Adult zones for St. Augustine still on hold

By KATI BEXLEY, St. Augustine Record

The St. Augustine City Commission quashed a proposed location ordinance Monday for adult entertainment and created yet another measure allowing the businesses along U.S. 1 and Ponce de Leon Boulevard throughout the entire city.

This is the commission's fourth attempt to define where adult entertainment can locate in the city. The other three plans have met with heated criticism from the public.

The latest measure would allow adult entertainment in commercial zoning on U.S. 1, which also becomes Ponce de Leon Boulevard in parts of the city.

That includes several parcels of land, and Commissioner Don Crichlow was the only commissioner opposed to the ordinance.

"The courts say you only need one zone (for adult entertainment). I see absolutely no reason to create more of these zones than we have to," Crichlow said. "Why in the heck create three, four zones when we only need one. We have to do what is best for the city."

Commissioner George Gardner strongly disagreed.

"Having a single zone creates a Red Light District," he said. "That clustering is what scares the hell out of me."

Commissioner Susan Burk muddied the waters by saying she agreed with both of them. Burk did not elaborate further.

Some of the public who spoke at the meeting echoed Burk. Others wanted the businesses contained to one area, but most liked dispersing it along U.S. 1.

The commission nixed an ordinance Monday that had three clusters of property along West King Street, Ponce de Leon Boulevard and South Dixie Highway. Roughly 80 people came to City Hall, with the vast majority against having adult entertainment 350 feet away from a St. Joseph's Academy high school on South Dixie Highway.

Previously, the city did not have regulations for adult entertainment, and the businesses could have located anywhere in St. Augustine. The city commission hopes this ordinance will prevent that.

The new ordinance was passed on first reading, just as three other measures have been. The public has not liked any of the proposed plans, yet, but Mayor Joe Boles is remaining patient.

"We just need to fine tune (the ordinance) in a way we can all live with," he said.