Garden Grove Council OKs Adult Business Relocation

GARDEN GROVE — Seven adult businesses will be forced to move off Garden Grove Boulevard under a plan approved Tuesday night by the City Council.

The plan, which began with a zoning change four years ago that made the businesses out of compliance, requires them to move to an acceptable location within two years.

The ordinance specifies that the business operators can apply for extensions but doesn’t make city funds available for relocation costs.

Roger Diamond, an attorney representing adult bookstores on the boulevard, urged the council members not to approve the ordinance and predicted that it will be tossed out in court.

“There are other tools available to solve the existing problems,” Diamond said. “This is not the right way to do this.”

The attorney also called the city’s outline of 13 available sites with appropriate zoning illusory.

“The properties listed aren’t available; they’re under lease for some other use,” he said.

Resident Bob Wilson, praised the ordinance, saying it will help reduce the impact of the businesses on the boulevard and the neighborhood.

City officials have been concerned that the adult businesses attract drug dealing and prostitution, which have plagued the boulevard.