SIMI VALLEY : Restrictions Urged for Adult Businesses

The Simi Valley Planning Commission this week recommended adoption of an ordinance that restricts adult businesses in the city, despite concerns from religious and other community groups that the ordinance is not strict enough.

The five-member commission voted unanimously Wednesday for the ordinance, which officials said aims to ensure that sexually oriented businesses are kept away from homes, schools, churches and playgrounds. The City Council is scheduled to vote on the ordinance at its March 1 meeting.

Nearly 50 people showed up at the meeting in support of banning or heavily restricting such businesses.

The ordinance requires every business that has a substantial portion of its operation dedicated to adult entertainment to apply for a special use permit and go through a public hearing before the Planning Commission.

Also, under the ordinance, the adult entertainment business must be located in a general commercial or commercial industrial zone and be at least 500 feet from the nearest home.

Such a business would be required to be at least 1,000 feet from the nearest church, park, playground or school and 500 feet from another adult entertainment business. The ordinance also forbids adult entertainment from being conducted less than 500 feet from a “youth-oriented business.”

Such criteria, planning officials said, leave the city with about 15 potential adult entertainment sites.