Public hearing on Cobb sex shop changes attracts no comments

Cobb sex shop changes

There was plenty of interest from readers to our story on Monday on a proposed ordinance that would make sweeping changes to how sexually oriented businesses can operate.

But on Tuesday, nobody showed up to speak at a public hearing, either in favor of, or against, those proposed code amendments.

Although no businesses were mentioned by name, these proposals brought by Commissioner Bob Ott of East Cobb follow the recent opening of a Tokyo Valentino store on Johnson Ferry Road, where a more forthright sign advertising its wares has gone up, as seen above.

The City of Marietta recently closed the only other Tokyo Valentino store in the county, on Cobb Parkway across from the Marietta Diner, for violating its ordinances.

The Cobb code amendments would apply only to businesses in unincorporated areas. The primary rationale being given for replacing an entire section of the code pertaining to adult businesses is what’s called “adverse secondary effects,” including crime and loitering, to nearby areas.

County commissioners revise the code several times a year, and before doing so must conduct public hearings.

The new ordinance would limit sexually oriented business to two industrial zoning categories. Tokyo Valentino opened in East Cobb in former Mattress Firm space that is zoned general commercial, and received a business license for a retail clothing store that was to have been called 1290 Clothing Co.

There was vocal opposition before Tokyo Valentino signs appeared, but Ott said the county couldn’t do anything.

You can read through what’s being proposed in the code amendments by clicking here.

There are two more public hearings, on Sept. 1 before the Cobb Planning Commission, and on Sept. 8, the date Cobb commissioners are expected to vote on the code amendments.