Port Orchard committee to pursue rules on adult novelty retail displays

The Port Orchard Land Use Committee on July 8 directed staff to develop code options addressing display standards for adult novelty retail after council members said examples from other cities suggest regulating window displays rather than creating a new land-use category.

"This item was brought up by the city council and directed to the land use committee," principal planner Jim Fisk told the committee, and he said staff will circulate example ordinances from other jurisdictions. Chair Jay Rose Pepe said he reviewed MRSC examples including Kennewick, Federal Way and Gig Harbor and saw no barrier to moving a draft code amendment to a September work study.

Committee members discussed two regulatory approaches: limit in-store/window displays and create a separate land-use category for adult retail. Fisk said some jurisdictions create a distinct land-use for adult retail while Port Orchard’s code currently regulates adult entertainment but is silent on novelty retail. Council member Scott Dehner asked whether the committee should instead use zone-based restrictions; Nick Bond said retail sales are treated as general retail under current code and are not a separate use category.

The committee also flagged location restrictions: "the examples we looked at ... thou shalt ... thousand feet from a school," Pepe said, urging inclusion of school buffers in any draft.

Fisk said staff will work with the city attorney and bring draft language and links to member examples to the committee and then to full council. No formal motion or vote was taken at the meeting.