[Seattle] strict strip club restrictions


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Mayor proposes stricter rules for strip clubs

Mayor Greg Nickels proposed new rules for strip clubs yesterday, including a virtual ban on lap dances, that could hurt existing clubs and keep new ones from opening in Seattle.

The mayor's proposal would bar strippers from getting within four feet of customers, in effect eliminating the closer contact that often occurs with lap dances and table dances. It also would require brighter lighting, prohibit customers from directly tipping dancers, and hold owners and managers responsible for violations by dancers.

Some of the proposed strict rules have been upheld by state and federal courts and should withstand legal challenges, said Regina LaBelle, the mayor's legal adviser. LaBelle said the mayor wants to keep new clubs from opening.

One club manager was disappointed with the proposal. "The morality police are out," said Keith Jackson, a manager at the D?j? Vu club downtown. "My take is that rules and regulations are already in place. Enforcement of those should be enough instead of adding new laws or rules."

The mayor's proposed restrictions are prompted, in part, by a federal lawsuit challenging the city's 1988 moratorium on new clubs.

For 17 years, the city has annually renewed its ban and kept strip-clubs limited to four: Rick's in Lake City, D?j? Vu near Pike Place Market, The Sands in Loyal Heights and Centerfolds in Crown Hill. A fifth licensed in Greenwood has not been operating.

The city allows these clubs because they existed before the ban.

A lawsuit was filed May 16 in U.S. District Court in Seattle on behalf of Bob Davis, who has owned comedy and dance clubs in the city. The suit alleges that by denying Davis a strip-club license last year, the city violated his constitutional rights.

Davis' lawyer, Kristin Olson, declined to comment on Nickels' proposal. Gil Levy, lawyer for Rick's owner Frank Colacurcio Jr., could not be reached. A receptionist at Colacurcio's office said he could not be reached.

LaBelle said the lawsuit is one reason Nickels sent the City Council his proposed rules. "We do have this lawsuit pending. There could be a variety of different outcomes. We could have to have more strip clubs and we need to make sure we have an updated code," she said.

Colacurcio's links to political contributions made in 2003 to council incumbents ignited the "Strippergate" controversy over a request to expand the parking lot at his Lake City club. King County prosecutors are investigating those contributions.

The city's current rules require dancers to wear some clothing unless they are on a stage, which must be six feet from customers. Dancers cannot simulate sexual acts, touch their private parts, allow others to touch their private parts or touch the private parts of customers. But dancers are allowed to provide lap dances to customers as long as their private parts are clothed.

The rules also call for lighting that makes all objects "plainly visible.&quoThey would require lighting bright enough so "you'd be able to read a newspaper fairly easily throughout the club," LaBelle said.<:blink:ink:

The rules also would bar a dancer from directly accepting a tip. Instead, tips would have to be deposited in a container or given to a manager.

"That's certainly not something I would be comfortable with," said Jackson, the D?j? Vu manager. "It might bother entertainers. But I don't know that it would necessarily hurt business."

Seattletimes.com

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Won't these people understand that if the avarege man doesn't get his share of boobies he becomes violent?

boobies for world peace , boobies for all!

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The rules also would bar a dancer from directly accepting a tip. Instead, tips would have to be deposited in a container or given to a manager.

OMG that is so stupid. :|

I wish these politicians would actually do something useful instead of wasting tax payer's money on stupid legislation like this. :pinch:

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Won't these people understand that if the avarege man doesn't get his share of boobies he becomes violent?

boobies for world peace , boobies for all!

586183341[/snapback]

Truer words were never spoken. Beastage for US. President in 2008!!

Edit: Realizes he's from Israel .. Beastage for Israel Prime Minister!!

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I have never visited any of this type of clubs myself but I can see that these proposed rules are totally unnecessary.

How about concentrating her efforts on something more important? --

Work on the traffic conjestion problems in Seattle for example.

Blowing $11 billions dollars on the monorail projects which otherwise cost $2 billion is sheer madness.

And top of that its pathetic that you can only ride a short distance of 14 miles.

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YAY FOR MORE FREEDOMS GETTING TAKEN AWAY SLOWELY!!! CAN WE ALL SAY YAY??? OR WAIT, HOLD UP, THERE MIGHT BE A LAW AGAINST MASS "O YAYERS". WAKE UP PPL, FIGHT YOUR GOVERNMENT!! this isnt how our fore-fathers had this imagined out. LAND OF THE FREE!! NOT LAND OF THE FREE ASLONG AS YOU DONT DO ANYTHING!!!

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have this mayor got nothing better to do with his time than think of ridiculous new laws like this?

why did he even create this one, what was wrong with the old way of life?

I say, dont fix what's not broken

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YAY FOR MORE FREEDOMS GETTING TAKEN AWAY SLOWELY!!! CAN WE ALL SAY YAY??? OR WAIT, HOLD UP, THERE MIGHT BE A LAW AGAINST MASS "O YAYERS". WAKE UP PPL, FIGHT YOUR GOVERNMENT!! this isnt how our fore-fathers had this imagined out. LAND OF THE FREE!! NOT LAND OF THE FREE ASLONG AS YOU DONT DO ANYTHING!!!

586184468[/snapback]

My IQ just dropped. i want my 3 seconds back

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you dont see it? im suprised people older than me havent realized what they could have but now can not do. im only 23 and i have seen plenty.

what good is a stripper if she cant grind your lap? this law can only lead to 1 thing. its the same thing that happens when you put 10 hungry bulldogs infront of a steak they can not eat. sooner or later, one gets through, and tears it up...

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