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Vassalboro Seeks Input on Barring Nudity at Local Businesses

April 15, 2009 - VASSALBORO — Should nudity be banned at local businesses?

Residents will have the chance to offer their opinions Wednesday night, when the Board of Selectmen will hold a meeting on a proposed adult entertainment ordinance at 6:30 p.m. at the Town Office on Main Street.

Town Manager Mary Sabins crafted a draft proposal in response to citizens' complaints following the Feb. 23 opening on Route 3 of the Grand View Topless Coffee Shop, which features topless waitresses and waiters serving coffee and doughnuts.

Owner Donald Crabtree said Monday that he plans to apply for a new town permit to expand the shop's capacity to about 300 seats. Crabtree also said he wants to acquire an entertainment license for a strip club and to extend the business' hours of operation to 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. The shop now is open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

"We've had lines out the door," Crabtree said.

An ordinance would not affect the existing business because it has a town permit already, according to Sabins.

In order for an ordinance to take effect, voters would need to approve it at town meeting on June 8. Selectmen are seeking public comments Wednesday to firm up the proposal's language before it's ready for a vote.

"I'll be bringing in several samples from several different towns" with similar ordinances, Sabins said. "Those samples will be available at the meeting for folks to take a look at."

Selectmen, she said, "haven't settled on anything. That's why they're having this meeting."

Before Crabtree can apply for an expansion of the business, he must settle lingering seating capacity questions with the town. Crabtree said he recently received a written warning from the town's code enforcement officer, Paul Mitnik, for exceeding the seating capacity that the town granted.

The town says Crabtree was permitted by the Planning Board to serve only 21 customers at once, based on what Crabtree admits was his testimony to the board during permit hearings. Crabtree said he later obtained permission from the state Fire Marshal's Office for a capacity of 58, and that's what he's done.

Crabtree said he is scheduled to meet with the town May 5 to explain the discrepancy in seating capacity.

Last month, the Board of Selectmen began discussion of the adult entertainment proposal. Crabtree and three of his employees showed up to the meeting to voice their opposition, while only a couple of residents attended.

Draft language of the ordinance states that it aims "to regulate nudity as a form of sexual exploitation and to regulate dress as a form of conduct and not to impede the free exchange and expression of ideas."

The ordinance describes in detail the body parts that could not be exposed or displayed by any employee or business owner within the town of Vassalboro.

The draft ordinance goes on to ban nude photographs, and magazines and movies that are "visible to children or unwilling adults within a building open to the public or using the sidewalks, streets or highways."

Such prohibitions would have exceptions, such as live theater or cinemas showing movies.

By SCOTT MONROE, Morning Sentinel April 14, 2009


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