[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Clearfield 10-21-1999 by Ord. No. 1226 (Ch. 53 of the 1966 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
It is the purpose of this chapter to regulate sexually oriented businesses to promote the health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of the Borough and to establish reasonable and uniform regulations to prevent the deleterious location and concentration of sexually oriented businesses within the Borough. The provisions of this chapter have neither the purpose nor effect of imposing a limitation or restriction on the content of any communicative materials, including sexually oriented materials. Similarly, it is not the intent nor effect of this chapter to restrict or deny access by the distributors or exhibitors of sexually oriented entertainment to their intended market. Neither is in the intent or effect of this chapter to condone or legitimize the distribution of obscene material.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ADULT ARCADE
Any place to which the public is permitted or invited wherein coin-operated or slug-operated or electronically, electrically or mechanically controlled still- or motion-picture machines, projectors or other image-producing devices are maintained to show images to five or fewer persons per machine at any one time and where the images so displayed are distinguished or characterized by the depicting or describing of specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas.
ADULT BOOKSTORE OR ADULT VIDEO STORE
A. 
A commercial establishment which, as one of its principal business purposes, offers for sale or rental for any form of consideration any one or more of the following:
(1) 
Books, magazines, periodicals or other printed matter or photographs, films, motion pictures, videocassettes or video reproductions, slides or other visual representations which depict or describe specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas; or
(2) 
Instruments, devices or paraphernalia which are designed for use in connection with specified sexual activities.
B. 
A commercial establishment may have other principal business purposes that do not involve the offering for sale or rental of material depicting or describing specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas and still be categorized as an adult bookstore or adult video store. Such other business purposes will not serve to exempt such commercial establishment from being categorized as an adult bookstore or adult video store so long as one of its principal business purposes is the offering for sale or rental for consideration the specified materials which depict or describe specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas.
ADULT CABARET
A nightclub, bar, restaurant or similar commercial establishment which features:
A. 
Persons who appear in the state of nudity;
B. 
Live performances which are characterized by the exposure of specified anatomical areas or by specified sexual activities; or
C. 
Films, motion pictures, videocassettes, slides or other photographic reproductions which are characterized by the depiction or description of specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas.
ADULT MOTEL
A hotel, motel or similar commercial establishment which:
A. 
Offers accommodations to the public for any form of consideration; provides patrons with closed-circuit television transmissions, films, motion pictures, videocassettes, slides or other photographic reproductions which are characterized by the depiction or description of specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas and has a sign visible from a public right-of-way which advertises the availability of this adult-type of photographic reproductions; or
B. 
Offers sleeping rooms for rent four or more times in one calendar day during five or more calendar days in any continuous thirty-day period.
ADULT MOTION-PICTURE THEATER
A commercial establishment where, for any form of consideration, films, motion pictures, videocassettes, slides or similar photographic reproductions are shown which are characterized by the depiction or description or specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas.
ADULT THEATER
A theater, concert hall, auditorium or similar commercial establishment which features persons who appear in a state of nudity or live performances which are characterized by the exposure of specified anatomical areas or specified sexual activities.
CHILD-ORIENTED BUSINESS
A commercial establishment which, as one of its principal business purposes, serves and/or sells to children and their families food, apparels, goods, services, play and/or entertainment.
CONDUCT BUSINESS
Any person who does any one or more of the following shall be deemed to be conducting business:
A. 
Operates a cash register, cash drawer, or other depository on the adult business premises where cash funds or records of credit card or other credit transactions generated in any manner by the operation of the establishment or the activities conducted therein are kept.
B. 
Displays or takes orders from any customer for any merchandise, goods, entertainment or other services offered on the adult business premises.
C. 
Delivers or provides to any customer any merchandise, goods, entertainment or other services offered on the adult business premises.
D. 
Acts as a door attendant to regulate the entry of customers or other persons into the business premises.
E. 
Supervises or manages other persons in the performance of any of the foregoing activities on the business premises.
ENTERTAINMENT
Any act or performance such as a play, skit, reading, revue, pantomime, scene, song, dance, musical rendition or striptease, whether performed by employees, agents, contractors or customers. The term "entertainment" shall also mean bartenders, waiters, waitresses or other employees exposing specified anatomical areas or engaging in specified sexual activities in the presence of customers.
ESCORT
A person who, for consideration, agrees or offers to act as a companion, guide or date for another person or who agrees or offers to privately model lingerie or to privately performs striptease for another person.
ESCORT AGENCY
A person or business association who or which furnishes, offers to furnish or advertises to furnish escorts as one of its primary business purposes for a fee, tip or other consideration.
HOLIDAYS
The nationally recognized holidays New Year's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
KNOWINGLY
Having knowledge of or reason to know or a belief or ground for belief which warrants further inspection or inquiry of the character and content of any material or performance described herein which is reasonably susceptible of examination by a licensee or person; or the age of the minor; provided, however, that an honest mistake shall constitute an excuse from liability hereunder if the licensee or person made a reasonable bona fide attempt to ascertain the true age of such minor. "Knowingly" also means that a reasonable person using reasonable skills and faculties would have known or been aware.
NUDE MODEL STUDIO
Any place where a person who appears in a state of nudity or displays specified anatomical areas is provided to be observed, sketched, drawn, painted, sculptured, photographed or similarly depicted by other persons who pay money or any form of consideration.
NUDITY or STATE OF NUDITY
The appearance of a human bare buttock, anus, male genitals, female genitals or female breast with less than a fully opaque covering, or showing the female breast with less than a fully opaque covering or any portion thereof below the top of the nipple.
PERMITTEE and/or LICENSEE
A person in whose name a permit and/or license to operate a sexually oriented business has been issued, as well as the individual listed as an applicant on the application for a permit and/or license.
PERSON
An individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, association or other legal entity.
SEMINUDE
A state of dress in which clothing covers no more than the genitals, pubic region and areola of the female breast, as well as portions of the body covered by supporting straps or devices.
SEXUAL ENCOUNTER CENTER
A. 
A business or commercial enterprise that, as one of its primary business purposes, offers for any form of consideration:
(1) 
Physical contact in the form of wrestling or tumbling between persons of the opposite sex; or
(2) 
Activities between male and female persons and/or persons of the same sex when one or more of the persons is in a state of nudity or seminude.
B. 
This term does not include the following types of commercial enterprises:
(1) 
An enterprise in which massage therapy that does not involve specified sexual activities is provided by a physician, chiropractor, registered nurse or other medical practitioner licensed or certified by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
(2) 
An enterprise in which massage therapy that does not involve specified sexual activities is provided by a professional massage therapist who is licensed or certified by a national massage therapist professional organization that has an explicit and enforced policy statement which fully deals with the concerns raised by this chapter and furthers the purposes of this chapter.
SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESS
An adult arcade, adult bookstore or adult video store, adult cabaret, adult motel, adult motion-picture theater, adult theater, escort agency, nude model studio or sexual encounter center.
SPECIFIED ANATOMICAL AREAS
A. 
Less than completely and opaquely covered:
(1) 
Human genitalia and pubic region; or
(2) 
Buttock and anus; or
(3) 
Female breast below a point immediately above the top of the areola.
B. 
Human male genitals in a discernibly turgid state even if completely and opaquely covered.
SPECIFIED SEXUAL ACTIVITIES
Includes any of the following:
A. 
The fondling or other erotic touching of human genitals, pubic region, buttocks, anus or female breasts;
B. 
Sex acts, normal or perverted, actual or simulated, including intercourse, oral copulation or sodomy;
C. 
Masturbation, actual or simulated; or
D. 
Excretory functions as part of or in connection with any of the activities set forth in Subsections A through C above.
SUBSTANTIAL ENLARGEMENT OF A SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESS
The increase in floor areas occupied by the business by more than 25% as the floor areas exist on date of enactment of this chapter.
TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP OR CONTROL OF A SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESS
Includes any of the following:
A. 
The sale, lease or sublease of the business;
B. 
The transfer of securities which constitute a controlling interest in the business, whether by sale, exchange or similar means; or
C. 
The establishment of a trust, gift or other similar legal device which transfers the ownership or control of the business, except for transfer by bequest or other operations of law upon the death of the person possessing the ownership or control.
Sexually oriented businesses are classified as follows:
A. 
Adult arcades.
B. 
Adult bookstores or adult video stores.
C. 
Adult cabarets.
D. 
Adult motels.
E. 
Adult motion-picture theaters.
F. 
Adult theaters.
G. 
Escort agencies.
H. 
Nude model studios.
I. 
Sexual encounter centers.
A. 
Any person who operates a sexually oriented business without a valid permit issued by the Borough of Clearfield is guilty of a violation of this chapter.
B. 
An application for a permit to operate a sexually oriented business must be made on a form provided by the Code Enforcement Officer.
C. 
The applicant must be qualified according to the provisions of this chapter, and the premises must be inspected and found to be in compliance with the law by the Code Enforcement Officer.
D. 
If a person who wishes to operate a sexually oriented business is an individual, he must sign the application for a permit as applicant. If a person who wishes to operate a sexually oriented business is other than an individual, each individual who has a 10% or greater interest in the business must sign the application for a permit as applicant. If a corporation is listed as owner of a sexually oriented business or as the entity which wishes to operate such a business, each individual having a direct or indirect interest of 10% or greater in the corporation must sign the application for a permit as applicant.
E. 
The fact that a person possesses other types of Borough permits does not exempt the person from the requirement of obtaining a sexually oriented business permit.
A. 
The Code Enforcement Officer shall approve the issuance of a permit to an applicant within 30 days after receipt of an application unless he finds one or more of the following to be true:
(1) 
An applicant is under 18 years of age.
(2) 
An applicant or an applicant's spouse is overdue in his payment to the Borough of taxes, fees, fines or penalties assessed against him or imposed upon him in relation to a sexually oriented business.
(3) 
An applicant has failed to provide information reasonably necessary for issuance of the permit or has falsely answered a question or request for information on the application form.
(4) 
The premises to be used for the sexually oriented business have been reviewed and have been disapproved as not being in compliance with applicable laws and ordinances.
(5) 
The permit fee required by this chapter has not been paid.
(6) 
An applicant of the proposed establishment is in violation of or not in compliance with a provision of this chapter.
(7) 
An individual applicant, individual holding a direct interest of more than 10% in a corporate applicant, officer or director of a corporate applicant, partner or limited partner if the applicant is a partnership, or manager or other person in charge of the operation of the applicant's business has or have been convicted of an offense involving sexual misconduct within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including but not limited to prostitution, obscenity, rape, statutory rape and possession of child pornography, or convicted of any offense in any jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that would have constituted an offense involving sexual misconduct if committed within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In order for approval to be denied pursuant to this subsection, the person or persons' conviction in connection with the sexual misconduct offense must have occurred within two years of the date of application in the event of a misdemeanor and within five years of the date of application in the event of a felony.
B. 
The permit, if granted, shall state on its face the name of the person or persons to whom it is granted, the expiration date and the address of the sexually oriented business. The permit shall be posted in a conspicuous place at or near the entrance to the sexually oriented business so that it may be easily read at any time.
C. 
The Code Enforcement Officer shall complete the certification that the premises are in compliance or not in compliance within 20 days of receipt of the application.
The fee for a sexually oriented business permit shall be $300.
A. 
An applicant, or permittee, shall permit the Police Department and the Code Enforcement Officer to inspect the premises of a sexually oriented business for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the law at any time that the sexually oriented business is open for business.
B. 
A person who operates a sexually oriented business, or his agent or employee, violates this chapter if he refuses to permit such lawful inspection of the premises at any time it is open for business.
A. 
Each permit shall expire one year from the date of issuance and may be renewed only by making application as provided in § 419-4. Application for renewal should be made at least 30 days before the expiration date, and when made fewer than 30 days before the expiration date, the pendency of the application will not prevent the expiration of the permit.
B. 
If the Code Enforcement Officer denies renewal of a license, the applicant shall not be issued a permit for one year from the date of denial, except that after 90 days have elapsed since the date of denial, the applicant may be granted a permit if the Code Enforcement Officer finds that the basis for denial of the renewal permit has been corrected or abated. The denial of the permit by the Code Enforcement Officer shall be appealable to the Zoning Hearing Board as provided by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
The Code Enforcement Officer shall suspend a permit for a period not to exceed 30 days if he determines that a permittee or an employee of a permittee has:
A. 
Violated or is not in compliance with any section of this chapter.
B. 
Refused to allow an inspection of a sexually oriented business premises as authorized by this chapter.
A. 
The Code Enforcement Officer shall revoke a permit if a cause of suspension set forth in § 419-9 occurs and the permit has been suspended within the proceeding 12 months.
B. 
The Code Enforcement Officer shall revoke a permit if he determines that:
(1) 
A permittee, or any of the persons specified in § 419-5A(7) is or has been convicted of the offenses specified in § 419-5A(7);
(2) 
A permittee gave false or misleading information in the material submitted to the Borough during the application process;
(3) 
A permittee or an employee of a permittee has knowingly allowed possession, use or sale of controlled substances on the premises;
(4) 
A permittee or an employee of a permittee has knowingly allowed prostitution on the premises;
(5) 
A permittee or an employee of a permittee knowingly operated the sexually oriented business during a period of time when the permittee's permit was suspended;
(6) 
A permittee or an employee of a permittee has knowingly allowed any act of sexual intercourse, sodomy, oral copulation, masturbation or other explicit sexual conduct to occur in or on the permitted premises; or
(7) 
A permittee is delinquent in payment to the Borough or state of any taxes or fees relating to the involved sexually oriented business.
C. 
When the Code Enforcement Officer revokes a permit, the revocation shall continue for one year, and the permittee shall not be issued a sexually oriented business permit for one year from the date revocation became effective, except that if the revocation is pursuant to Subsection B(1) above, the revocation shall be effective for two years in the event of a misdemeanor or five years in the case of a felony.
D. 
After denial of an application, denial of a renewal of an application or suspension or revocation of a permit, the applicant, licensee or permittee shall have the right to appeal said action and to seek prompt judicial review of such administrative action in any court of competent jurisdiction.
A permittee shall not transfer his permit to another person. A permittee shall not operate a sexually oriented business under the authority of a permit at any place other than the address designated in the application.
A. 
A person is guilty of a violation of this chapter if he operates or causes to be operated a sexually oriented business (excepting businesses existing as of the date of passage of this chapter) within 1,000 feet of:
(1) 
A church;
(2) 
A public or private pre-elementary, elementary or secondary school;
(3) 
A public library;
(4) 
A child-care facility or nursery school;
(5) 
A public park adjacent to any residential district; or
(6) 
A child-oriented business.
B. 
A person is guilty of a violation of this chapter if he causes or permits the operation, establishment, substantial enlargement or transfer of ownership or control of a sexually oriented business within 1,000 feet of another sexually oriented business.
C. 
A person is guilty of a violation of this chapter if he causes or permits the operation, establishment or maintenance of more than one sexually oriented business in the same building, structure or portion thereof or the increase of floor areas of any sexually oriented business in any building, structure or portion thereof containing another sexually oriented business.
D. 
For the purposes of this chapter, measurement shall be made in a straight line, without regard to intervening structures or objects, from the nearest portion of the building or structure used as a part of the premises where a sexually oriented business is conducted to the nearest property line of the premises of a church, public or private pre-elementary, elementary or secondary school, public library, child-care facility, child-oriented business, or nursery school or to the nearest boundary of an affected public park. The presence of a municipal, county or other political subdivision boundary shall be irrelevant for purposes of calculating and applying the distance requirements of this section.
E. 
For purposes of Subsection B of this section, the distance between any two sexually oriented businesses shall be measured in a straight line, without regard to intervening structures or objects, from the closest exterior wall of the structure in which each business is located.
F. 
A sexually oriented business that was lawfully operating on the date of the enactment of this chapter that is in violation of Subsections A, B or C of this section shall be deemed a nonconforming use. Such nonconforming uses shall not be increased, enlarged, extended or altered, except that the use may be changed to a conforming use.
G. 
A sexually oriented business lawfully operating as a conforming use is not rendered a nonconforming use by the location, subsequent to the grant or renewal of the sexually oriented business permit, of a church, public or private pre-elementary, elementary or secondary school, public library, child care facility, child-oriented business, nursery school or public park within 1,000 feet of the sexually oriented business. This provision applies only to the renewal of a valid permit and does not apply when an application for a permit is submitted after a permit has expired or has been revoked.
Limitation of operating hours of sexually oriented businesses which apply for initial license or permit after passage of this chapter to the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, and closure of such businesses on Sundays and holidays, reduces the adverse secondary effects of such businesses, including particularly, but not limited to, late night noise levels, crime, sexually offensive materials and activities in public areas and promotes the public health, safety and welfare.
It is unlawful for any employee, owner, operator, responsible managing employee, manager or permittee of a sexually oriented business to allow any person below the age of 18 years upon the premises or within the confines of a sexually oriented business either as a patron or as an employee.
It is a defense to prosecution under §§ 419-5 and 419-12 that a person appearing in a state of nudity did so in a modeling class operated:
A. 
By a proprietary school, licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or a college, junior college or university supported entirely or partly by taxation;
B. 
By a private college or university which maintains and operates educational programs in which credits are transferable to a college, junior college or university supported entirely or partly by taxation; or
C. 
In a structure:
(1) 
Which has no sign visible from the exterior of the structure and no other advertising that indicates a nude person is available for viewing;
(2) 
Where, in order to participate in a class, a student must enroll at least three days in advance of the class; and
(3) 
Where no more than one nude model is on the premises at one time.
A person who operates or causes to be operated a sexually oriented business without a valid permit or in violation of this chapter is subject to an action in equity or a suit for injunction as well as citations for violations of this chapter.
The provisions of this chapter are severable and if any section, sentence, clause, part or provision thereof shall be held illegal, invalid or unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision of the court shall not affect the remaining sections, sentences, clauses, parts or provisions of this chapter.
This chapter shall take effect and be in force from the date of its enactment as required by law.