Filed: December 2005
CCV Fight for Decency
(Overseen by
George Kuykendall, CCV Executive Director)
At the close of 2005, the outlook for bringing the Sexually Oriented Business (SOB) industry in Memphis under compliance has never been brighter. CCV has been actively working (often behind the scenes) on these issues.
When City and County officials engaged a consulting firm to review/rewrite zoning ordinances, CCV successfully lobbied officials to include SOB ordinances in these revisions. Existing SOB laws are antiquated and difficult to enforce in court.
Mobilized CCV supporters to contact City and County attorneys to let them know of the communities’ desire to have strong, enforceable adult business ordinances. The outcry was so strong, CCV was asked to stop.
Strong, enforceable and up-to-date SOB ordinances will help contain the spread of adult businesses and confine them to pre-identified locales. Such businesses do have a constitutional right to operate but only when in compliance with local laws and zoning ordinances.
A new SOB promoter arrived in Memphis and was incorrectly issued a permit to open a club in the Central Business District which is not zoned for such businesses. CCV got involved and raised a red flag to city officials and the community. The city then rescinded the permit saying it was issued in error. This owner has now sued the city in Federal Court. The case is not yet settled.
As a result, the City Council issued a moratorium on any new SOB’s opening until the new laws and ordinances being written by the consulting firm are effective. This is scheduled to happen mid-year 2006.
CCV played a critical role in connecting the firm rewriting ordinances with a Tennessee attorney with expertise in this area.
Worked with police, District Attorney General Bill Gibbons, Brooks Road Task Force, Greater Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce and others to keep the “heat” on adult businesses. As a result, in 2005 two clubs were closed for illegal activity and two others prevented from opening.
Kuykendall spoke to area churches informing people of the harms of pornography and the state of the SOB industry in Memphis.
Local media sought Kuykendall’s opinion many times this past year when adult business issues arose; allowing the CCV perspective to be heard.
