Chicago- from www.suburbanchicagonews.com – Lake County authorities have stripped some more money off an adult entertainment business.
Video Magic, a business formerly located at the northeast corner of routes 41 and 173 in Wadsworth recently paid the county $233,454 in fines for failing to adhere to the county’s adult-use ordinance, adopted 12 years ago by the Lake County Board.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office has been pursuing collection of hundreds of thousands of dollars in court-ordered fines from four adult-use businesses that were in violation of the ordinance.
“This closes another chapter in a long, protracted legal battle,” State’s Attorney Michael Waller stated Monday. “We are pleased the courts agreed with our position and the county has now collected more than $738,000 in total fines from these businesses that chose not to follow the law.”
The four businesses included two strip clubs, Dancers in unincorporated Ela Township, and Baby Dolls near Wadsworth, along with Video Magic and 41 News book stores.
The adult-use ordinance, approved in 1998, limits the hours of operation of adult establishments, bans enclosed viewing booths at adult stores and requires erotic dancers to maintain a minimum separation distance from patrons at adult cabarets. The ordinance also requires these businesses to obtain a license from the County Board chairman, who also serves as the adult-use commissioner.
“These adult use establishments adversely affect a community, including increased criminal activity and deterioration of property values,” County Board Chair Suzi Schmidt of Lake Villa stated.
After the adult law was enacted, several of the businesses challenged the constitutionality of the ordinance in state and federal courts. The county prevailed in the litigation.
When the county began enforcement against the four adult-use businesses that continued to operate in violation of the ordinance, Dancers settled by closing down and paying a $135,000 fine to the county. The State’s Attorney’s Office obtained court orders requiring the other three non-compliant adult locations to close.