Code restricts sex shops to freestanding buildings BY TOYNETT HALL Staff Writer HOWELL - In an effort to stop more sexually oriented businesses from setting up shop in the community, the Township Council has introduced an ordinance to define and regulate this type of establishment. The ordinance was introduced on April 24. A public hearing and possible vote on the adoption of the ordinance is scheduled for the council's May 15 meeting at 7:30 p.m. in town hall. Several businesses that sell sexually oriented products have been in operation in Howell for a number of years, primarily at various locations on the township's Route 9 corridor. The businesses are commonly known as adult boutiques. According to information provided by the township, the ordinance now under consideration "regulates the time, place and manner of sexually oriented businesses. It declares such businesses conditional permitted uses in zones other than residential zones, the neighborhood commercial zones, the highway commercial zone, the HD-1 zone (highway development) and the HD-2 zone (highway development). "Like other permitted conditional uses, it regulates the distances between such establishments and other zones, between such establishments and similar ones, and between such establishments and certain other uses, such as libraries. The ordinance also confines the business to freestanding commercial buildings and prohibits neon signs." According to Mayor Joseph DiBella, the purpose of the ordinance is to "build protection in the event that a new business wanted to open up, we would have appropriate rules and criteria to ensure that we could limit their ability to be offensive." Township Manager Thomas Czierniecki said, "We are going about this very methodically. The first step we are taking is to stop the bleeding, essentially not allowing more to come in." Deputy Mayor Robert Walsh said not only is he appalled by the sight of these businesses, he is "equally appalled that Howell's governing bodies of the past did nothing to stop these businesses from opening within Howell." "It is a disgrace that we have these businesses with neon signs along our highways. Why something wasn't done years ago is beyond my comprehension," Walsh said. According to Councilwoman Cynthia Shoemaker, the law prohibits the township from completely restricting these kinds of business. Shoemaker said the proposed ordinance will serve as a layer of protection, however, she would like to see it revised to prohibit the sex establishments from having windows or at least mandating that the windows be painted black. DiBella said the ordinance "in the long run will benefit our community for years to come."