Town of Bath extends ban on adult businesses
By ROB PRICE THE COURIER-ADVOCATE

BATH - The Bath town board Monday extended by three months a year-long moratorium on any new adult business.

The moratorium has the legal effect of prohibiting the opening of any new adult business within town limits. It was originally passed last January in the aftermath of an adult bookstore opening on Worth Road. With Monday's extension, it will remain in effect until April 23, according to town Supervisor Fred Muller.

The extension was approved while a local land use committee continues work on a comprehensive plan that would include restrictions on the location of any business selling adult products.

Those restrictions, i f enacted by the town board, would force the Worth Road business into non-comformance, according to committee Chairman William Hudson. In particular, the location of the business would be in violation of a possible 1,000-foot minimum distance between any adult business and residential properties.

The 1,000-foot rule would also apply to schools, places of worship, playgrounds and cemeteries, according to Hudson, who told The Courier the committee also will recommend a "major distance" required between the property lines of two adult businesses.

Hudson appeared Monday before the town board and submitted an interim report on the committee's work to date. He also advised town officials the group is working on agriculture and tourismrelated issues.

Unlike the village of Bath, the town has no zoning regulations that may be amended to regulate the location of adult businesses. The village late last year approved a zoning amendment that placed numerous restrictions on where adult businesses may be located within village limits.