This past Tuesday, March 24th, the Sacramento Board of Supervisors adopted ordinance SCC-1419 "Ordinance Related to Physical Contact Dance", proposed by the Sheriff. The Supervisors, Don Nottoli, Susan Peters, Roger Dickinson, Jimmie Yee (Roberta MacGlashan was absent), voted "yes" unanimously. The new rules: No patron shall be permitted within six feet of the stage while the stage is occupied by entertainer(s). No entertainer shall perform within six feet of a patron or customer. No enterta... SteveV Scott Holbrook 2009-03-29T05:13:05Z 2009-03-29T05:13:05Z

Reminds me of the Music Man,.... we have trouble, right here in River City it starts with p and rhymes with t and that stands for Trouble..... Or maybe I am thinking of Dirty Dancing. Legislating morality is an interesting subject. I like the concept of "To Protect and Serve", not sure exactly what this law will protect or who it is serving. While I can think of may wiser ways to spend my money, I can not support this decision. I am sure there are many deputies signing up for enforcement of this law!!

Scott Holbrook 2009-03-29T05:13:05Z geofreak 2009-03-28T20:44:03Z 2009-03-28T20:44:03Z

I would like to see a whole different approach to this. I'm not sure I understand the purpose of the County Board of Supervisors other than their personal wish to regulate morality. Sadly, they don't realize their opposition to the existence of these establishments only serves to make them more appealing to deviants. The community would be better served by focusing on issues that really cause problems. For instance, Large intrusive signage can be offensive. Let's target that. Let's also target the professionalism and safety of the entertainers? Training for the entertainment staff is not required. Proper training of the law, individual rights risks, and safety issues would go far to thwart the "undesirables" that may frequent these places. It's so frustrating when legal officials work towards outlawing something they perceive as problematic rather than trying to solve the real problems that exist. That is just pure lazy governance. I'm sorry Steve, I should also mention that "Single Mothers" are by far a minority of the entertainers. No one should assume they KNOW any entertainer.

geofreak 2009-03-28T20:44:03Z Steve V 2009-03-28T19:22:58Z 2009-03-28T19:22:58Z

Yeah, I hear you John. That headline could be misleading if people think Centerfolds will be shut down, I think that's technically Rancho Cordova anyways... which incorporated so isn't affected. There may be one or two places with valid licenses. I don't know whether they expire, and the lawyer for the adult places pointed out that this legistlation will put the Auburn places out of business because there's no new zoning & no new licenses being offered. If a reader of my article is worried about no boobs-in-face anywhere in Sac, I apologize for not detailing that - as I wrote it for readers who are appalled at government over-regulation. The fact remains, if you walked into Embers now, a place that's been operating peacefully for 10 years, and get a lap dance, you could be cited for a misdemeanor.

Steve V 2009-03-28T19:22:58Z John Schmidt 2009-03-28T19:07:01Z 2009-03-28T19:07:01Z

Steve: If you want to call it outlawing instead of restricting, that's fine with me. However, when I read your article I was shocked at the idea that lap dancing had been outlawed throughout Sacramento County with little or no public input. That would put hundreds of people out of work at the worst possible moment. Not to mention, I, like you, believe (in most cases) that when there is demand for a good or service in a free-market economic system, that it should be allowed to exist. But that doesn't mean that it should be allowed to exist without regulation or restriction of any kind. All societies walk a precarious balance between liberty and order. After some research, I found that yes, Sacramento County has outlawed lap dancing ["No entertainer shall have physical contact with any patron or customer"] UNLESS the business has a valid general license to provide adult live theater and is located in an industrial zone. Why does your article make no mention of these important facts? If you want to be angry at the government for taking away your and my right to enter into a contract with another consenting adult to provide "boobs-in-face" for 20 bucks, I am on your side brother! But when you are on the right side of an argument, as I believe you are here, it greatly strengthens your case to gather and provide all of the facts that you can. And I am interested to read more about how the Sheriff's Department claims this new restriction will help the neighborhood. I hope that you will continue to follow this story and keep us readers in the know about what happens next! :)

John Schmidt 2009-03-28T19:07:01Z Steve V 2009-03-28T07:26:05Z 2009-03-28T07:26:05Z

Sure John, just like the federal government didn't "outlaw" marijuana right? They just passed a tax-stamp act, where you need the stamps in order to sell hemp/cannabis, then they never issued any stamps. Outlaw... Legislatively restrict. Same difference.

Steve V 2009-03-28T07:26:05Z John Schmidt 2009-03-28T07:07:36Z 2009-03-28T07:07:36Z

Wait a minute. The County did not "outlaw" lap dances. From News10.net: "Sacramento County supervisors voted to restrict lap dancing to adult live theater businesses holding valid general business in county industrial zones only." This was a measure targeted specifically at the Auburn Boulevard bars (where liquor is served) that provide nude entertainment (The Body Shop and Ember's, I believe). The juice bars in industrial zones are not affected. Whether or not this restriction will indeed lower the crime rate in the area as the Sheriff's Department hopes is another question.

John Schmidt 2009-03-28T07:07:36Z Zen 2009-03-27T17:46:23Z 2009-03-27T17:46:23Z

The vote was done by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors not the City of Sacramento Council.

Zen 2009-03-27T17:46:23Z Steve V 2009-03-27T16:20:24Z 2009-03-27T16:20:24Z

waldorfandstatler, it's one thing when I make an assumption in an editorial article, but when government justifies limiting rights based on flimsy assumptions... liberties are carelessly violated. The Supervisors have demonstrated the don't hold much regard for personal choice.

Steve V 2009-03-27T16:20:24Z John Boyer 2009-03-27T15:49:07Z 2009-03-27T15:49:07Z

What a hot button topic. I have to agree with the above posters. Power of choice is senior to everything. Man has to grow up and make good decisions instead of condemnation and legislating every bad decision known to man, which results are only drug wars and sex trade. When we tell someone YOU cant be here or do this what do they do? They find away to be this and do that. Amsterdam one if not the smartest city on the planet contains and legalizes all those things that are so hard for us to confront. In doing so they take tha criminal mind out of the equation AND create revenue for the city to boot! Its not the perfect solution but it is an effective one. Mr Mayor look at Amsterdam and learn.

John Boyer 2009-03-27T15:49:07Z waldorfandstatler 2009-03-27T15:20:28Z 2009-03-27T15:20:28Z

wait a second, we are all for helping out these ladies and all but "The fact is, most of these girls are probably single moms trying to make a buck and perhaps a few of them will resort to prostitution because of this ordinance" You can't criticize the City Council for not relying on facts, and then go ahead and jump into assumptionville in the very next sentence! "Proably single moms" "perhaps ... will resort to prostitution" Where are your facts on this other than anecdotal? For the record - Rancho Cordova has Sacramento beat when it comes to sober entertainment (they are after all, juice bars!) we do have fond memories of City Limits and will do our part to frequent one of these establishments soon to pump money into the local economy. PS the only crime committed is silly youngsters believing that the girls really are into them!

waldorfandstatler 2009-03-27T15:20:28Z Jim Knapp 2009-03-27T06:02:50Z 2009-03-27T06:02:50Z

This is the final straw. I am moving to Reno. Whats almost really funny is how a bunch of corrupt politicians who do favors for their friends and look the other way as CPS hires criminals, think that lap dances are somehow objectionable or offensive.

Jim Knapp 2009-03-27T06:02:50Z