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(A) Fees associated with the filing, approval and issuance of permits under this chapter shall be assessed and collected in amounts and calculations as set by City Council and maintained in the city's master fee schedule.
(B) No action of the City Council under this chapter shall be valid or effective until the fees assessed under this section have been paid in full. And no building permit will be issued by the city until all fees assessed under this section have been paid in full.
(Ord. 05-19-2020-MASTER, passed 5-19-2020)
(A) Within the corporate limits of the city, street signs will be furnished and installed at each intersection by the city at the expense of the subdivider.
(B) The subdivider shall pay the city the current standard charge for the cost of materials and installation of each street sign. In subdivisions lying beyond the corporate limits of the city, street name signs shall be placed by the subdivider at all intersections within or abutting the subdivision.
(C) Those signs shall be of the type approved by the city and shall be installed in accordance with the standards of the city.
(D) The developer shall pay such sums as computed by the Public Works Director for street signs, as set out herein, at the time at which the developer submits the final plat for approval, and this sum shall be in addition to the filing fee set forth hereinabove.
(Ord. 11-5-98, passed 11-5-1998)
(A) The City Council may authorize a variance from these regulations when, in its opinion, undue hardship will result from requiring strict compliance. In granting a variance, the Council shall prescribe only conditions that it deems necessary or desirable to the public interest in making the findings herein below required. The Council shall take into account the nature of the proposed usage of land involved, the existing usage of the land in the vicinity, the number of persons who will reside or work in the proposed subdivision, and the probable effect of the variances upon traffic conditions and upon the public health, safety, convenience and welfare of individuals in the vicinity. No variance will be granted unless the Council finds the following:
(1) There are special circumstances or conditions affecting the land involved such that the strict application of the provisions of this subchapter would deprive the applicant of the reasonable use of his or her land;
(2) The variances are necessary for the preservation and enjoyment of a substantial property right of the applicant, and that the granting of the variance will not be detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare of individuals, or injurious to other properties in the area;
(3) The granting of the variance will not have the effect of preventing the orderly subdivision of other lands in the area in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter; and
(4) The Council may not authorize a variance that would constitute a violation of any other valid ordinance of the city.
(B) These findings of the Council, together with the specific facts upon which such findings are based, shall be incorporated in the official minutes of the Council meeting at which the variance is granted. Variances may be granted only when in harmony with the general purpose and intent of this subchapter so that the general health, safety and welfare of citizens may be secured, and substantial justice be done. Pecuniary hardship to the subdivider, standing alone, shall not be deemed to constitute undue hardship.
(Ord. 11-5-98, passed 11-5-1998)
Plats or subdivisions which have received preliminary approval by the Council within one year prior to the effective date of this subchapter shall be excepted from the requirements of this subchapter; provided that the final plat of the subdivision is approved and filed for record within 180 days after the effective date of this subchapter, or within one year after the approval date of the preliminary plat, whichever is greater.
(Ord. 11-5-98, passed 11-5-1998)
SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESSES
(A) The Texas Legislature has found that the unrestricted operation of certain sexually oriented businesses may be detrimental to the public, health, safety and welfare by contributing to the decline of residential and business neighborhoods and the growth of criminal activity. Tex. Loc. Gov’t Code, § 243.001(a). The purpose of this chapter to regulate sexually oriented businesses is to promote the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the citizens of the city, to establish reasonable and uniform regulations to prevent the concentration of sexually oriented businesses within the city, to deter sexually related criminal activity occurring in and around sexually oriented businesses and to protect the health of patrons and employees of the businesses from sexually transmitted diseases. The provisions of this chapter have neither the purpose nor effect of imposing a limitation or restriction on the content of any communicative materials, including sexually oriented materials. Similarly, it is not the intent nor effect of this chapter to restrict or deny access by adults to sexually oriented materials protected by the First Amendment, or to deny access by the distributors and exhibitors of sexually oriented entertainment to their intended market.
(B) It is the intent of the City Council that the locational regulations of § 154.082 below are promulgated pursuant to Tex. Loc. Gov’t Code, Ch. 243 as they apply to a sex parlor, nude studio, modeling studio, love parlor, adult bookstore, adult movie theater, adult video arcade, adult movie arcade, adult video store, adult motel or other similar commercial enterprise the primary business of which is the offering of a service or the selling, renting or exhibiting of devices or any other items intended to provide sexual stimulation or sexual gratification to the customer. It is the intent of the City Council that all other provisions of this chapter are promulgated pursuant to the Godley City Charter and Tex. Loc. Gov’t Code, Ch. 243 and Ch. 215, Subchapter B.
(C) It is the intent of the City Council to protect and preserve the health, safety and welfare of the patrons of "adult oriented establishments," as well as the health, safety and welfare of the town’s citizens. Statistics and studies performed by a substantial number of cities and towns in the United States and research by the Sexually Oriented Businesses Task Force indicate the following:
(1) Large numbers of persons, primarily male, frequent such "adult oriented establishments," especially those which provide closed booths, cubicles, studios and rooms for the private viewing of so-called "adult" motion pictures and/or video tapes and/or live entertainment;
(2) Such closed booths, cubicles, studios and rooms have been used by patrons, clients or customers of such "adult oriented establishments" for the purpose of engaging in certain sexual acts;
(3) Male and female prostitutes have been known to frequent such establishments in order to provide sex for hire to the patrons, clients or customers of the establishments within the booths, cubicles and rooms;
(4) Doors, curtains, blinds and/or other closures installed in or on the entrances and/or exits are in use encourage patrons using the booths, cubicles, studios and rooms to engage in sexual acts therein with prostitutes and/or with other members of the same sex, thereby promoting and encouraging prostitution and the commission of sexual acts which cause blood, semen and urine to be deposited on the floor and/or walls of the booths, cubicles, studios and rooms, which deposits could prove detrimental to the health and safety of other persons who may come into contact with the deposits;
(5) At least 50 communicable diseases may be spread by activities occurring in sexually oriented businesses, including, but not limited to, syphilis, gonorrhea, human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV-AIDS), genital herpes, hepatitis B, Non A, Non B arnebiasis, salmonella infections and shigella infections;
(6) Since 1981 and to the present, there has been an increasing cumulative number of reported cases of AIDS caused by HIV in the United States;
(7) The U.S. Surgeon General in his October 22, 1986 report advised the American public that AIDS and HIV infection may be transmitted through sexual contact, intravenous drug abuse, exposure to infected blood and blood components, and from an infected mother to her newborn;
(8) According to the best scientific evidence, AIDS and HIV infection, as well as syphilis and gonorrhea, are principally transmitted by sexual acts;
(9) Sanitary conditions in some sexually oriented businesses are unhealthy, in part, because the activities conducted there are unhealthy, and, in part, because of the unregulated nature of the activities and the failure of the owners and operators of the facilities to self-regulate those activities and maintain those facilities;
(10) A reasonable licensing scheme is an appropriate mechanism to know the true identity of the owners, operators and employees, their criminal background (since someone convicted a sexually related crime leads to the rational assumption that the applicant may engage in that conduct in contravention of this subchapter or other laws), identifies potential witnesses or suspects and by preventing minors from working in the establishments;
(11) That there is an increasing commercial exploitation of human sexuality by owners and operators of commercial establishments where alcoholic beverages are served or offered for sale for consumption on the premises, or where alcoholic beverages are permitted to be consumed;
(12) That the exploitation takes place in the form of employing or permitting persons to perform or exhibit their nude or semi-nude bodies to other persons as an inducement to such other persons to purchase alcoholic beverages or to consume alcoholic beverages while on the premises;
(13) The exploitation is further often accompanied by serious and dangerous criminal activity, such as the possession or use of controlled substances, the proliferation of drug-related activity, prostitution, disorderly conduct, assaults and the like;
(14) That the direct result of the exploitation in the context of the location where it is permitted (i.e., where alcohol is served or consumed) threatens the preservation of property values of adjoining and adjacent properties and neighborhoods;
(15) That the direct result of the exploitation is the moral degradation and disturbances of the peace and good order of the community;
(16) The commercial exploitation of the nude and semi-nude acts are adverse to the public’s interest and the quality of life, tone of commerce and total community environment in the city;
(17) The hour restrictions on private clubs in Texas under the current Alcoholic Beverage Commission were originally adopted to "safeguard the welfare, safety and temperance of the people of Texas," and we hereby find that the hours when applied to sexually oriented businesses equally safeguard the welfare and safety of the citizens of the city;
(18) The important governmental interests of the prevention of crime and prevention of disease (such as the City of Chattanooga presented evidence of high crime and health risks which supported that city’s adoption of City Code Section 11-435(d) as outlined in DLS, Inc. v. City of Chattanooga, 107 F.3d 403 (6th Cir. 1997)) are furthered by the prohibition of touching between the sexually oriented business employees and customers and when a six-foot buffer zone is established;
(19) The reasonable regulation and supervision of the adult oriented establishments tends to discourage such sexual acts and prostitution, and thereby promotes the health, safety and welfare of the patrons, clients and customers of the establishments;
(20) The continued unregulated operation of adult oriented establishments including, without limitation, those specifically cited in this provision, is and would be detrimental to the general welfare, health and safety of the citizens of the city;
(21) The above findings raise substantial governmental concerns;
(22) Such reasonable regulations are within the powers granted to the city by the Constitution and laws of the state in order to protect the public health, safety and welfare and have been enacted by this subchapter without any intention of limiting or restricting the contents of any communicative materials or of denying or restricting the rights of any adult to obtain, view, distribute, exhibit or sell any sexually oriented materials protected by the United States and/or State Constitution;
(23) The place restrictions hereinafter in accordance with powers granted to the city by the Constitution and laws of the state including Tex. Loc. Gov’t Code, Ch. 243; such regulations will provide needed protection to the community from the adverse effects of sexually oriented businesses without depriving the businesses of adequate opportunities to locate within the city for this subchapter satisfies City of Renton, Woodall and other case law for this subchapter translates into five and eight-tenths percent of the city being available to the businesses as reasonable alternative avenues of communication; and
(24) In order to reduce the secondary effects of sexually oriented businesses, regulation of signage is necessary to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public.
(Ord. 12-3-98, passed 12-3-1998)
For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ADULT ARCADE. Any place to which the public is permitted or invited wherein coin-operated or slug-operated or electronically, electrically or mechanically controlled still or motion picture machines, projectors or other image-producing devices are maintained to show images to five or fewer persons per machine at any one time, and where the images so displayed are distinguished or characterized by the depicting or describing of "specified sexual activities" or "specified anatomical areas."
ADULT BOOKSTORE or ADULT VIDEO STORE. A commercial establishment which as one of its principal business purposes offers for sale or rental for any form of consideration any one or more of the following:
(1) Books, magazines, periodicals or other printed matter or photographs, films, motion pictures, video cassettes or video reproductions, slides or other visual representations which depict or describe "specified sexual activities" or "specified anatomical areas"; or
(2) Instruments, devices or paraphernalia which are designed for use in connection with "specified sexual activities."
ADULT CABARET. A nightclub, bar, restaurant or similar commercial establishment which regularly features:
(1) Persons who appear in a state of nudity;
(2) Live performances which are characterized by the exposure of "specified anatomical areas" or by "specified sexual activities"; or
(3) Films, motion pictures, video cassettes, slides or other photographic reproductions which are characterized by the depiction or description of "specified sexual activities" or "specified anatomical areas."
ADULT MOTEL. A hotel, motel or similar commercial establishment which:
(1) Offers accommodations to the public for any form of consideration; provides patrons with closed-circuit television transmissions, films, motion pictures, video cassettes, slides or other photographic reproductions which are characterized by the depiction or description of "specified sexual activities" or "specified anatomical areas"; and has a sign visible from the public right-of-way which advertises the availability of this adult type of photographic reproductions;
(2) Offers a sleeping room for rent for a period of time that is less than ten hours; or
(3) Allows a tenant or occupant of a sleeping room to sub-rent the room for a period of time that is less than ten hours.
ADULT MOTION PICTURE THEATER. A commercial establishment where, for any form of consideration, films, motion pictures, video cassettes, slides or similar photographic reproductions are regularly shown which are characterized by the depiction or description of "specified sexual activities" or "specified anatomical areas".
ADULT TANNING SALONS. A business or commercial enterprise that, as one of its primary business purposes, furnishes, offers to furnish or advertises to furnish anyone who appears in a state of nudity or displays "specified anatomical areas" for a fee, tip or other consideration.
ADULT THEATER. A theater, concert hall, auditorium or similar commercial establishment which regularly features persons who appear in a state of nudity or live performances which are characterized by the exposure of "specified anatomical areas" or by "specified sexual activities."
CHURCH. A building, whether situated within the city or not, in which persons regularly assemble for religious worship intended primarily for purposes connected with such worship or for propagating a particular form of religious belief.
CUSTOMER. Any person who:
(1) Is allowed to enter a sexually oriented business in return for the payment of an admission fee or any other form of consideration or gratuity;
(2) Enters a sexually oriented business and purchases, rents or otherwise partakes of any merchandise, goods, entertainment or other services offered therein; or
(3) Is a member of and on the premises of a sexually oriented business operating as a private club.
EMPLOYEE. Any person who performs any service on the premises of a sexually oriented business on a full-time, part-time or contract basis, whether or not the person is denominated an employee, independent contractor, agent or otherwise and whether or not that person is paid a salary, wage or other compensation by the operator of the business or who receives or has the expectation of receiving any compensation from the operator or customers of the business. By the way of example, rather than limitation, the term includes the operator and other management personnel, clerks, dancers, models and other entertainers, food and beverage preparation and service personnel, door persons, bouncers and cashiers. It is expressly intended that these definitions cover not only conventional employer-employee relationships but also independent contractor relationships, agency relationships, and any other scheme or systems whereby the EMPLOYEE has an expectation of receiving compensation, tips or other benefits from the business or its customers in exchange for services performed. Employee does not include a person exclusively on the premises for repair or maintenance of the premises or equipment on the premises, or for delivery of goods to the premises.
ESCORT. A person who, for consideration, agrees or offers to act as a companion, guide or date for another person, or who agrees or offers to privately model lingerie, garments, apparel, devices or other such items or who agrees or offers to privately perform a striptease for another person.
ESCORT AGENCY. A person or business association who furnishes, offers to furnish or advertises to furnish escorts as one of its primary business purposes, for a fee, tip or other consideration.
ESTABLISHMENT. And includes any of the following:
(1) The opening or commencement of any sexually oriented business as a new business;
(2) The conversion of an existing business, whether or not a sexually oriented business, to any sexually oriented business;
(3) The addition of any sexually oriented business to any other existing sexually oriented business;
(4) The relocation of any sexually oriented business; or
(5) A location and place of business.
HISTORIC DISTRICT. A historic overlay zoning district as defined in the Zoning Code, as amended.
LICENSED DAY-CARE CENTER. A facility licensed by the state, whether situated within the city or not, that provides care, training, education, custody, treatment or supervision for more than six children under fourteen years of age, where the children are not related by blood, marriage or adoption to the owner or operator of the facility, for less than 24 hours a day, regardless of whether or not the facility is operated for a profit or charges for the service it offers.
LICENSEE. A person in whose name a license to operate a sexually oriented business has been issued, as well as the individual listed as an applicant on the application for a license.
NUDE STUDIO or MODELING STUDIO. Any place where person who appears in a state of nudity or displays "specified anatomical areas" is provided to be observed, sketched, drawn, painted, sculptured, photographed or similarly depicted by other persons who pay money or any form of consideration.
OPERATES OR CAUSES TO BE OPERATED. To cause to function or to put or keep in operation. A person may be found to be operating or causing to be operated a sexually oriented business whether or not that person is an owner, part owner or licensee of the business.
NUDITY or a STATE OF NUDITY.
(1) The appearance of a human bare buttock, anus, male genitals, female genitals or female breast.
(2) A state of dress which fails to opaquely cover a human buttock, anus, male genitals, female genitals or areola of the female breast.
(3) This definition shall not include a mother in the act of nursing her child.
PARK. Publicly owned or publicly leased tracts of land, whether situated in the city or not, designated, dedicated, controlled, maintained and operated for use by the general public for active or passive recreational or leisure purposes by the city or any political subdivision of the state and containing improvements, pathways, access or facilities intended for public recreational use. The term PUBLIC PARK shall not include parkways, public roads, rights-of-way, esplanades, traffic units, easements or traffic triangles unless the tracts or areas contain and provide improvements or access to a recreational or leisure use by the public. A current list of public parks shall be compiled and revised by the Director of the Community Service’s Secretary.
PERSON. An individual, proprietorship, partnership, corporation, association or other legal entity.
POLICE CHIEF. The Police Chief of the City of Godley or his or her designated agent.
RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. A single family, duplex, townhouse, multiple family, mobile home or HUD Code Manufactured Home zoning district as defined in the Zoning Ordinance. This definition shall apply to residential districts whether situated within the city or not.
RESIDENTIAL USE. A bed and breakfast inn, boarding house or rooming house, caretaker’s or guard’s residence, condominium, duplex, industrial housing, manufactured home, mobile home, multiple family dwelling (apartment), single family dwelling (attached), single family dwelling (detached) or town home as defined and explained in the Godley Zoning Ordinance and shall include premises which contain habitable rooms for nontransient occupancy and which are designed primarily for living, sleeping, cooking and eating therein. A premises which is designed primarily for living, sleeping, cooking and eating therein shall be deemed to be residential in character unless it is actually occupied and used exclusively for other purposes. This definition shall apply to residential use whether situated within the city or not.
SCHOOL. A building, whether situated within the city or not, where persons regularly assemble for the purpose of instruction or education together with the playgrounds, stadium and other structures or grounds used in conjunction therewith. The term is limited to:
(1) Public or private schools used for primary or secondary education, in which any regular kindergarten or grades one through 12 classes are taught; and
(2) Special educational facilities in which students who have physical or learning disabilities receive specialized education in lieu of attending regular classes in kindergarten or grades one through 12 classes.
SEMI-NUDE. A state of dress in which clothing covers no more than the genitals, pubic region, buttocks and any part of the female breast below the top of the areolae, as well as portions of the body covered by supporting straps or devices.
SEXUAL ENCOUNTER CENTER. A business or commercial enterprise that, as one of its primary business purposes, offers for any form of consideration:
(1) Physical contact in the form of wrestling or tumbling between persons of the opposite sex; or
(2) Activities between male and female persons and/or persons of the same sex when one or more of the persons is in a state of nudity or semi-nude.
SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESS.
(1) A sex parlor, nude studio, modeling studio, love parlor, adult bookstore, adult movie theater, adult video arcade, adult movie arcade, adult video store, adult motel, adult cabaret, escort agency or other commercial enterprise the primary business of which is the offering of a service or the selling, renting or exhibiting of devices or any other items intended to provide sexual stimulation or sexual gratification to the customer.
(2) For the purposes of § 154.082, this definition shall apply to sexually oriented businesses whether situated within the city or not. Under this definition, a SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESS does not include:
(a) A business operated by and employing or contracting with a licensed psychologist, licensed physical therapist, licensed athletic trainer, licensed cosmetologist or licensed barber engaged in performing functions authorized under a state license;
(b) A business operated by and employing or contracting with a licensed tattooist or tanning shop operator engaged in performing functions authorized under a state license for a tattoo parlor or tanning salon;
(c) A business operated by and employing or contracting with a state licensed physician or licensed chiropractor engaged in practicing the healing arts;
(d) A business operated by and employing or contracting with a state licensed massage therapist who practices or offers massage engaged in performing the functions authorized by the license;
(e) A school, which is accredited or certified by a national academic accreditation organization, and which maintains an educational program training persons the necessary skills and knowledge to obtain a state issued license as a psychologist, physical therapist, athletic trainer, cosmetologist, tattooist, artist, barber, physician, chiropractor or massage therapist;
(f) A person appearing nude in a modeling class:
1. Operated by a proprietary school licensed by the state; a college, junior college or university supported entirely or partly by taxation; or by a private college or university or junior college which maintains and operates educational programs in which credits earned are transferable to a college, junior college, or university supported entirely or partly by taxation;
2. In a structure which has no sign visible from the exterior of the structure advertising that a nude person is available for viewing;
3. In order to participate in the class a student must enroll at least three days prior to the class; and
4. Where there is no more than one nude model on the premises at any one time.
(g) Any activity, business, presentation, expression, material, film, video tape, photographic slide, CD-ROM disk, floppy diskette, book or device, which when taken as a whole has or contains serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.
(3) For the purposes of determining whether a commercial activity is a SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESS under this chapter, the relevant inquiry shall be as to the nature of the primary business at the premises. Therefore it is immaterial and irrelevant that: some ancillary activity may occur as an incident to the otherwise adult activity, such as but not limited to, tanning, garment modeling, exercise, massage or other simultaneously or in conjunction with one of the activities expressly identified hereinabove as constituting a SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESS if, the activity taken as a whole appeals to the prurient interest in sex and is intended to sexually stimulate or sexually gratify any person, notwithstanding the presence of the ancillary activity; or, any particular word or term is or is not associated with or utilized in the name or description of an enterprise or establishment, including but not limited to the words: spa, sauna, center, studio, parlor, theater, cabaret, club, review, shop, gymnasium, pool, hall, salon, store, lounge, arcade, service, agency or company.
SPECIFIED ANATOMICAL AREAS. Human genitals in a state of sexual arousal.
SPECIFIED SEXUAL ACTIVITIES. Includes any of the following:
(1) The fondling or other erotic touching of human genitals, pubic region, buttocks, anus or female breasts;
(2) Sex acts, normal or perverted, actual or simulated, including intercourse or copulation, or sodomy;
(3) Masturbation, actual or simulated; or
(4) Excretory functions as part of or in connection with any of the activities set forth in divisions (1) through (3) above.
SUBSTANTIAL ENLARGEMENT OF A SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESS. The increase in floor area occupied by the business by more than 25%, as the floor area exists on December 31, 1998.
TOPLESS. A female clothed in a manner that simulates or leaves uncovered or visible through less than fully opaque clothing any portion of her breasts below the top of the areola.
TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP OR CONTROL OF A SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESS. Includes any of the following:
(1) The sale, lease or sublease of the business;
(2) The transfer of securities which constitute a controlling interest in the business, whether by sale, exchange or similar means; or
(3) The establishment of a trust, gift or other similar legal device which transfers the ownership or control of the business, except for transfer by bequest or other operation of law upon the death of the person possessing the ownership or control.
(Ord. 12-3-98, passed 12-3-1998)
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