Urbana seeks adult store ban
BY MARY PERHAM THE LEADER

HAMMONDSPORT A zoning law restricting the locations of adult entertainment outlets in the town of Urbana could be on the books by February.

Town Supervisor Richard Gardiner said a draft of the law is nearing completion and could be presented to the town board as early as next month.

Currently, there are no adult retail outlets in Urbana and no plans exist to open any adult stores, town officials said.

But given the town’s location on State Route 54, a well-traveled artery in the Finger Lakes region, officials want zoning regulations in place in the event a store is proposed.

The town’s actions were prompted by the opening of an adult book store along Interstate 86 in the town of Bath two years ago.

Bath had no zoning and the shop opened despite protests from local residents.

Since the outlet in the town of Bath opened, a number of local municipalities including the villages of Savona and Bath, have enacted zoning restrictions designed to discourage adult businesses and restrict their location.

In the town of Bath, a citizens committee has formed to consider a town-wide land use plan, which could limit other adult businesses in that area.

The Urbana law will be developed from those local plans and other local laws across the state, according to board member Connie Cook.

The town also held an informational meeting Monday to gather more input from town residents. While the meeting was not well-attended, Cook said those at the meeting offered important information and statistics. A petition with 200 signatures is expected, she added.

She expects any adult entertainment district in Urbana will be set up in an industrial area, away from schools, churches, child care programs or attractions such as wineries and museums.

Cook said a key concern for town officials and residents is the reported secondary effects of adult outlets, such as increases in crime, sexual offenses and degradation of the neighborhood.

“We want to protect people from those,” she said.