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Council weighs sex-business stance Resolution would back regulation bid By Jessica Smith A 2-year-old fight over whether the government can control the location of sex shops is set for another round before the Medford City Council. Council members are expected today to review a resolution that would put them on record as supporters of Measure 87, a local legislator�s attempt to regulate sex-related businesses. "I think there�s substantial support on the council for this measure," predicted Rep. Rob Patridge, a Republican from Medford and the measure�s chief sponsor. "It allows them to embrace the problem and ... we�re giving local governments the right to deal with the issue." Councilman Curt Bennett, who authored the proposed resolution, said he also expects the council to support the measure, which goes to voters in November. "I will be very surprised if it�s not unanimous," he said. "We heard a tremendous amount of public testimony asking for some type of control" on the location of sex-oriented businesses, Bennett added. "We really feel the citizens want that." Measure 87, which cleared both Oregon houses with overwhelming majorities last summer, was prompted by controversies in Medford and Portland over the locations of Castle Superstores, an Arizona chain that sells sex-oriented items. Patridge was president of the City Council in September 1998, when Castle Superstores moved into a vacant grocery store on Progress Drive. Advised by lawyers that restrictive ordinances would not clear Oregon courts, the council dropped a couple of attempts to regulate such businesses by ordinance. Castle�s arrival in Medford sparked protests from residents concerned about the store�s potential effects on families, business and crime. Since the store opened Sept. 23, 1998, Medford police have received 31 calls for service in or around the store, said Lt. Tim George. That�s about half the number of calls police received from like-sized businesses in the immediate area, he said. Whether the store�s presence has led to an increase in crime is unknown, George added. But local officials want to keep adult stores away from Medford�s schools, parks, churches and residential areas. "There are certain places where you don�t want this type of business," George said. "It�s just a bad mix." If approved, Measure 87 would give local governments the ability to regulate the location of sexually oriented businesses through zoning laws. The measure would amend the Oregon Constitution�s free-expression guarantee, which is more liberal than the free-speech right in the U.S. Constitution. Only Oregon and Hawaii do not allow local governments to zone sex shops, including nude-dancing clubs and so-called adult book stores. Such businesses are protected under the state constitution, Oregon courts have ruled. Likewise, voters have twice since 1994 rejected ballot measures that would have gone further to restrict the state�s free-expression guarantee. Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA