Local News in Brief : Le Sex Shoppe Loses Bid to Remain Open
Studio City’s Le Sex Shoppe Tuesday joined a growing list of adult businesses facing closure under a Los Angeles law phasing out sexually oriented establishments near residential areas.
The City Council’s Planning and Environment Committee voted to deny a request by the shop at 12323 Ventura Boulevard for permission to stay open until 1991.
The committee recommendation, which was supported at a hearing by the area’s councilman, Mike Woo, and representatives of the Studio City Residents Assn., is expected to be approved by the full council Feb. 1.
Robert Sarno, an attorney who represents EWAP Inc., the owner of Le Sex Shoppe, said, “My client is eager to get into court” to challenge the constitutionality of the law. Sarno claims the law is designed to eliminate sexually oriented establishments from the city.
The 1986 law, inspired by Studio City residents and authored by Councilman Hal Bernson, gave sexually oriented businesses until March 6, 1988, to move if they are within 500 feet of homes. Businesses with long-term leases or large investments in their sites were permitted to apply for three-year extensions.
“This business has been a terrible neighbor,” Woo said.
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