Efforts to revamp the city’s ordinance that regulates future sexual oriented business will be ready for a vote by city council next month.
Warsaw Plan Commission approved a recommendation to send the revised ordinance to council, which could vote on it as soon as Oct. 2.
Monday’s vote to support the change was unanimous among the seven present board members.
The move to expand the ordinance has gained little debate and no opposition.
There have not been existing businesses within city limits that fall into the category since the original ordinance was established under the Jeff Plank administration.
The revision adds much more depth to various aspects of the ordinance.
Among other things, the ordinance further defines the zoning restrictions, limiting the businesses to certain types of commercial and industrial classifications.
It also would require businesses to close nightly by midnight.
Further, the revised ordinance would double the amount of distance sexual oriented business must be from any schools from 500 feet to 1,000 feet.
City council could cast the first of two votes necessary to adopt the new policy.
City Planner Jeremy Skinner said a final vote could be taken in late October.
In numerous cases cited by the city, sex-related stores have attracted crime and hurt property values.
The issue has not raised much attention, Skinner said, because there are no existing businesses for anyone to worry about.
“The bulk of people that are living within the community have one goal in mind and that’s protecting their property values,” Skinner said. “That’s what this ordinance does – it protects those values.”
