WELLS — Despite opposition from some residents to allow adult business in Wells, such businesses cannot be banned altogether. However, town officials hope to limit where such businesses can locate.
In order to do so, the Board of Selectmen passed an emergency land use ordinance amendment on April 9 that would temporarily allow adult business establishments to locate only in the town’s light industrial zone, retroactive to April 8. To be permanent, residents must approve the measure and will have the opportunity to do so at the June 11 town meeting. Prior to the vote, there will be a public hearing at 7 p.m. May 7 in the Littlefield Room in Wells Town Hall.
Town Manager Jonathan Carter said while some may not want adult business establishments in the family-friend town of Wells, the town’s attorney has advised that outlawing them is illegal. “Constitutional issues would preclude us from banning that type of business,” Carter.
The impetus for the ordinance was when Back Door LLC applied during the week of April 1 for a permit to open a business on Route 1 in Wells. Carter described the business as “basically a head shop with adult novelty items.”
Currently there are no such businesses in Wells, he said.
After learning that an adult business sought to locate on Route 1, Carter said he and other town staff members worked through the weekend to draft an ordinance that would limit where such a business could locate.
When selectmen voted to only permit such businesses in the light industrial district, the business decided against opening a Wells business, Carter said.
According to Carter, selectmen cannot approve land use ordinances, only town meeting can do so. But selectmen can enact a 61 day emergency ordinance, which they did. They will have to renew the emergency ordinance on June 5 prior to the town meeting vote to ensure that adult business establishments are banned from all areas of town except the light industrial district until residents vote.
About a dozen people spoke against allowing an adult business establishment from locating in Wells, especially along Route 1 at the April 9 meeting.
Josee Lawrence said she was against such a business, especially one that was to be located next door to the business she co-owns, Bella Tresse Salon on Route 1.
She said when she learned of the business proposal, she spread the word.
“The general consensus was obvious,” Lawrence said. “We don’t want an adult business in town. We certainly don’t want it next to our family-friendly salon.”
Resident Lynne Freeman-Sauer said she had learned of the proposed business possibly locating in town less than an hour before the meeting and her emotions were running high. She said she’s afraid it would negatively impact the town.
“We hear in the news about sex trafficking and child pornography,” Freeman-Sauer said. “Why on Earth would we want to contribute to that?”
“I would not want to go to any of the businesses surrounding this proposed business,” she said. “And that means some of the people here would lose my business. … I don’t what our town to be know for having anything like this in our town.”
Freeman-Sauer said she thought such a business would lead to more drug trafficking, sex trafficking and prostitution in Wells.
“We don’t need it,” said Justin Batchelder who said he grew up in Wells, owns a trailer park business there and his family has been living in Wells for 100 years.
“It’s wrong. It shouldn’t be here,” he said.
If residents don’t approve the land use ordinance amendment limiting the location of adult business establishments to the light industrial district, as well as defining such businesses, adult businesses will be able to locate most anywhere businesses are allow in the town.
If the amendment isn’t approved June 11, Carter said, town officials will try to do a better job educating town voters and get it on the Nov. 5 ballot.
— Associate Editor Dina Mendros can be contacted at 780-9014 or dmendros@journaltribune.com
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
