Phoenix Strip Club Code Enforcement Renews
I am active on another forum with many reports of new restrictions being enforced and why I rarely go to strip clubs anymore other than in Mississauga Canada without the legal issues.
Again Phoenix is enforcing at least partially the old 1998 strip club ordinance that basically outlawed lap dancing, breast touching etc. This seems to have started with the at least three raids at Hi-Liter after the "Z" owners tried to get the liquor license for Centerfolds after it shut down. "Z" was denied the license after a Phoenix City Council meeting with so many neighbors objecting to what was done outside the club by neighbors and the negative report by Phoenix PD.
Sadly the managers are simply enforcing the city code since enforcement seems to have picked up at HL at least and seems other clubs have had warnings to comply.
When the ordinance was passed in 1998 I spoke out against it at public hearings and at city council. It also was combined with when swing clubs were declared illegal "to protect neighborhoods and children."
Initially, there was very strict enforcement and any form of lap dancing was illegal since bodies cannot touch. So for a few years, lap dances were with dancers legs over the arms of chairs so there was no direct physical contact. Technically a hug was illegal if there was full body contact!
As a TV newscast reported, vice cops would spend nights in clubs looking for the slightest infraction. I know one owner who was cited and had to close for a week. I also represented the old Stevi's Secret club on Central at the Clubs Owners Association lead by Damian - former owner of Alaskan Bush
Then enforcement got lax until the last few years raids on Hi-Liter etc. Now hands to your sides or at least no breast touching is being enforced by many clubs to attempt to comply with City Code > Chapter 10 BUSINESSES > 10-148 Regulations pertaining to sexually oriented businesses etc.
The AZ Republic had a great article exposing the foolishness of "New Sex Laws, Empty Laps, Happy Police, Sad Swingers" 12/11/1998.
I called it "Abuse of Women at Strip Clubs" making them nothing but teasing sex objects. I did another article "The City Council is obsessed over sensual touch."
I wrote about the council meeting: "There was not one shred of honest, documented, legitimate evidence that made any logical sense at all the public hearings to support the need for the new restrictions. 80% or more of all the speakers were opposed to the restrictions yet the City claims its "demanded by the citizens". That is simply a lie by politicians. The law was written by a Phoenix-based Christian group whose goal was to help 500 cities across America pass these laws "to protect neighborhoods and children"
Details at
http://www.sexwork.com/coalition/Phoenix/abuse.html
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