HOUSTON—No matter how you dress it up, residents near 290 and Mangum are not happy with the addition of a new strip club.
The Sunset Strip Club opened up in the old Steak & Ale location this week. “I'm a Christian and we don't believe in that,†said neighbor Vicki Higerd. “We don't like it and it's too close to us.†Higerd is not alone. David Edwards is worried about his son growing up around the sexually-oriented business. “This is where my child's growing up,†said Edwards. “Now, my child's going to grow up and see whatever riff-raff is going be coming out of that place.†But it's more than upset homeowners. For years, the Houston Independent School District fought the strip club from setting up shop because it's just down the road from Delmar Stadium, a facility that's used year-round by students for sporting events. HISD released a statement after the club opened this week. “We are disappointed with the decision to allow a sexually-oriented business to operate so close to a school athletics complex,†the statement read. Higerd agreed. “All of the schools around here go to that stadium to do their football and all of that and soccer and it's just too close to that,†she said. Sunset Strip manager Lloyd Ace invited KHOU 11 News into the club that also doubles as a sports bar. “How do you feel about being the unwanted neighbor?†asked KHOU 11 News Reporter Tiffany Craig. “We'll I'm sad that we're unwanted,†said Ace. “I can understand people's feelings but our closest neighbors are across the freeway. This is really a commercial area.†Ace said they got all the necessary permits. The business is more than 1, 500 feet from a school, daycare, park or church. To try and keep a little peace with the neighbors, Sunset Strip has agreed not to use a spotlight to direct customers to their location.
That I'm aware of, Houston is not a zoning-savvy city. It was probably the last major American city to adopt a zoning ordinance. However, the 1,500-ft. limit, if that's accurate is the greatest I've ever encountered, and I worked in city planning for over 20 years. Much of that time was in zoning.
Neighbors will complain about any new adult business where ever one opens or is even proposed. It's just a fact of zoning life. One exception is in the Los Angeles area, TUSCL have probably heard about great mileage available at club in the city of Industry. It is largely a poor, immigrant community. Most of those that speak English, do so as a second language. Generally they don't have the will (many are undocumented), the money, or the ability to communicate effectively. So, when a new strip club opens there, generally, there is little public opposition. (One exception may be a recent attempt by the Spearmint Rhino chain to open a new club where the Hawaii Theatre was previously located. There a much better educated community in adjacent Hacienda Heights will have the skills and ability necessary to protest a new adult business.)