MN: Full house urges city not to allow sexually oriented businesses
The Hastings Star Gazette reports:
. . . A battle is being waged over the city ordinance that governs adult uses, or things like strip clubs and adult bookstores. The issue has struck a chord with many residents and business owners in Hastings, more than 60 of whom showed up and packed a public meeting on the topic Monday night.
The city maintains that court precedent and the First Amendment require it to zone land for adult use businesses. The city is also hesitant to rely on a Minnesota statute that governs adult uses because of questions raised about that statute’s constitutionality. Applying the statute in Hastings would give the city the power to ban strip clubs outright.
The overwhelming sentiment of the people in attendance at the public meeting was to have the city adopt the Minnesota statute and brace itself for a legal battle if the law is challenged . . .