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November 3, 1983 <br /> Report by the Committee on the Proposed Regulation of Sexually Oriented Businesses <br /> determined the need and appropriate means of regulating such businesses. Four public <br /> hearings provided testimony from residents, business owners, realtors, appraisers, police and <br /> psychologists. The committee and legal department then reviewed the transcripts and drafted a <br /> proposed ordinance. More hearings obtained public opinion on the proposal and the ordinance <br /> was refined for vote by the City Council. <br /> The testimony was summarized into six broad premises: <br /> 1. The rights of individuals were affirmed. <br /> 2. Sexually oriented businesses can exist with regulations that <br /> minimize their adverse effects. <br /> 3. The most important negative effects were on neighborhood <br /> protection, community enhancement and property values. <br /> 4. Problems increased when these businesses were concentrated. <br /> 5. Such businesses contributed to criminal activities. <br /> 6. Enforcement of existing statutes was difficult. <br /> The proposed ordinance: (1) required permits for sexually oriented businesses (non- <br /> refundable $350 application fee); (2) imposed distance requirements of 750 feet from a church <br /> or school, 1,000 feet from other such businesses, and 1,000 feet radius from an area of 75 <br /> percent residential concentration; (3) imposed an amortization period of six months that could <br /> be extended by the city indefinitely on the basis of evidence; (4) required revocation of permit <br /> for employing minors (under 17), blighting exterior appearance or signage, chronic criminal <br /> activity (three convictions), and false permit information; and (5) required age restrictions for <br /> entry. <br /> TUCSON, ARIZONA <br /> May 1, 1990 <br /> This report records the investigation following citizen complaints to the Tucson Police <br /> Department regarding incidences of illegal sex and unsanitary conditions in sexually oriented <br /> businesses. Undercover police verified the complaints and noted several other violations, also <br /> making arrests. <br /> A major concern of the report is the issue of doors on peep show booths. The booths <br /> were the major area of sanitation and public health concerns in that the police ascertained that <br /> 81% to 96% of samples obtained from such booths tested positive for semen. The report <br /> described a compromise between the city and sex businesses, such that the businesses were <br /> allowed to keep doors on the booths but were required to remove the bottom 30 inches of the <br /> doors. It was thought that this would reduce opportunities or likelihood for customers to <br /> masturbate privately, or to engage in anonymous sex through the use of "glory holes" in the <br /> walls between adjoining booths—practices previously common in such establishments—while <br /> 5 <br /> 000018 <br />