This subchapter shall be adopted to provide for the regulation and licensing of sexually-oriented businesses within the county in a manner which will protect the property values, neighborhoods and residents from the potential adverse secondary effects of sexually-oriented businesses, while providing to those who desire to patronize sexually-oriented businesses the opportunity to do so. It is not the intent of this subchapter to suppress any speech activities protected by the first and fourteenth amendments of the United States Constitution or the Constitution of the state, but to impose content-neutral regulations which address the adverse secondary effects of sexually-oriented businesses. The concern over sexually transmitted diseases is a legitimate health concern of the county which demands reasonable regulation of sexually-oriented businesses to protect the health and well-being of the citizens, including the patrons of sexually-oriented businesses. The purpose of this subchapter is to control adverse effects from sexually-oriented businesses and thereby protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens, protect the citizens from increased crime, preserve the quality of life, preserve the property values and character of the surrounding neighborhoods and deter the spread of urban blight.
(Prior Code, § 8-18-1)