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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01 SEXUALLY ORIEN CODE 10-02-00 NO. 01 AGENDA RE,' 3RT ,o.o .oo TO: FROM: SUBJECT: WILLIAM HUSTON, CITY MANAGER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AMENDMENT TO THE SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESSES CODE ', SUMMARY: The City Council adopted Ordinance No. 1204 in 1998 to regulate sexually oriented businesses. Since then, the Federal Court has made several revisions to the law regulating expressive conducts that are protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. These revisions affect the City's process in investigating, issuing and revoking sexually oriented business permits. As such, a code amendment is being proposed to comply with recent Court decisions. RECOMMENDATION That the City Council have first reading by title only to introduce Ordinance No. 1231 related to the investigation, issuance, and appeal of permits for Sexually Oriented Businesses and adopt Ordinance No. 1231 at the next regularly scheduled Council meeting. FISCAL IMPACT Annual application/permit fees for sexually oriented businesses would be recovered through application fees identified in Section 3919 of the Tustin City Code. Costs associated with the transcribing, copying, or preparing administrative records required for court hearing would be compensated by the applicant. BACKGROUND On October 5, 1998 the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 1204 establishing a comprehensive ordinance to: 1) disperse and limit sexually oriented businesses to specified zoning districts; 2) license and regulate sexually oriented businesses and employees; 3) provide additional health and safety regulations for sexually oriented businesses; and 4) repeal existing sections that were inconsistent with the ordinance. Since then, the Federal Court has made several revisions to the law regulating expressive conducts that are protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. These revisions effect the City's process .in investigating, issuing and revoking sexually oriented business permits. Additionally, the Federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision on 4805 Convoy, Inc. v. City of San Diego impacting the City's decision to suspend or revoke a license to operate a sexually oriented business. The 4805 Convoy, Inc. v. the City of San Diego involved a litigation with a nude dancing establishment in which the City of San. Diego suspended the establishment's license for violating City's regulations: The City of San Diego ordinance provided for an automatic stay of enforcement during the City Council Report SOB Code Amendment October 2, 2000 Page 2 of 4 administrative appeal process; however, there was not a definitive time period from when the business owner filed a complaint with the Court t° a final Court adjudication. As a result, the Ninth Circuit Court issued a decision following the conclusion of a prior case, Baby Tam & Company, Inc. v. City of Las Vegas, that there must not only be a stay of enforcement to cease operation of establishment during the administrative appeal process, but also from the time the aggrieved party seeks Judicial Review through a final decision of the Court. This decision creates a problem for local agencies since cities do not have control over when a Court will 'render a decision, even when cases are entitled to priority under State or Federal rules. However, on June 28, 1999 the Senate and the Assembly passed Senate Bill 1165 which added a new Code of Civil Procedure under Section 1094.8. This new law provides an expedited review and decision process on any denial, suspension or revocation of a permit involving expressive activity protected by the First Amendment. The Planning Commission on September 11, 2000 considered the proposed code amendment, and adopted Resolution No. 3745 recommending that the City Council adopt Ordinance No. 1231 to amend Tustin City Code Article 3 Chapter 9 related to Sexually Oriented Businesses as follows: Sections 3917, 3918 and 3924 of the Tustin City Code would be amended to read as follow: "3917 INVESTIGATION OF PERMIT APPLICATION. (a) Upon receipt of a complete application for a sexually oriented business permit and payment of the non-refundable application fee, the Community Development Director shall stamp the application as received and shall thereafter transmit the application to the Tustin Police Department and any other agencies responsible for enforcement of zoning, health, fire, and building codes and laws. Each department or agency shall conduct an investigation of the applicant, application, and the proposed sexually oriented business in accordance with its responsibilities under law and as set forth in this Chapter. All investigations shall be completed within thirty (30) days of receipt of the application by the Community Development Director. (b) Within ten (10) business days of receipt of the completed application, the Community Development Director shall issue a temporary thirty (30) days permit." Subsection (a) of Section 3918 of the Tustin City Code would be amended to read as follows: "(a) The Community Development Director shall grant, grant upon condition, or deny an application for a permit within thirty (30) days from the date the application is-deemed complete. The applicant shall be notified by the Community Development Director of such City Council Report SOB Code Amendment October 2, 2000 Page 3 of 4 grant, conditional grant or denial of the application and shall state the reasons for a denial. A permit may be conditionally granted only when the City has not timely received fingerprint information to verify that the applicant has not been convicted of specified criminal acts within the timeframes described in subsection (c)(1)(i). Such conditional grant shall not constitute a vested right to operate under this permit. If the Community Development Director neither grants nor denies the application within thirty (30) days after the complete application is stamped received (except as provided in Section 3916 (h)), the application shall be deemed to be approved as of the thirty-first (31st) day and the applicant may begin operating the sexually oriented business for which the permit was sought, subject to compliance with the development and performance standards and requirements of Section 3912 of this Code." Subsection (a) of Section 3924 of the Tustin City Code would be amended to read as follows: "(a) After denial of an application, or denial of a renewal of an application, or upon the issuance of a notice of suspension or a notice of revocation of a permit by the Community Development Director, the applicant or permittee may seek review of such action by filing a written appeal with the City Council. An appeal must be filed with the City Clerk within ten (10) calendar days of a denial, suspension, or revocation of a permit. The hearing before the City Council will be held no less than five (5) business days from the date of the filing of the appeal or at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the City Council. The City Council shall issue its decision within fifteen (15) calendar days of the hearing. The decision of the City Council shall be final. If the denial, suspension or revocation is affirmed on review by the City Council, the applicant or permittee may seek expedited judicial review of such administrative action pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.8 because the permit regulates expressive conduct protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The applicant or permittee shall be responsible for reimbursing the City for its actual costs for transcribing, copying, or otherwise preparing the administrative record required for court hearing." Subsection (b) of Section 3924 of the Tustin City Code would be amended to read as follows: "(b) There shall be an automatic stay of enforcement of a permit denial, suspension, or revocation throughout the administrative and/or judicial appeal process." With the adoption of this code amendment, the City would have a Sexually Oriented Businesses Ordinance that complies with the-recent court decision and the California Code of Civil Procedure. City Council Report SOB Code Amendment October 2, 2000 Page 4 of 4 ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW Per Section 15060.c.3 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, the proposed amendment is not considered as a "project" since it contains only technical amendment to an existing code sections and will not have an impact in the environment. As such, no CEQA review is required. '~ Ju~ina Willkom Associate Planner Elizabeth A. Binsack Director of Community Development Attachments: Ordinance No. 1231 Planning Commission Resolution No. 3745 \\COMM_DEV~VOLI\SHARED\CDD-RDA\CDD\CCREPORT~SOB Code Amendment.doc Ordinance No. 1231 doc 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11- 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 ORDINANCE NO. 1231 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING 'SECTION 3917, SUBSECTION (A) OF SECTION 3918, AND SUBSECTIONS (A) AND (B) OF SECTION 3924, OF THE TUSTIN CITY CODE, RELATING TO THE INVESTIGATION, ISSUANCE, AND APPEAL OF PERMITS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESSES. The City Council of the City of Tustin hereby ordains as follows: SECTION 1. Section 3917 of the Tustin City Code is amended to read' "3917 INVESTIGATION OF PERMIT APPLICATION. (a) Upon receipt of a complete application for a sexually oriented business permit and payment of the non-refundable application fee, the Community Development Director shall stamp the application as received and shall thereafter transmit the application to the Tustin Police Department and any other agencies responsible for enforcement of zoning, health, fire, and building codes and laws. Each department or agency shall conduct an investigation of the applicant, application, and the proposed sexually oriented business in accordance with its. responsibilities under law and as set forth in this Chapter. All investigations shall be completed within thirty (30) days of receipt of a complete application by the Community Development Director. (b) Within ten (10) business days of receipt of the completed application, the Community Development Director shall issue a temporary thirty (30) days permit." SECTION2. Subsection (a) of Section 3918 of the Tustin City Code is amended to read as follows: "(a) The Community Development Director shall grant, grant upon condition, or deny an application for a permit within thirty (30) days from the date the application is deemed complete. The applicant shall be notified by the Community Development Director of such grant, conditional grant or denial of the application and shall state the reasons for a denial. A permit may be conditionally granted only when the City has not timely received fingerprint information to verify that the applicant has not been convicted of specified criminal acts within the timeframes described in subsection (c)(1)(i). Such conditional grant shall not constitute a vested right to operate under this permit. If the Community Development Director neither grants nor denies the application within thirty (30) days after the complete application is stamped received (except as provided in Section doc 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Ordinance No. 1231 Page 2 3916 (h)), the application shall be deemed to be approved as of the thirty-first (31~') day'and the applicant may begin operating the sexually oriented business for which the permit was sought, subject to compliance with the development and performance standards and requirements of Sectioh 3912 of this Code." SECTION 3. Subsection (a) of Section 3924 of the Tustin City Code is amended to read as follows' "(a) After denial of an application, or denial of a renewal of an application, or upon the issuance of a notice of suspension or a notice of revocation of a permit by the Community Development Director, the applicant or permittee may seek review of such action by filing a written appeal with the City Council. An appeal must be filed with the City Clerk within ten (10) calendar days of a denial, suspension, or revocation of a permit. The hearing before the City Council will be held no less than five (5) business days from the date of the filing of the appeal or at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the City Council. The City Council shall issue its decision within fifteen (15) calendar days of the hearing. The decison of the City Council shall be final.. If the denial, suspension or revocation is affirmed on review by the City Council, the applicant or permittee may seek expedited judicial review of such administrative action pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.8 because the permit regulates expressive conduct protected by the First .Amendment to the United States Constitution. The applicant or permittee shall be responsible for reimbursing the City for its actual costs for transcribing, copying, or otherwise preparing the administrative record required for court hearing." SECTION4. Subsection (b) of Section 3924 of the Tustin City Code is amended to read as follows: "(b) There shall be an automatic stay of enforcement of a permit denial, suspension, or revocation throughout the administrative and/or judicial appeal process." SECTION 5. This ordinance shall become effective at 12:00 a.m. on the 31st day after adoption. SECTION 6. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion of this ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance. The City Council of the City of Tustin hereby declares that it would have adopted this ordinance and each section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, phrases, or portions be declared invalid or unconstitutional. doc 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2O 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Ordinance No. 1231 Page 3 PASSED AND ADOPTED, at a regular meeting of the City Council for the City of Tustin on this 2nd day of October, 2000. JEFFERY M. THOMAS, MAYOR PAMELA STOKER, City Clerk -3- Planning Commission Resolution No. 3745 RESOLUTION NO. 3745 14 2O 22 23 24 26 2? 29 A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA,. RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT ORDINANCE NO~ 1231, AN AMENDMENT'TO TUSTIN CITY CODE RELATING TO THE INVESTIGATION, ISSUANCE, AND APPEAL OF PERMITS FOR SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESSES. The Planning Commission of the City of Tustin finds: Ao · That an amendment to Tustin City Code relating to the investigation, issuance, and appeal of permits to the Resolution for sexually oriented businesses has been prepared and is'attached to the Resolution. That a public hearing was duly noticed, called and held on said ordinance on September 11, 2000 by the Planning Commission. Co Per Section 15060.c.3 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, the proposed amendment is not considered a "project", as such no CEQA review is required. D. That the proposed amendment is regulatory in nature to comply with the Ninth Circuit decision and to incorporate the revised Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.8 setting forth the expedited judicial review process. Bo That the proposed ordinance is consistent with the General Plan, particularly the Land Use Element by ensuring consistency between the General Plan and the Zoning Code. The Planning Commission hereby resolves and recommends that the City Council adopt Ordinance No. 1231, as attached to this Resolution, amending provisions of the Tustin City Code relating to the investigation, issuance, and appeal of permits for sexually oriented businesses. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Planning Commission of the City of Tustin at a regular meeting held on the 11th day of September 2000. ELIZABETH A. BIN~ACK Planning Commission Secretary ~'"¢i~15~,~4 V. KOZAK Chairperson 19 2O 22 23 24 26 2? 29 Resolution No. 3745 Page 2 of 2 STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF ORANGE ) SS CITY OF TUSTIN ) · I, ELIZABETH A. BINSACK, the undersigned, hereby certify ~hat I am the Planning i Commission Secretary of the Planning Commission of the City of Tustin, California; that Resolution No. 3745 was 'duly passed and adopted at regular meeting of the Tustin Planning Commission, held on the 11,t~ day of September, 2000. -~LI~ABE'i"H A. BINSACK Planning Commission Secretary ¥~COMM_DEV~VOL1~SHARE[:ACDD-RDA~CDI::N::~RESOS~745.doc