The Citizens Task Force Against Pornography held its second meeting last night in Staunton with approximately 30 people turning out to continue the push toward strict zoning ordinances for adult businesses locating in Staunton and Augusta County. Staunton's Planning Commission had met at 4:00 Monday afternoon and presented a rough draft of a proposed ordinance which was hashed out and tweaked. A revised rough draft utilizing yesterday's Planning Commission revisions will be available Friday.
Former Staunton School Board member Andrea Oakes presented the draft to the group who made a few suggestions but, by and large, they were in agreement with the proposed ordinance which was based on one already in use in Henrico County.
Over 3,000 names have been collected on petitions from Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County (SWAC), and they will be presented to the respective governing bodies. Since City Council and Augusta Board of Supervisors have said they want to hear from citizens about this issue, everyone was encouraged to contact their representatives to urge that they pass the ordinance.
Travis Smithdeal, candidate for Pastures District on the Augusta Board of Supervisors, addressed the group while holding petitions in his hand with hundreds of signatures. He will appear before the Board of Supervisors at this week's Wednesday meeting to encourage that they be proactive instead of reactive, and move ahead with an ordinance for the county. Tracy Pyles (D-Pastures) has indicated he does not feel it is necessary to put ordinances in place to restrict adult businesses in the county.
News coverage of last night's meeting included NBC-29, WHSV-TV 3, and the Staunton newspaper.
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