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Atlantic Beach council approves first reading to tighten licensing and hours for sexually oriented businesses
Summary
Council approved first reading of Ordinance No. 11‑2025 with amendments that set a 2:30 a.m. shutdown, require premises to be vacated by 3:00 a.m., give businesses 60–90 days to obtain new licenses and set an April 30 compliance deadline.
Atlantic Beach Town Council voted Sept. 8 to approve the first reading of Ordinance No. 11‑2025, a measure establishing licensing requirements and operating rules for sexually oriented businesses.
The ordinance, as amended on the floor, sets a shutdown order at 2:30 a.m. and requires that all patrons be off the premises by 3:00 a.m. Businesses affected will have 60 to 90 days to apply for the new business license and will have until April 30 of the next business year to come into compliance, Town Manager Adrian Jones said.
The decision followed public comment from Billy Monckton, who told the council that voting on the ordinance without publicly posting amendments would be unlawful. “If you vote on that today it will be an illegal act pursuant to state law,” Monckton said, adding he had requested copies of amendments and had received conflicting information about whether they had been made public.
A legal advisor identified as Scott told the council the ordinance had been introduced and passed first reading at an Aug. 25 meeting as noticed and that the changes being discussed at this meeting could be adopted on the floor if council so chose. Council members and staff said no formal amendments had been adopted previously and agreed to make the approved amendments available to the public.
Councilwoman Carla Taylor moved to approve the first reading “with the discussed amendments resulting in the change of shutdown at 2:30 a.m., all should be removed from the premises by 3:00 a.m., 60 to 90 days for businesses to acquire the new business license and compliance of all regulations according to the ordinance by April 30 of the new business year.” The motion passed on a roll-call vote with all members present voting in favor.
The ordinance remains at the first-reading stage; staff were directed to post the amended text on the Town’s website and bring the item back for second reading at a subsequent meeting.
Council members said the step is intended to balance business operations with public-safety and quality-of-life concerns; town attorneys and staff will provide the final drafted language and public posting before the next reading.
