Bath extends adult biz ban three months
By ROB PRICE THE COURIER-ADVOCATE

BATH - Bath town board members have added another three months to a moratorium on any new adult business in the municipality and may extend the moratorium another year.

The 15-month ban would remain in effect while an ad hoc committee appointed by the town board develops future land-use guidelines that may include restrictions on the siting of new adult-oriented businesses.

"I think they're a ways off," town Supervisor Fred Muller said of the committee. "They're making progress."

Muller further instructed town attorney Jeffrey Squires to prepare a local law for future action by the board imposing another year-long moratorium.

The Land Use Committee was formed in January 2006 in the aftermath of the opening of an adult products store on Worth Road.

Contacted Tuesday , Hudson noted the committee continues working on a comprehensive plan for the town that includes land use policies, as well as possible regulations affecting wind farm development, gravel mining and housing.

The committee already has drawn up potential restrictions on locations for adult-oriented businesses. Those restrictions include:

+ A 1,000-foot minimum distance between any adult business and residential property lines.

+ A 1,000-foot minimum distance between any adult businesses and schools, places of worship, playgrounds and cemeteries.

+ What Hudson has as a described as "a major distance" required between the property lines of two adult businesses.

Hudson also noted the distance regulations, if enacted, would place the Worth Road store in non-compliance. If at the end of a prescribed period of time, the business remains in non-compliance, Hudson said the town board would be free to take legal action against the business.

"It would depend on how far the town board wants to push it," Hudson said.