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POSSIBLE CONTROL MECHANISMS OF ADULT BUSINESSES IN AMARILLO <br />Adult businesses in Amarillo are comprised of taverns, lounges, lounges with <br />semi-nude entertainment, adult bookstores and adult theaters. Various state and <br />local laws currently regulate to certain extents each of these uses. The Texas <br />Liquor Control Act regulates all businesses selling alcoholic beverages, after <br />local option -approval, through a licensing procedure. These same businesses must <br />also be licensed by the City and must conform to zoning and occupancy requirements. <br />Those businesses that feature semi-nude entertainment are also controlled by <br />Penal Code Section 21.07, 21.08, and 43.23 (Public Lewdness, Indecent Exposure, <br />and Commercial Obscenity) and City Ordinance 13.29 (Operation Regulations; grounds <br />for revocation, violations of Dance Establishments). Purveyors of adult printed <br />and celluloid material are controlled only by Penal Code Sections 43.22, 42.23, <br />and 43.24 and general zoning and occupancy requirements. <br />While the above state and local ordinances work to regulate portions of the <br />adult entertainment industry, they are at best a piecemeal approach. For example, <br />the enforcement of Chapters 21 and 43B, of the Penal, Code through the appropriate <br />court,is generally a slow and tedious process requiring manpower that is not avail- <br />able for this type of low priority victimless crime. The maintenance of the minimum <br />requirements of the Texas Liquor Control Act and the various local laws regulating <br />the sale of alcoholic beverages are only a means to maintain certain standards of <br />operation in taverns, lounges, etc. The general zoning regulations which currently <br />restrict adult businesses are not designed for the particular land use impacts <br />resulting from the adult businesses. These impacts range from late night hours of <br />operation and resulting noise, traffic, lighting, etc., to increases in crime rates <br />immediately surrounding the businesses. <br />Bypassing the intrinsic limitations of enforcement of the Penal Code, an approach <br />to a more definite control of these businesses is through a strengthening of zoning <br />regulations specifically defined to moderate the land use impact of adult -only <br />-12- <br />EVER00332 <br />