen, 14228 59th Avenue South, asked about health and safety and if a business could be closed from the point of violating health and safety laws. Would it involve coordination with the County Health Department? Ms. VanGore, Washington Together Against pornography, stated the dim lights, the condition of walls and floors, the interior of the booths must be able to be viewed at all times. The floors are usually very dirty and sticky. Karen Van Dusen, 14228 59th Avenue South, asked if Pierce County and i 4- Bellevue have done anything about the health and safety factor? C Attorney Anderson, Bellevue, stated they have used the health factor in dealing with the pan -o -ram booths. What goes on must be not only illegal bit unhealthy. Detective Thrash, Pierce County, stated he used to try to get the Health Department to take action. They would come in and if they found it dirty and a little slippery they would issue a warning slip. With respect to the half -doors on the pan -o -ram booths it requires the coordination of the Fire Department and the Police Department to require that the doors be 42' from the floor and unlocked at all times. Karen Van Dusen asked if the people working there could be required to have a health card? Detective Thrash said a health card would not be required unless food was served. These places sell soft drinks, liquor is not permitted. Also in the pan -o -ram booths in addition to the door unlocked and at least 42 inches from the floor only one person is permitted and risers or steps are not permitted in the booth. Bea Eaton, Task Force, asked if the businesses have warning devices that signal an inspection? City Attorney Anderson said they have not met with that yet in Bellevue. Captain Lamphere said they have met with it in Seattle. CITY OF TUKWILA PUBLIC FORUM ADULT ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESSES June 21, 1988 Page 4 QUESTION AND Sherrill Robinson, 13422 40th Avenue South, asked if the City can prevent ANSWER PERIOD, children from going into these businesses if they are taken there by the Contd. parents? Ms. VanGore stated we do not have a law that prohibits that. Laureen Barnick, 6206 South 153rd, #12, stated she is impressed with the information has has been presented in this meeting and the effort that is being made to clean up the businesses. Steve Taylor, audience, stated the people who want to establish these businesses are going to do everything they can to stay within the law. There are many legal problems. The Task Force should do everything they can to prhibit this pornograhy. City Councilmember Joan Hernandez stated she wanted to thank the Task Force and the speakers who have presented the information for this meeting. Captain Lamphere, Seattle Police Department, stated it is difficult to get full disclosure on the true owners of the businesses. The owners are well shielded. Detective Thrash said they have this same problem in Pierce County. It is difficult to trace the cash. Bea Eaton, Task Force, asked if Seattle or Pierce County have had success in closing down the businesses. Captain Lamphere said they have closed down a couple of them. Detective Thrash said they ran one out of town on an obscenity charge. Ms. VanGore saidthere is seizure of assets we have to constantly keep at the businesses and sometimes they give up and go away. We would like to have a special prosecuting attorney to do nothing but process these special cases. Captain Lamphere, Seattle, stated she has five detective working and they inspect on a routine basis. Seattle gives this high priority. In Seattle they have nine pan -o -ram businesses. They are inspected two or three times a week and at least one routine inspection a week. Detective Thrash, Pierce County, stated the topless dancing is related to crime. They have 1 50 dancers. Sometimes they are also bottomless. The patrons pay $2 $3 to get in and must buy a non alcoholic drink at once and have one at all times. The dancers must be on a raised platform and 6' from the customers. The dancers cannot touch themselves. Some of the places are trying to get liquor licenses. If liquor is served minors cannot come in, if they did they could be shut down. They are related to the narcotics sales and prostitution. There are male dancers in one club. It has been closed down but is now reopening. CONCLUSION Chairperson George Hill thanked the audience and the speakers for 9 :30 P.M. their input. Recorded By: