City calls special meeting to regulate sexually oriented businesses
Love Library Express announced opening downtown shop earlier this week
The Rome City Commission is poised to adopt an ordinance regulating sexually oriented businesses, on the heels of an announcement by The Love Library that it’s opening a branch downtown.
The proposed ordinance would set standards for an “adult arcade, an adult bookstore, an adult motion picture theater, a semi-nude lounge, or a sexual device shop.”
Commissioners will hold a first reading today at a special called meeting set for 2 p.m. in City Hall, 601 Broad St.
Two readings are required before it can be adopted. The board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 25. All City Commission meetings are open to the public.
Drew Haynes, manager of The Love Library on Shorter Avenue, announced Monday he would be opening a branch called The Love Library Express at 404 Tribune St. The location is one block off of Broad Street, almost across from the Forum River Center.
The shop is billed as an intimate-apparel boutique for couples, with other merchandise including candles, massage oils, books, magazines and tobacco products.
“In addition, as part of the Express store in downtown Rome, a new service is being developed and will be imple- mented very soon offering discreet delivery between the rivers in downtown Rome,” the release states.
Under the proposed ordinance, sexually oriented businesses and their employees would have to obtain permits similar to those required for alcohol sales and service.
It also limits locations to no closer than 750 feet to a church, school or daycare and no closer than 300 feet to an establishment that sells alcohol for on-premises consumption. The proximity would be measured in a straight line, to the closest point of the property.
A clause in the ordinance gives establishments that are open before it’s adopted until Jan. 1, 2021 to conform to the regulations or close.