2005/06/15 Council Agenda Packet

In 1980, the Minneapolis Crime Prevention Center examined the effects of sexually -oriented businesses upon property values and crime rates. The study concluded that such businesses concentrate in areas which are relatively deteriorated but, at most, they may slightly contribute to the continued depression of property values. However, it was clear that sexually - oriented businesses had a strong negative impact on the crime rate. The addition of one sexually -oriented business to a census tract area caused an increase in the overall crime rate index in that area by slightly more than nine percent per 1,000 people/year. In 1978, the St. Paul Division of Planning and the Minnesota Crime Control Planning Board conducted a joint study of the relationship between adult uses and neighborhood blight. They found a statistically significant correlation between the location of adult businesses and neighborhood deterioration, although adult businesses tend to locate in somewhat deteriorated Housing values were significantly lower in an area with three adult businesses than in an area with only one adult business. There was a significantly higher crime rate associated with two adult businesses in an area than was associated with only one adult business in an area. Manatee County, Florida The Planning and Development Department of Manatee County undercook a study to investigate the impact of a proposed adult entertainment ordinance.13 The study recom- mended that adult uses be limited to commercial locations at least 500 feet from a residential district and 2,000 feet from churches, schools, child care facilities and public recreation areas. Also, no adult establishment should be located within 1,000 feet of another such use. Manatee County relied on studies of other cities to identify the likely impacts of adult entertainment establishments. In addition to those of Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles and Indianapolis, studies from the following cities were reviewed: Austin, Texas; Phoenix, Arizona; Saint Paul, Minnesota; Amarillo, Texas; and, Beaumont, Texas. Impacts found in these studies included a relatively high incidence of crime including sex-related crimes, declining neighborhood conditions, a statistically significant decrease in residential property value when more than two adult bars were found in an area, increased glare, noise, and traffic, and a decline of neighborhood -oriented businesses. 13 "Adult Entertainment Business Study for Manatee County," Manatee County Planning and Development Department, June 1987. 8 EVER00107