Updated Fee Schedule Eyed For New Sex-Oriented Businesses In Riverside County

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — The Board of Supervisors Tuesday authorized the Riverside County Sheriff's Department to initiate a review of potential amendments to fee schedules for processing applications to establish massage parlors, strip clubs, short-stay motels, sexually oriented bookstores and related businesses throughout unincorporated communities.

In a 5-0 vote without comment, the board signed off on the agency's plans to study current fees and, based on that effort, return with proposed adjustments.

Sheriff's officials noted in documents posted to the board's agenda Tuesday that the fee schedules arranged in Ordinance No. 743 have not been modified since the summer of 2010.

"There is no impact on residents and businesses at this time," according to an agency statement.

The current fee to apply for the establishment of a massage parlor is $595, while for other venues, the processing fee runs $3,802.

The businesses in question include partial and full nude strip clubs, motion picture theaters featuring pornography, coin-operated arcades that contain porn videos, "sex-oriented cabarets," or restaurants where topless dancing and service is provided, and bookstores peddling porn magazines, DVDs and other media.

"Sex-oriented motels" are also included in the ordinance. They're defined as lodges where rooms regularly feature a menu of cable or satellite stations oriented to porn. The motels also generally offer rooms for "a six- hour period, or rent any single room more than twice in a 24-hour period," according to the ordinance.

There was no indication of the exact number of the designated businesses that operate within unincorporated areas.

Under county zoning regulations, the designated establishments are not permitted within 1,000 feet of any grade school, religious institution or public park, nor within 500 feet of any residence. Except for massage parlors and motels, the businesses covered under Ordinance No. 743 are additionally not permitted to operate between 2 a.m. and 9 a.m.

Parlors are restricted to the hours of 7 a.m. to midnight.

Sheriff's officials are expected to return with proposed revised fee schedules before year's end.