Got an itch for some racy adult content in Prince George's County? Sure you do. Well, the Prince George's County Council wants to make you work a little harder to scratch it, for the sake of keeping such unspeakable filth away from everyday citizens who would never engage in such prurience.
The council Wednesday passed restrictions that would keep adult book and video stores out of areas zoned for either commercial or mixed use, as well as limit the hours that they can stay open. The measure was passed to assuage residents who claim that adult businesses harm such questionable and nebulous things as "the quality of life" and our "delicate sensibilities."
Existing adult stores have until January 2011 to get licensed and find themselves a home in the shady industrial park, lest the businesses have no location at all. Predictably, the store owners were none too pleased with the bill passing, but they were awarded the concession of not having to pay a $250 licensing fee.
I'm sure that more than makes up for them being made into pariahs in the business community.
