PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County now has a policy in place to accommodate sexually oriented businesses after postponing the issue with a series of six-month moratoriums that began in February 2005.
“I’m glad this is over,” said Associate Planner David Wayne Johnson, cqwho helped to write the new rules.
The new regulations were developed so the county would have a strategy to accommodate and control any request to open a sexually oriented business in the county. If such rules did not exist, the business could be located anywhere.
Acting Community Development Director Stacie Hoskins cqsaid she knows of no requests to open a sexually oriented business in Jefferson County that were made during the moratorium period.
Port Townsend passed its own ordinance in 2006. with no requests to open such a business since that time, according to City Attorney John Watts. cq
The regulations, which the county commissioners adopted unanimously at a meeting Monday, consist of two separate ordinances; one setting out licensing boundaries and the other addressing land use.
In the licensing component, the enforcement and regulation tasks will be assumed by the sheriff’s department. The licenses are not transferable, and the fee will cover the cost of the licensing process.
Tipping is prohibited, and lighting must be bright enough to meet visibility standards.
And there will be no touching.
Additionally, the businesses cannot operate between 2 a.m. and 10 a.m., and no warning system can be installed to alert employees about an inspection.
All people working in a sexually oriented business must be licensed by the county.
A premises license costs $2,500 a year, and each facility must have a manager who will be required to pay a $1,000 annual fee.
Escorts, models and entertainers working at the facility will be assessed $250 a year.
All applicants will be subject to a background check.
The land use portion requires the business to be at least 1,000 feet from any “sensitive site,” which is defined by a zoning grid, and at least 1,000 feet from any business selling alcoholic drinks.
Sexually oriented businesses that use live entertainers are not allowed to sell alcoholic beverages on premises.
There are four possible locations in East Jefferson County that could accommodate the new rules: the Glen Cove Industrial Area, the Quilcene Industrial Area, the Brinnon and Quilcene rural village centers and the Irondale/Port Hadlock area, which is the most likely location.
“If this happens, it will probably be within an urban growth area,” said Commissioner David Sullivan.cq
If a business wanted to locate in Port Hadlock, the county could require it be located 250 feet from any residences, according to county documents.
Possible restrictions on businesses in any of the three other possible locations could be stricter, according to the documents.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
