08-28-00 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 28, 2000 and has worked to clean up that neighborhood. He stated crime is everywhere and noted that there are twelve (12) homosexual bars in South Bend and the perversion that goes on in these bars being is worse than what goes on in the strip bars. In conclusion, he stated that it will cost the taxpayers a lot of money to pay for defending this ordinance and that money should go to the police and the schools. Mr. Matthew Wilken, 1526 East Calvert Street, South Bend, Indiana, stated that he is present for the people who are afraid to speak because they will be ostracized. Adult businesses are legal businesses and no one is being forced to frequent these places. The real courage is voting against the majority that do not represent the people who are living there. If this is what it will take to make the South Corridor better then let the City work with the business owners. People that want to close them down want to do so because of their moral beliefs but not everyone believes the same thing. Ms. Geannie Freeze, 109 West Eckman Street, South Bend, Indiana, noted that what someone wants to do with their career is up to them. She stated that she works in a strip club as a bartender and has seen more fights in a regular bar than in an adult bar. She noted that she has enough self esteem to work in a place like this. The hours she works enables her to have more time with her children including school activities. Mr. Chris Moore, 2524 Royal Vista Terrace, South Bend, Indiana, noted that he has only lived in the City for a year coming from Indianapolis where there are plenty of strip bars that are all in the same area that the police patrol and keep crime down. He stated that if the City wants to keep crime down they will have to either leave these places where they are or move them to one area but it is not fair to try to shut them down. He further stated that with these restrictions, all the City is trying to do is kill the business. He noted that it doesn't matter what time the bars close because drunk people will do what drunk people do. Everyone there is an adult and no one is forcing them to be there. He stated that they should be left alone as they are not hurting anyone. There was no one else present wishing to speak to the Council in opposition to this bill. In rebuttal, Mayor Luecke noted that some people have stated that if you don't like it don't go there but that is not the point of the ordinance. The point of the ordinance is the secondary effect from those businesses. The City needs to stand for the rights of the neighbors and for the rights of the residents and businesses and the entire community. He encouraged the Council to look at the negative secondary effects of these businesses which include prostitution, decreased property values, the effects of sexual abuse, addiction and speeding. There are neighborhood residents who are very concerned about the secondary negative effects of these businesses. The first step was taken by the City when the Council passed zoning restrictions on sexually oriented businesses. The second step restricted signage and this ordinance amendment is the third step. He asked the Council to act favorably on the ordinance. Councilmember Kelly stated that many individuals have stated that passage of this ordinance is the right thing to do and he believes that it is the right thing to do and he will therefore be in support of this bill. Councilmember Aranowski thanked Councilmember Ujdak and his committee and stated that the City made a commitment to the corridors and that commitment stands. This change is important to the South Michigan Corridor and he will be supporting this ordinance. Councilmember Varner thanked Councilmember Ujdak, the individuals from Citizens for Community Values, all who were present and all who have provided information for the ordinance. Councilmember Varner stated that he has lived in South Bend for approximately twenty (20) years and during that time many things have happened to promote civic pride. He stated that enactment of this ordinance will do more toward building community and civic pride than anything else and this is a step toward rehabilitation of the southeast side and South Michigan corridor. He stated that it is the right thing to do and it may be ten (10) years before the City sees the results but it will happen. He further stated that he intends to support this bill.