Just a reminder that this Thursday 12/15 at 7 PM the Planning Commission will be taking public comment as part of the formal public hearing process on a proposed change to the Shelburne zoning regulations to address adult oriented business establishments. There has been some discussion of this topic on Front Porch Forum, various articles in the Shelburne News and the Free Press, as well as outreach from many concerned citizens who have inquired for additional information. My sense is that there are some misperceptions about the “why” behind the Planning Commission’s decision to develop new zoning bylaws to address where future adult oriented business establishments can be located.
As background, the Town received an inquiry in late October regarding the possibility of locating a so-called gentleman’s club in Shelburne. The guidance provided by the Town to the caller was that under our current zoning regulations there are no prohibitions on where such an establishment can be located other than that it would need to be located in one of our zoning districts that allow commercial uses (which many of the zoning districts do). As a result, the Planning Commission, with support from Town staff and the Selectboard, met at a regular meeting on November 17th to develop a proposal to limit the future locations of adult oriented businesses in the Town.
The Vermont and U.S. Constitutions restrict a municipality’s ability to regulate content and free speech. A key aspect of developing a supportable and legal regulation in this area is to identify what are called “negative secondary effects” associated with such establishments. Examples include economic impacts (e.g. reduced property values), enhanced crime rates and diminishment of overall quality of life and community character.
Testimony from community members about the negative secondary effects of such establishments is a critical part of this process, and I’d like to encourage residents to attend this public hearing in order to provide your input and express any concerns you may have about the effects of future adult-oriented businesses in Shelburne, as well as any concerns/comments on the current proposal before the Planning Commission that (if approved) will be forwarded to the Selectboard on Thursday evening. If you are unable to attend, please feel free to email me your comments and we will make sure that they are read and included as part of the public record at the public hearing on Thursday.
Jaime Heins
Chair, Shelburne Planning Commission
Jan 15, 2025, 12 to 7 PM
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