New zoning changes could impact location of potential strip club

ANGOLA, Ind. (WANE) - Angola City Council members have changed the zoning rules on where sexually oriented businesses can set up shop in the city.  And this might affect a strip club the owner of Showgirl III is trying to open in the old 'Slider's Restaurant' building there.

The question everyone's asking now is: will the proposed strip club be allowed to open in the old Slider's location? Monday night Angola City Council members changed the zoning requirements for sexually oriented businesses.  Before they were allowed in retail and shopping districts.  Now, they're only allowed in an industrial district.  The city attorney, Kim Shoup, said the owner of this proposed strip club has a constitutional right to put the club in the city.  But since studies show sexually oriented businesses have adverse effects on the city, the city itself says it has a constitutional right to regulate where the strip club sets up shop.  The old Slider's Restaurant is in a retail, shopping zone.  NewsChannel 15 asked the city attorney if the proposed strip club could still open up for business in that building.

"It wouldn't be helpful for me to speculate on how it might effect that.  He has five lawyers.  Some of national prominence that have contacted the city.  They've threatened to sue the city over these things.  So, I'll just leave it to his attorneys to speculate on how it might affect his business operation," Shoup explained.

We also learned that the owner of this proposed strip club is trying to buy the liquor license from Sliders.  There will be a hearing on that next Wednesday afternoon at one at the county annex building.

The city attorney said the council didn't change the zoning in response to the Showgirl III owner wanting to open a strip club in Angola.  He said sexually oriented businesses used to only be able to open for business in the industrial district, but at some point in time that changed.  So, the city's just changing it back.