MOORPARK : Council Limits Adult Business Locations

The Moorpark City Council has adopted an ordinance regulating where adult-oriented businesses can locate in the city, over the objections of two council members who feel that the law may be too stringent and open to legal challenge.

The council voted 4 to 1 Wednesday to adopt an ordinance requiring adult businesses to be at least 1,300 feet from homes, churches, parks, businesses that sell alcohol and other adult businesses. Councilman Bernardo Perez was the lone dissenter.

Perez and Mayor Paul Lawrason had pushed for a 1,000-foot distance, arguing that the law could be overturned in court if the city did not provide a “reasonable” ability for such a business to locate. Councilman Scott Montgomery had suggested that the city adopt a distance of 1,500 feet, saying he wanted to make the restrictions as tough as possible.

“I don’t think we need to let our fear of what might happen dictate what we will do,” Montgomery said. “We have an obligation to the citizens of Moorpark.”

“I’m not interested in putting the city into a position that is indefensible in the case of litigation,” said Councilman Pat Hunter, who suggested the 1,300-foot limit eventually adopted by the council.

The guidelines make it impossible for an adult business to locate in the city’s downtown area. Under the ordinance, the only area that could be considered for an adult business is roughly eight acres of an undeveloped, 500-acre parcel in the southeast area of the city.