Strip Clubs Damaging City's Image?

Rancho Cordova, California- Across Highway 50 from the sign welcoming people to Rancho Cordova, a large marquee announces the performance of Olivia O'Lovely: "Over 100 XXX movies."

"Whether you're driving through Rancho Cordova on Highway 50 or coming into the city on Sunrise Boulevard, you'll see these prominent in-your-face sort of businesses," said Mayor Ken Cooley. "I do think they tend to typecast Rancho Cordova."

Of the four all-nude strip clubs in Sacramento County, three are in the Rancho Cordova area. Pure Gold Showgirls is near City Hall, and the other two are less than a mile outside the city's boundaries.

"You don't find them in Arden Park or Fair Oaks," said resident John Barris. "They damage the image of Rancho Cordova."

But there's little the fledgling city can do to repair its reputation as the adult business district of Sacramento County.

The situation has spurred city leaders to consider their own ordinance for regulating adult businesses, including strip clubs, adult video and bookstores and adult theaters. When the city incorporated, it adopted the county's ordinance.

The challenge for Rancho Cordova - which became a city in July 2003 - is achieving a balance between preventing the further proliferation of adult businesses and upholding the First Amendment rights of proprietors.

"When the vote was taken to incorporate, one of the key issues was the perception that we were the dumping ground for business other parts of the county did not want," said Art Smith, chairman of the city Planning Commission. "We want to overcome that reputation."

Adult establishments are often found in industrial areas because most laws require that they be at least 1,000 feet from homes, schools, parks and churches. Much of the county's industrial-zoned land is in the Rancho Cordova area, the reason the strip clubs opened there. Adult businesses also tend to locate near freeways in areas with low rents.

"We can debate the unfairness of the former county regime, which pushed these businesses into Rancho Cordova, but they are here now," Cooley said. "I think we can try to have as strong a rule as the United States Constitution allows."

Rancho Cordova's struggle sounds familiar to those in Montclair, a city in San Bernardino County. Several adult businesses, including notorious strip club Deja Vu, are just outside the city's boundaries.

"People say, 'Oh, that place is in Montclair. We're always quick to say,'No, that's in the county.' But it doesn't matter," said Rob Clark, Montclair's community development director. "You still get that image. You still get that reputation."

In Montclair, religious and community groups launched a campaign against adult businesses, taking their opposition to billboards and bus stop benches and picketing individual establishments.

With the strength of those groups, city leaders in Montclair successfully lobbied San Bernardino County for stricter regulations on adult businesses, Clark said.

Rancho Cordova's proposed ordinance would apply only to the two adult businesses within the city's boundaries - Pure Gold Showgirls on Sunrise Boulevard and V&T Video and Gifts on Folsom Boulevard.

In addition, as many as four more adult businesses would be allowed in Rancho Cordova under the ordinance, though city officials are quick to point out that approving new rules wouldn't necessarily lead to that.

The U.S. Constitution's free speech and freedom of expression guarantees prohibit banning adult businesses. But they allow cities and counties to limit the location of adult businesses, regulate their operations and implement licensing procedures.

Federal law dictates that restrictions imposed by local jurisdictions must be aimed at preventing "negative secondary impacts" of adult businesses, such as criminal activity or the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Adult businesses also can harm the local economy and redevelopment efforts, said Deborah Fox, a Southern California attorney who won a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals case upholding the city of La Habra's right to ban lap dancing.

"You want to be able to attract users that bring resources to your city," Fox said. "There's always a concern that adult businesses will not foster that kind of growth and development."

Rancho Cordova Police Chief Thomas McMahon, the former commander of the Sacramento County sheriff's bureau for vice, prostitution and organized crime, said strip clubs in the area have generated few calls for service. All have private security.

But McMahon said he had seen prostitution, underage dancers, assaults, drug use, drunken and disorderly conduct, lewd acts and violations of liquor laws at adult businesses over the years.

"We know that some of these things have happened at each of the businesses (in the Rancho Cordova area)," McMahon said.

Attorneys for Pure Gold Showgirls said in more than 10 years of operating, the business has never been accused of any illegal activity. They said tight security, including more than 50 security cameras, ensures that illegal activity does not occur.

"My client understands there is a concern in the community about adult entertainment," said Paul Cass, attorney for Pure Gold Showgirls. "But we want to set the record straight: My client is squeaky clean."

The City Council imposed a moratorium on the establishment of new adult business a year ago to allow time to craft more stringent regulations.

"I would like to send a message that this is a family-oriented community," said longtime resident Guy Anderson. "We don't need these types of businesses here."

The city's proposed regulations are similar to those in Sacramento County but include additional provisions: Adult businesses must be at least 1,000 feet from other such establishments to prevent a concentration; owners and employees are subject to background checks and licensing requirements; and only one use - such as dancing or book sales - is allowed at each location.

Also, no private rooms or booths are allowed, and the interior layout must be open to prevent criminal activity behind closed doors.

The proposed ordinance requires dancers to be separate from patrons, and no tipping, physical contact or full nudity is allowed.

Adult business owners are concerned about how the rules would affect their establishments. In many strip clubs, dancers pay the proprietor to dance there and earn much of their money from tips, which would not be allowed under the ordinance.

Since nearby strip clubs would not be subject to the same rules, Pure Gold Showgirls would have trouble competing, Cass said.

"This, in effect, puts my client out of businesses," he said. "The ordinance means you're not going to be able to operate an adult-oriented business in Rancho Cordova."

The Rancho Cordova Planning Commission will consider the ordinance Feb. 24, then forward a recommendation to the council for a final vote.